Best Political Science Schools Near Lincoln, NE (2026)

Lincoln, Nebraska has 5 accredited schools offering political science programs. Lincoln has a population of about 291,932. Median household income is $69,991 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 41.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Lincoln, NE metro area, the top-earning political science-related role is Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary at a median $101,770 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Political Science Schools to Lincoln

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer political science programs near Lincoln, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Lincoln city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Lincoln. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score โ€” U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Lincoln, NE 1.2 miles from Lincoln
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
69.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 67%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $56,887
Avg net price $17,747/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 85%
  • Programs offered: 155

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Nebraska Wesleyan University

Lincoln, NE 2.6 miles from Lincoln
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
61.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 63%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $56,405
Avg net price $18,327/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 75%
  • Programs offered: 47

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Nebraska schools on the Nebraska political science page.


Political Science Wages Near Lincoln

Lincoln is part of the Lincoln, NE metro area (BLS area code 30700). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Nebraska statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Political Scientists N/A NE statewide
Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary $101,770 Lincoln, NE $111,103
Management Analysts $68,140 Lincoln, NE $74,389
Public Relations Specialists $61,550 Lincoln, NE $67,194
Survey Researchers $64,530 NE statewide $70,448
Paralegals and Legal Assistants $61,440 Lincoln, NE $67,074
Compliance Officers $78,850 Lincoln, NE $86,081
Social and Community Service Managers $74,840 Lincoln, NE $81,703

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.


Lincoln at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 291,932 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $69,991 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 41.0% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 91.6 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Lincoln-Area Cities With Political Science Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited political science schools are near Lincoln, NE?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering political science programs near Lincoln. The closest is University of Nebraska-Lincoln in Lincoln, NE (1.2 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Creighton University (49.5 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying political science roles near Lincoln?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying political science-related roles near Lincoln are: Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary ($101,770), Compliance Officers ($78,850), Social and Community Service Managers ($74,840). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Nebraska statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Fremont instead of Lincoln?

Fremont, NE is 44.8 miles from Lincoln and has its own set of local political science programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Lincoln an affordable place to study political science?

Lincoln’s median household income of $69,991 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Lincoln while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Nebraska public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.


Learn More About Political Science Programs

Other Programs Available in Lincoln

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Lincoln:

Data verified: September 5, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024โ€“2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.