Las Cruces, New Mexico has 3 accredited schools offering political science programs. Las Cruces has a population of about 112,612. Median household income is $55,176 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 37.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In New Mexico, the top-earning political science-related role is Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary at a median $80,640 annually (BLS, May 2025).
Closest Political Science Schools to Las Cruces
The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer political science programs near Las Cruces, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Las Cruces 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:
BOCSCORE
- 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 Las Cruces.
Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
Graduation rate
55%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$39,067
Avg net price
$8,889/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats
- Retention rate: 74%
- Programs offered: 121
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all New Mexico schools on the New Mexico political science page.
Political Science Wages Near Las Cruces
Las Cruces is part of the Las Cruces, NM metro area (BLS area code 29740). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to New Mexico statewide.
| Occupation |
Median Wage |
Source |
COL-Adjusted (US=100) |
| Political Scientists |
N/A |
NM statewide |
– |
| Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary |
$80,640 |
NM statewide |
$89,401 |
| Management Analysts |
$73,320 |
Las Cruces, NM |
$81,286 |
| Public Relations Specialists |
$53,540 |
Las Cruces, NM |
$59,357 |
| Survey Researchers |
$61,380 |
NM statewide |
$68,049 |
| Paralegals and Legal Assistants |
$64,370 |
Las Cruces, NM |
$71,364 |
| Compliance Officers |
$76,380 |
Las Cruces, NM |
$84,678 |
| Social and Community Service Managers |
$75,380 |
Las Cruces, NM |
$83,570 |
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.
Las Cruces at a Glance
| Metric |
Value |
Source |
| Population |
112,612 |
Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income |
$55,176 |
Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ |
37.3% |
Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) |
90.2 (below U.S. average) |
BEA RPP 2024 |
Other Las Cruces-Area Cities With Political Science Programs
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited political science schools are near Las Cruces, NM?
Our directory has 3 accredited schools offering political science programs near Las Cruces. The closest is New Mexico State University-Main Campus in Las Cruces, NM (3.8 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Western New Mexico University (92.4 miles). 3 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying political science roles near Las Cruces?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying political science-related roles near Las Cruces are: Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary ($80,640), Compliance Officers ($76,380), Social and Community Service Managers ($75,380). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with New Mexico statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.
Should I look at programs in El Paso instead of Las Cruces?
El Paso, TX is 39.2 miles from Las Cruces 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 Las Cruces an affordable place to study political science?
Las Cruces’s median household income of $55,176 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Las Cruces while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and New Mexico 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 Las Cruces
Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Las Cruces:
- History programs in Las Cruces, NM
- English programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Sociology programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Anthropology programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Philosophy programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Mathematics programs in Las Cruces, NM
- General Studies programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Forensic Psychology programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Child Development programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Data Science programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Electrical Engineering programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Software Engineering programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Engineering Management programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Geography programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Aviation Management programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Public Policy programs in Las Cruces, NM
- International Relations programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Chemistry programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Physics programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Neuroscience programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Spanish programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Film programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Fashion programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Architecture programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Urban Planning programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Industrial Design programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Game Design programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Instructional Design programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Higher Education Administration programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Global Health programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Art History programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Creative Writing programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Environmental Science programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Nutrition programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Theology programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Library Science programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Applied Behavior Analysis programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Medical Billing and Coding programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Medical Assistant programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Pharmacy Technician programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Health Science programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Occupational Safety and Health programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Entrepreneurship programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Interior Design programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Photography programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Sustainability Management programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Behavioral Health Science programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Mental Health Counseling programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Substance Abuse Counseling programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Journalism programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Public Relations programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Communication Disorders programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Speech Pathology programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Technical Communication programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Professional Writing programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Strategic Communications programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Business Development programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Construction Management programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Economics programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Financial Technology programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Forensic Accounting programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Health Information Management programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Hospitality Management programs in Las Cruces, NM
- International Business programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Organizational Leadership programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Management Information Systems programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Nonprofit Management programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Operations Management programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Public Administration programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Real Estate programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Recreation Management programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Retail Management programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Risk Management programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Statistics programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Taxation programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Corrections programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Crime Analysis programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Criminal Justice Administration programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Criminology programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Cybercrime programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Emergency Management programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Fire Science programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Forensic Science programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Legal Services programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Legal Studies programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Paralegal programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Security Management programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Cloud Computing programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Computer Engineering programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Innovation programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Mobile App Development programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Software Development programs in Las Cruces, NM
- User Experience programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Web Development programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Artificial Intelligence programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Machine Learning programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Supply Chain Management programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Data Analytics programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Public Health programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Human Resources programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Project Management programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Special Education programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Homeland Security programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Marketing programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Finance programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Kinesiology programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Sports Management programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Early Childhood Education programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Elementary Education programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Biology programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Communications programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Graphic Design programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Human Services programs in Las Cruces, NM
- MBA programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Criminal Justice programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Nursing programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Business Administration programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Computer Science programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Psychology programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Education programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Engineering programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Technology programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Liberal Arts programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Healthcare programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Cybersecurity programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Accounting programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Healthcare Administration programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Social Work programs in Las Cruces, NM
- Counseling programs in Las Cruces, NM
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 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.
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