Best Political Science Schools Near Forest City, NC (2026)

Updated September 5, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Forest City, North Carolina has 5 accredited schools offering political science programs, with tuition ranging from $34,760 to $47,091 per year for indexed programs. Forest City has a population of about 7,368. Median household income is $35,897 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 17.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In North Carolina, the top-earning political science-related role is Management Analysts at a median $98,560 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Political Science Schools to Forest City

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer political science programs near Forest City, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Forest City 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 Forest City. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

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

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#1

Gardner-Webb University

Boiling Springs, NC 12.9 miles from Forest City
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
44.2 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 77%
Graduation rate 59%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $48,039
Avg net price $17,674/yr
Tuition
In‑state$34,760
Out‑of‑state$34,760
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 62%
  • Programs offered: 49

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Lenoir-Rhyne University

Hickory, NC 41.4 miles from Forest City
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
41.8 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 85%
Graduation rate 49%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $45,543
Avg net price $20,689/yr
Tuition
In‑state$31,900
Out‑of‑state$31,900
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 73%
  • Programs offered: 57

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

University of North Carolina Asheville

Asheville, NC 43.7 miles from Forest City
  • 4 year
46.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 64%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $44,030
Avg net price $12,250/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 73%
  • Programs offered: 34

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Belmont Abbey College

Belmont, NC 47.0 miles from Forest City
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
36.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 46%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $47,937
Avg net price $24,639/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 70%
  • Programs offered: 25

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

Mars Hill University

Mars Hill, NC 51.3 miles from Forest City
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
34.8 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 68%
Graduation rate 43%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $44,781
Avg net price $19,910/yr
Tuition
In‑state$37,736
Out‑of‑state$37,736
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 66%
  • Programs offered: 29

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Johnson C Smith University

Charlotte, NC 57.5 miles from Forest City
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
33.8 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 45%
Graduation rate 34%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $42,680
Avg net price $20,894/yr
Tuition
In‑state$21,300
Out‑of‑state$21,300
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 67%
  • Programs offered: 18

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

Davidson College

Davidson, NC 58.9 miles from Forest City
  • 4 year
78.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 90%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $81,400
Avg net price $17,379/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 95%
  • Programs offered: 37

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Queens University of Charlotte

Charlotte, NC 59.3 miles from Forest City
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
55.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 66%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $57,673
Avg net price $30,857/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 75%
  • Programs offered: 50

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Political Science Wages Near Forest City

Occupation Median Annual Wage (North Carolina, statewide)
Political Scientists N/A
Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary $78,760
Management Analysts $98,560
Public Relations Specialists $67,230
Survey Researchers $96,560
Paralegals and Legal Assistants $57,500
Compliance Officers $78,500
Social and Community Service Managers $79,590

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.

Forest City at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 7,368 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $35,897 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 17.2% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Forest City-Area Cities With Political Science Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited political science schools are near Forest City, NC?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering political science programs near Forest City. The closest is Gardner-Webb University in Boiling Springs, NC (12.9 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is North Greenville University (33.6 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying political science roles in North Carolina?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying political science-related roles in North Carolina are: Management Analysts ($98,560), Survey Researchers ($96,560), Social and Community Service Managers ($79,590). Wages for Forest City workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Shelby instead of Forest City?

Shelby, NC is 18.8 miles from Forest City 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 Forest City an affordable place to study political science?

Forest City’s median household income of $35,897 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Forest City while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and North Carolina 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 Forest City

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

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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