Best Political Science Schools Near Akron, OH (2026)

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

Akron, Ohio has 5 accredited schools offering political science programs, with tuition ranging from $13,135 to $49,276 per year for indexed programs. Akron has a population of about 189,526. Median household income is $48,544 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 23.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Ohio, the top-earning political science-related role is Political Scientists at a median $119,370 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Political Science Schools to Akron

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer political science programs near Akron, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Akron 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 Akron. 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

University of Akron Main Campus

Akron, OH 0.6 miles from Akron
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
48.4 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 60%
Graduation rate 50%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $46,600
Avg net price $13,946/yr
Tuition
In‑state$13,135
Out‑of‑state$20,815
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 73%
  • Programs offered: 159

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Political Science Wages Near Akron

Akron is part of the Akron, OH metro area (BLS area code 10420). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Ohio statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Political Scientists $119,370 OH statewide $127,805
Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary $80,090 OH statewide $85,749
Management Analysts $86,050 Akron, OH $92,131
Public Relations Specialists $61,830 Akron, OH $66,199
Survey Researchers $57,630 OH statewide $61,702
Paralegals and Legal Assistants $60,290 Akron, OH $64,550
Compliance Officers $74,200 Akron, OH $79,443
Social and Community Service Managers $72,500 Akron, OH $77,623

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.

Akron at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 189,526 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $48,544 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 23.3% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 93.4 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Akron-Area Cities With Political Science Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited political science schools are near Akron, OH?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering political science programs near Akron. The closest is University of Akron Main Campus in Akron, OH (0.6 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is University of Mount Union (24.6 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying political science-related roles near Akron are: Political Scientists ($119,370), Management Analysts ($86,050), Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary ($80,090). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Ohio statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Cuyahoga Falls instead of Akron?

Cuyahoga Falls, OH is 5.8 miles from Akron 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 Akron an affordable place to study political science?

Akron’s median household income of $48,544 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Akron while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Ohio 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 Akron

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

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.

Back to Best Political Science Schools in Ohio: Online Programs (2026)