Best Political Science Schools Near Waynesboro, PA (2026)

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

Waynesboro, Pennsylvania has 5 accredited schools offering political science programs. Waynesboro has a population of about 11,044. Median household income is $58,311 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 17.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Pennsylvania, the top-earning political science-related role is Political Scientists at a median $140,020 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Political Science Schools to Waynesboro

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

Gettysburg College

Gettysburg, PA 19.2 miles from Waynesboro
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
73.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 82%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $71,517
Avg net price $31,490/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 91%
  • Programs offered: 38

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania

Shippensburg, PA 21.3 miles from Waynesboro
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
51.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 56%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $56,351
Avg net price $23,726/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 76%
  • Programs offered: 62

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

Dickinson College

Carlisle, PA 37.2 miles from Waynesboro
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
72.6 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 42%
Graduation rate 82%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $70,204
Avg net price $37,607/yr
Tuition
In‑state$65,650
Out‑of‑state$65,650
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 90%
  • Programs offered: 48

Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Messiah University

Mechanicsburg, PA 42.1 miles from Waynesboro
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
65.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 77%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $54,064
Avg net price $26,502/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 87%
  • Programs offered: 87

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

York College of Pennsylvania

York, PA 47.2 miles from Waynesboro
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
66.2 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 74%
Graduation rate 62%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $61,012
Avg net price $18,556/yr
Tuition
In‑state$25,588
Out‑of‑state$25,588
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 78%
  • Programs offered: 78

Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg

Middletown, PA 54.4 miles from Waynesboro
  • 4 year
  • Accredited
41.3 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 98%
Graduation rate 28%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $63,435
Avg net price $23,330/yr
Tuition
In‑state$15,972
Out‑of‑state$26,958
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 82%
  • Programs offered: 53

Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

Juniata College

Huntingdon, PA 56.6 miles from Waynesboro
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
65.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 74%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $56,918
Avg net price $23,988/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 81%
  • Programs offered: 57

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Elizabethtown College

Elizabethtown, PA 59.1 miles from Waynesboro
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
68.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 73%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $62,399
Avg net price $26,598/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 84%
  • Programs offered: 62

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Political Science Wages Near Waynesboro

Waynesboro is part of the Chambersburg, PA metro area (BLS area code 16540). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Pennsylvania statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Political Scientists $140,020 PA statewide $148,013
Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary $97,230 PA statewide $102,780
Management Analysts $104,810 Chambersburg, PA $110,793
Public Relations Specialists $49,020 Chambersburg, PA $51,818
Survey Researchers $63,310 PA statewide $66,924
Paralegals and Legal Assistants $49,490 Chambersburg, PA $52,315
Compliance Officers $57,130 Chambersburg, PA $60,391
Social and Community Service Managers $69,510 Chambersburg, PA $73,478

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.

Waynesboro at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 11,044 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $58,311 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 17.9% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 94.6 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Waynesboro-Area Cities With Political Science Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited political science schools are near Waynesboro, PA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering political science programs near Waynesboro. The closest is Mount St. Mary’s University in Emmitsburg, MD (13.2 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Shepherd University (25.0 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying political science-related roles near Waynesboro are: Political Scientists ($140,020), Management Analysts ($104,810), Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary ($97,230). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Pennsylvania statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Hagerstown instead of Waynesboro?

Hagerstown, MD is 10.7 miles from Waynesboro 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 Waynesboro an affordable place to study political science?

Waynesboro’s median household income of $58,311 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Waynesboro while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Pennsylvania 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 Waynesboro

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

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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