Best Political Science Schools Near Wilkes-Barre, PA (2026)

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

Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania has 5 accredited schools offering political science programs, with tuition ranging from $43,496 to $56,765 per year for indexed programs. Wilkes-Barre has a population of about 44,217. Median household income is $47,970 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 19.4% 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 Wilkes-Barre

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

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

Sort:
#1

King's College

Wilkes-Barre, PA 0.3 miles from Wilkes-Barre
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
58.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 61%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,498
Avg net price $23,093/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 76%
  • Programs offered: 42

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Wilkes University

Wilkes-Barre, PA 0.8 miles from Wilkes-Barre
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
55.8 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 91%
Graduation rate 62%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $63,454
Avg net price $27,743/yr
Tuition
In‑state$43,496
Out‑of‑state$43,496
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 72%
  • Programs offered: 56

Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

Sponsored Ad

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

Political Science Wages Near Wilkes-Barre

Wilkes-Barre is part of the Scranton–Wilkes-Barre, PA metro area (BLS area code 42540). 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 $149,594
Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary $97,230 PA statewide $103,878
Management Analysts $93,150 Scranton–Wilkes-Barre, PA $99,519
Public Relations Specialists $51,730 Scranton–Wilkes-Barre, PA $55,267
Survey Researchers $63,310 PA statewide $67,639
Paralegals and Legal Assistants $57,600 Scranton–Wilkes-Barre, PA $61,538
Compliance Officers $65,780 Scranton–Wilkes-Barre, PA $70,278
Social and Community Service Managers $75,710 Scranton–Wilkes-Barre, PA $80,887

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.

Wilkes-Barre at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 44,217 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $47,970 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 19.4% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 93.6 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Wilkes-Barre-Area Cities With Political Science Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited political science schools are near Wilkes-Barre, PA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering political science programs near Wilkes-Barre. The closest is King’s College in Wilkes-Barre, PA (0.3 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania (34.0 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying political science roles near Wilkes-Barre?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying political science-related roles near Wilkes-Barre are: Political Scientists ($140,020), Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary ($97,230), Management Analysts ($93,150). 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 Scranton instead of Wilkes-Barre?

Scranton, PA is 15.4 miles from Wilkes-Barre 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 Wilkes-Barre an affordable place to study political science?

Wilkes-Barre’s median household income of $47,970 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Wilkes-Barre 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 Wilkes-Barre

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

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 Pennsylvania (2026)