Best Political Science Schools Near East Ridge, TN (2026)

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

East Ridge, Tennessee has 5 accredited schools offering political science programs. East Ridge has a population of about 22,034. Median household income is $55,988 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 23.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Chattanooga, TN-GA metro area, the top-earning political science-related role is Management Analysts at a median $96,870 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Political Science Schools to East Ridge

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

The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga

Chattanooga, TN 5.3 miles from East Ridge
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
54.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 56%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,151
Avg net price $14,265/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 73%
  • Programs offered: 62

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Southern Adventist University

Collegedale, TN 10.6 miles from East Ridge
  • 4 year
45.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 61%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $53,723
Avg net price $24,345/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 82%
  • Programs offered: 81

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

Lee University

Cleveland, TN 23.3 miles from East Ridge
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
48.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 56%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $43,222
Avg net price $18,878/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 82%
  • Programs offered: 91

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

The University of the South

Sewanee, TN 41.6 miles from East Ridge
  • 4 year
63.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 81%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $64,911
Avg net price $27,872/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 89%
  • Programs offered: 37

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

Tennessee Technological University

Cookeville, TN 82.8 miles from East Ridge
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
61.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 65%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $48,501
Avg net price $14,246/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 78%
  • Programs offered: 65

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Middle Tennessee State University

Murfreesboro, TN 86.7 miles from East Ridge
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
56.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 56%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $48,541
Avg net price $13,359/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 106

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

Maryville College

Maryville, TN 88.2 miles from East Ridge
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
47.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 57%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $49,279
Avg net price $19,360/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 70%
  • Programs offered: 50

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

The University of Tennessee-Knoxville

Knoxville, TN 98.6 miles from East Ridge
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
74.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 71%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $60,249
Avg net price $18,976/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 91%
  • Programs offered: 143

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Political Science Wages Near East Ridge

East Ridge is part of the Chattanooga, TN-GA metro area (BLS area code 16860). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Tennessee statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Political Scientists N/A TN statewide –
Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary $81,330 TN statewide $88,885
Management Analysts $96,870 Chattanooga, TN-GA $105,869
Public Relations Specialists $66,370 Chattanooga, TN-GA $72,536
Survey Researchers $66,900 TN statewide $73,115
Paralegals and Legal Assistants $59,290 Chattanooga, TN-GA $64,798
Compliance Officers $68,000 Chattanooga, TN-GA $74,317
Social and Community Service Managers $78,400 Chattanooga, TN-GA $85,683

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.

East Ridge at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 22,034 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $55,988 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 23.1% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 91.5 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other East Ridge-Area Cities With Political Science Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited political science schools are near East Ridge, TN?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering political science programs near East Ridge. The closest is The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga in Chattanooga, TN (5.3 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is The University of the South (41.6 miles). 2 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying political science roles near East Ridge?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying political science-related roles near East Ridge are: Management Analysts ($96,870), Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary ($81,330), Social and Community Service Managers ($78,400). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Tennessee statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Chattanooga instead of East Ridge?

Chattanooga, TN is 4.9 miles from East Ridge 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 East Ridge an affordable place to study political science?

East Ridge’s median household income of $55,988 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in East Ridge while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Tennessee 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 East Ridge

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

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 Tennessee (2026)