Best Political Science Schools Near Shelbyville, TN (2026)

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

Shelbyville, Tennessee has 5 accredited schools offering political science programs, with tuition ranging from $42,540 to $62,570 per year for indexed programs. Shelbyville has a population of about 24,125. Median household income is $52,290 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 11.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Tennessee, the top-earning political science-related role is Management Analysts at a median $99,260 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Political Science Schools to Shelbyville

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

Middle Tennessee State University

Murfreesboro, TN 24.6 miles from Shelbyville
  • 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

#2

The University of the South

Sewanee, TN 36.2 miles from Shelbyville
  • 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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#3

Lipscomb University

Nashville, TN 46.3 miles from Shelbyville
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
62.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 68%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,541
Avg net price $24,739/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 85%
  • Programs offered: 107

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Belmont University

Nashville, TN 48.0 miles from Shelbyville
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
61.1 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 95%
Graduation rate 71%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,930
Avg net price $33,147/yr
Tuition
In‑state$42,540
Out‑of‑state$42,540
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 85%
  • Programs offered: 103

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

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#5

Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN 48.9 miles from Shelbyville
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
91.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 93%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $91,565
Avg net price $15,846/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 96%
  • Programs offered: 157

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Fisk University

Nashville, TN 50.2 miles from Shelbyville
  • 4 year
21.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 44%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $45,454
Avg net price $32,020/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 73%
  • Programs offered: 17

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

Tennessee State University

Nashville, TN 50.7 miles from Shelbyville
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
34.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 39%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $42,730
Avg net price $15,796/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 52%
  • Programs offered: 55

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Tennessee Technological University

Cookeville, TN 70.7 miles from Shelbyville
  • 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

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

Political Science Wages Near Shelbyville

Occupation Median Annual Wage (Tennessee, statewide)
Political Scientists N/A
Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary $81,330
Management Analysts $99,260
Public Relations Specialists $60,900
Survey Researchers $66,900
Paralegals and Legal Assistants $58,820
Compliance Officers $63,960
Social and Community Service Managers $88,240

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.

Shelbyville at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 24,125 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $52,290 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 11.6% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Shelbyville-Area Cities With Political Science Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited political science schools are near Shelbyville, TN?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering political science programs near Shelbyville. The closest is Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, TN (24.6 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Vanderbilt University (48.9 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying political science roles in Tennessee?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying political science-related roles in Tennessee are: Management Analysts ($99,260), Social and Community Service Managers ($88,240), Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary ($81,330). Wages for Shelbyville workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Murfreesboro instead of Shelbyville?

Murfreesboro, TN is 24.4 miles from Shelbyville 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 Shelbyville an affordable place to study political science?

Shelbyville’s median household income of $52,290 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Shelbyville 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 Shelbyville

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

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)