Best Political Science Schools Near Big Spring, TX (2026)

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

Big Spring, Texas has 3 accredited schools offering political science programs. Big Spring has a population of about 24,769. Median household income is $70,532 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 14.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Texas, the top-earning political science-related role is Political Scientists at a median $114,050 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Political Science Schools to Big Spring

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

Odessa, TX 55.3 miles from Big Spring
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
51.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 49%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $56,073
Avg net price $12,723/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 61%
  • Programs offered: 57

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Angelo State University

San Angelo, TX 81.2 miles from Big Spring
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
47.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 48%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $50,116
Avg net price $15,091/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 70%
  • Programs offered: 59

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

Texas Tech University

Lubbock, TX 95.7 miles from Big Spring
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
71.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 67%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $62,454
Avg net price $19,070/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 85%
  • Programs offered: 168

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

McMurry University

Abilene, TX 101.9 miles from Big Spring
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
36.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 38%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $48,779
Avg net price $19,581/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 64%
  • Programs offered: 35

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

Abilene Christian University

Abilene, TX 104.6 miles from Big Spring
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
54.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 59%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,736
Avg net price $26,182/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 80%
  • Programs offered: 72

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Howard Payne University

Brownwood, TX 150.6 miles from Big Spring
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
30.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 39%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $48,376
Avg net price $23,627/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 53%
  • Programs offered: 34

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

Sul Ross State University

Alpine, TX 182.3 miles from Big Spring
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
36.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 41%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $41,871
Avg net price $13,286/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 52%
  • Programs offered: 36

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Tarleton State University

Stephenville, TX 190.6 miles from Big Spring
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
51.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 59%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $53,040
Avg net price $20,783/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 72%
  • Programs offered: 79

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Political Science Wages Near Big Spring

Occupation Median Annual Wage (Texas, statewide)
Political Scientists $114,050
Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary $86,950
Management Analysts $101,400
Public Relations Specialists $65,160
Survey Researchers $47,330
Paralegals and Legal Assistants $62,310
Compliance Officers $75,370
Social and Community Service Managers $76,520

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.

Big Spring at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 24,769 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $70,532 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 14.0% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Big Spring-Area Cities With Political Science Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited political science schools are near Big Spring, TX?

Our directory has 3 accredited schools offering political science programs near Big Spring. The closest is The University of Texas Permian Basin in Odessa, TX (55.3 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Texas Tech University (95.7 miles). 3 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying political science-related roles in Texas are: Political Scientists ($114,050), Management Analysts ($101,400), Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary ($86,950). Wages for Big Spring workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Midland instead of Big Spring?

Midland, TX is 39.7 miles from Big Spring 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 Big Spring an affordable place to study political science?

Big Spring’s median household income of $70,532 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Big Spring while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Texas 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 Big Spring

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

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 Texas (2026)