Best Political Science Schools Near Wheeling, WV (2026)

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

Wheeling, West Virginia has 5 accredited schools offering political science programs. Wheeling has a population of about 26,670. Median household income is $48,498 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 32.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Wheeling, WV-OH metro area, the top-earning political science-related role is Management Analysts at a median $94,710 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Political Science Schools to Wheeling

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

Bethany College

Bethany, WV 11.5 miles from Wheeling
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
34.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 41%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $44,512
Avg net price $18,605/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 58%
  • Programs offered: 24

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

West Virginia University

Morgantown, WV 49.7 miles from Wheeling
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
67.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 64%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,939
Avg net price $15,634/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 82%
  • Programs offered: 168

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

Fairmont State University

Fairmont, WV 49.7 miles from Wheeling
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
50.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 54%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $46,857
Avg net price $9,032/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 66%
  • Programs offered: 40

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

West Virginia Wesleyan College

Buckhannon, WV 79.1 miles from Wheeling
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
48.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 55%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,593
Avg net price $18,083/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 68%
  • Programs offered: 43

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

Davis & Elkins College

Elkins, WV 91.1 miles from Wheeling
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
40.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 54%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $43,411
Avg net price $18,273/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 62%
  • Programs offered: 29

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

University of Charleston

Charleston, WV 130.1 miles from Wheeling
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
49.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 54%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,774
Avg net price $22,107/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 72%
  • Programs offered: 35

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

West Virginia State University

Institute, WV 130.3 miles from Wheeling
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
38.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 41%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $40,492
Avg net price $11,139/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 60%
  • Programs offered: 30

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Marshall University

Huntington, WV 147.1 miles from Wheeling
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
54.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 54%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $46,354
Avg net price $7,502/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 75%
  • Programs offered: 100

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Political Science Wages Near Wheeling

Wheeling is part of the Wheeling, WV-OH metro area (BLS area code 48540). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to West Virginia statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Political Scientists N/A WV statewide –
Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary $77,420 WV statewide $87,678
Management Analysts $94,710 Wheeling, WV-OH $107,259
Public Relations Specialists $56,730 WV statewide $64,247
Survey Researchers N/A WV statewide –
Paralegals and Legal Assistants $51,150 Wheeling, WV-OH $57,928
Compliance Officers $74,200 Wheeling, WV-OH $84,032
Social and Community Service Managers $60,010 Wheeling, WV-OH $67,961

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.

Wheeling at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 26,670 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $48,498 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 32.4% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 88.3 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Wheeling-Area Cities With Political Science Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited political science schools are near Wheeling, WV?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering political science programs near Wheeling. The closest is Bethany College in Bethany, WV (11.5 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Robert Morris University (40.0 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying political science-related roles near Wheeling are: Management Analysts ($94,710), Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary ($77,420), Compliance Officers ($74,200). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with West Virginia statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Weirton instead of Wheeling?

Weirton, WV is 23.8 miles from Wheeling 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 Wheeling an affordable place to study political science?

Wheeling’s median household income of $48,498 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Wheeling while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and West Virginia 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 Wheeling

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

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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