Best Public Policy Schools Near Meriden, CT (2026)

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

Meriden, Connecticut has 5 accredited schools offering public policy programs, with tuition ranging from $10,931 to $32,741 per year for indexed programs. Meriden has a population of about 60,418. Median household income is $68,617 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 22.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Connecticut, the top-earning public policy-related role is General and Operations Managers at a median $137,220 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Public Policy Schools to Meriden

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

Trinity College

Hartford, CT 15.5 miles from Meriden
  • 4 year
66.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 83%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $90,779
Avg net price $34,832/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 90%
  • Programs offered: 41

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Yale University

New Haven, CT 17.0 miles from Meriden
  • 4 year
75.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 98%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $100,533
Avg net price $23,777/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 99%
  • Programs offered: 118

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

University of Saint Joseph

West Hartford, CT 17.2 miles from Meriden
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
60.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 64%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,908
Avg net price $27,989/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 84%
  • Programs offered: 48

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

University of Connecticut

Storrs, CT 33.8 miles from Meriden
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
78.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 83%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $73,997
Avg net price $25,097/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 92%
  • Programs offered: 202

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Connecticut schools on the Connecticut public policy page.

Public Policy Wages Near Meriden

Occupation Median Annual Wage (Connecticut, statewide)
Political Scientists N/A
Management Analysts $104,960
Economists $101,400
Social and Community Service Managers $75,520
Survey Researchers $88,320
Compliance Officers $91,810
General and Operations Managers $137,220
Financial and Investment Analysts $109,500

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.

Meriden at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 60,418 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $68,617 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 22.2% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Meriden-Area Cities With Public Policy Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited public policy schools are near Meriden, CT?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering public policy programs near Meriden. The closest is Trinity College in Hartford, CT (15.5 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Stony Brook University (46.2 miles). 3 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying public policy roles in Connecticut?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying public policy-related roles in Connecticut are: General and Operations Managers ($137,220), Financial and Investment Analysts ($109,500), Management Analysts ($104,960). Wages for Meriden workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Middletown instead of Meriden?

Middletown, CT is 7.2 miles from Meriden and has its own set of local public policy programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Meriden an affordable place to study public policy?

Meriden’s median household income of $68,617 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Meriden while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Connecticut 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 Public Policy Programs

Other Programs Available in Meriden

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

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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