Best Public Policy Schools Near Decatur, GA (2026)

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

Decatur, Georgia has 5 accredited schools offering public policy programs. Decatur has a population of about 24,470. Median household income is $140,480 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 77.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA metro area, the top-earning public policy-related role is Economists at a median $122,570 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Public Policy Schools to Decatur

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

Emory University

Atlanta, GA 2.1 miles from Decatur
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
83.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 92%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $80,137
Avg net price $22,585/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 96%
  • Programs offered: 112

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Georgia State University

Atlanta, GA 5.3 miles from Decatur
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
54.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 57%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $47,384
Avg net price $15,931/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 133

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus

Atlanta, GA 5.6 miles from Decatur
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
95.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 93%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $102,772
Avg net price $12,116/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 98%
  • Programs offered: 64

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

University of Georgia

Athens, GA 54.5 miles from Decatur
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
88.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 88%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $68,726
Avg net price $13,936/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 94%
  • Programs offered: 241

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

Mercer University

Macon, GA 75.1 miles from Decatur
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
63.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 67%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,354
Avg net price $23,847/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 82%
  • Programs offered: 114

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Young Harris College

Young Harris, GA 84.3 miles from Decatur
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
35.6 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 63%
Graduation rate 44%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $47,195
Avg net price $22,034/yr
Tuition
In‑state$32,305
Out‑of‑state$32,305
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 66%
  • Programs offered: 29

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

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#7

Augusta University

Augusta, GA 134.4 miles from Decatur
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
54.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 57%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $48,472
Avg net price $13,787/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 75%
  • Programs offered: 94

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Public Policy Wages Near Decatur

Decatur is part of the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA metro area (BLS area code 12060). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Georgia statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Political Scientists N/A GA statewide –
Management Analysts $101,220 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA $101,119
Economists $122,570 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA $122,448
Social and Community Service Managers $78,870 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA $78,791
Survey Researchers $51,590 GA statewide $51,538
Compliance Officers $72,810 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA $72,737
General and Operations Managers $111,410 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA $111,299
Financial and Investment Analysts $100,830 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA $100,729

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.

Decatur at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 24,470 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $140,480 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 77.3% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 100.1 (above U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Decatur-Area Cities With Public Policy Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited public policy schools are near Decatur, GA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering public policy programs near Decatur. The closest is Emory University in Atlanta, GA (2.1 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Mercer University (75.1 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying public policy roles near Decatur?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying public policy-related roles near Decatur are: Economists ($122,570), General and Operations Managers ($111,410), Management Analysts ($101,220). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Georgia statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Atlanta instead of Decatur?

Atlanta, GA is 7.3 miles from Decatur 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 Decatur an affordable place to study public policy?

Decatur’s median household income of $140,480 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Decatur while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Georgia 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 Decatur

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

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 Public Policy Schools in Georgia: Online Programs (2026)