Best Public Policy Schools Near Tupelo, MS (2026)

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

Tupelo, Mississippi has 1 accredited school offering public policy programs. Tupelo has a population of about 37,825. Median household income is $66,314 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 35.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Mississippi, the top-earning public policy-related role is General and Operations Managers at a median $106,680 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Public Policy Schools to Tupelo

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer public policy programs near Tupelo, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Tupelo 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 Tupelo. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

Sort:
#1

University of Mississippi

University, MS 46.6 miles from Tupelo
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
70.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 68%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $50,994
Avg net price $13,314/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 88%
  • Programs offered: 124

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Mississippi College

Clinton, MS 162.1 miles from Tupelo
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
44.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 56%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $47,485
Avg net price $27,712/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 79

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Sponsored Ad

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

Public Policy Wages Near Tupelo

Occupation Median Annual Wage (Mississippi, statewide)
Political Scientists N/A
Management Analysts $69,390
Economists N/A
Social and Community Service Managers $67,330
Survey Researchers N/A
Compliance Officers $67,450
General and Operations Managers $106,680
Financial and Investment Analysts $79,580

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.

Tupelo at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 37,825 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $66,314 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 35.1% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Tupelo-Area Cities With Public Policy Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited public policy schools are near Tupelo, MS?

Our directory has 1 accredited schools offering public policy programs near Tupelo. The closest is University of Mississippi in University, MS (46.6 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is University of Mississippi (46.6 miles). 1 of the highlighted schools is flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying public policy-related roles in Mississippi are: General and Operations Managers ($106,680), Financial and Investment Analysts ($79,580), Management Analysts ($69,390). Wages for Tupelo workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Oxford instead of Tupelo?

Oxford, MS is 46.1 miles from Tupelo 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 Tupelo an affordable place to study public policy?

Tupelo’s median household income of $66,314 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Tupelo while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Mississippi 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 Tupelo

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

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 Mississippi (2026)