Best Public Policy Schools Near Wilson, NC (2026)

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

Wilson, North Carolina has 2 accredited schools offering public policy programs. Wilson has a population of about 47,740. Median household income is $47,294 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 22.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In North Carolina, the top-earning public policy-related role is Economists at a median $136,150 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Public Policy Schools to Wilson

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

Duke University

Durham, NC 59.5 miles from Wilson
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
82.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 97%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $97,800
Avg net price $29,612/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 97%
  • Programs offered: 144

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC 64.1 miles from Wilson
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
91.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 91%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $72,200
Avg net price $11,655/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 97%
  • Programs offered: 117

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Charlotte, NC 160.3 miles from Wilson
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
72.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 67%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $57,289
Avg net price $15,435/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 85%
  • Programs offered: 122

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Public Policy Wages Near Wilson

Occupation Median Annual Wage (North Carolina, statewide)
Political Scientists N/A
Management Analysts $98,560
Economists $136,150
Social and Community Service Managers $79,590
Survey Researchers $96,560
Compliance Officers $78,500
General and Operations Managers $101,950
Financial and Investment Analysts $102,390

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.

Wilson at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 47,740 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $47,294 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 22.8% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Wilson-Area Cities With Public Policy Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited public policy schools are near Wilson, NC?

Our directory has 2 accredited schools offering public policy programs near Wilson. The closest is Duke University in Durham, NC (59.5 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (64.1 miles). 2 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying public policy roles in North Carolina?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying public policy-related roles in North Carolina are: Economists ($136,150), Financial and Investment Analysts ($102,390), General and Operations Managers ($101,950). Wages for Wilson workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Rocky Mount instead of Wilson?

Rocky Mount, NC is 17.7 miles from Wilson 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 Wilson an affordable place to study public policy?

Wilson’s median household income of $47,294 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Wilson while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and North Carolina 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 Wilson

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

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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