Best Public Policy Schools Near Laredo, TX (2026)

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

Laredo, Texas is home to about 255,949 residents. Median household income is $63,264 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 21.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Texas, the top-earning public policy-related role is Economists at a median $121,420 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Public Policy Schools to Laredo

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

The University of Texas at San Antonio

San Antonio, TX 149.8 miles from Laredo
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
68.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 60%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $57,131
Avg net price $10,836/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 80%
  • Programs offered: 120

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

The University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX 216.3 miles from Laredo
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
84.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 85%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $75,121
Avg net price $19,857/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 96%
  • Programs offered: 180

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

Texas A&M University-College Station

College Station, TX 284.7 miles from Laredo
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
81.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 85%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $72,097
Avg net price $21,315/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 94%
  • Programs offered: 233

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston

Houston, TX 288.9 miles from Laredo
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
96.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 93%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $88,757
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 35

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

Rice University

Houston, TX 289.4 miles from Laredo
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
93.6 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 8%
Graduation rate 95%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $89,718
Avg net price $13,370/yr
Tuition
In‑state$64,144
Out‑of‑state$64,144
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 98%
  • Programs offered: 78

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

#6

University of St Thomas

Houston, TX 290.5 miles from Laredo
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
63.0 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 90%
Graduation rate 69%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,224
Avg net price $19,359/yr
Tuition
In‑state$34,634
Out‑of‑state$34,634
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 76%
  • Programs offered: 62

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

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#7

University of Houston

Houston, TX 292.6 miles from Laredo
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
73.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 63%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $62,377
Avg net price $14,276/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 87%
  • Programs offered: 150

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Baylor University

Waco, TX 310.4 miles from Laredo
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
70.3 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 51%
Graduation rate 80%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $65,793
Avg net price $41,104/yr
Tuition
In‑state$58,100
Out‑of‑state$58,100
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 91%
  • Programs offered: 141

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

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

Public Policy Wages Near Laredo

Laredo is part of the Laredo, TX metro area (BLS area code 29700). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Texas statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Political Scientists $114,050 TX statewide $131,092
Management Analysts $81,280 Laredo, TX $93,425
Economists $121,420 TX statewide $139,563
Social and Community Service Managers $68,140 Laredo, TX $78,322
Survey Researchers $47,330 TX statewide $54,402
Compliance Officers $98,180 Laredo, TX $112,851
General and Operations Managers $78,640 Laredo, TX $90,391
Financial and Investment Analysts $71,800 Laredo, TX $82,529

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.

Laredo at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 255,949 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $63,264 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 21.5% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 87.0 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Laredo-Area Cities With Public Policy Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying public policy-related roles near Laredo are: Economists ($121,420), Political Scientists ($114,050), Compliance Officers ($98,180). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Texas statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Alice instead of Laredo?

Alice, TX is 88.2 miles from Laredo 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 Laredo an affordable place to study public policy?

Laredo’s median household income of $63,264 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Laredo while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Texas 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 Laredo

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

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 Texas: Online Programs (2026)