Best Public Policy Schools Near Stephenville, TX (2026)

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

Stephenville, Texas has 3 accredited schools offering public policy programs, with tuition ranging from $58,100 to $85,606 per year for indexed programs. Stephenville has a population of about 21,345. Median household income is $55,504 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 33.5% 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 Stephenville

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

Baylor University

Waco, TX 79.3 miles from Stephenville
  • 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

#2

Dallas Baptist University

Dallas, TX 81.7 miles from Stephenville
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
43.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 54%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $56,807
Avg net price $28,516/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 64%
  • Programs offered: 73

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

Southern Methodist University

Dallas, TX 94.3 miles from Stephenville
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
73.4 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 63%
Graduation rate 84%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $78,354
Avg net price $40,892/yr
Tuition
In‑state$67,040
Out‑of‑state$67,040
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 90%
  • Programs offered: 105

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

#4

The University of Texas at Dallas

Richardson, TX 100.8 miles from Stephenville
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
78.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 72%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $68,227
Avg net price $18,267/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 89%
  • Programs offered: 73

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

The University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX 136.5 miles from Stephenville
  • 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

#6

Texas A&M University-College Station

College Station, TX 156.5 miles from Stephenville
  • 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

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#7

The University of Texas at San Antonio

San Antonio, TX 183.3 miles from Stephenville
  • 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

#8

University of St Thomas

Houston, TX 239.5 miles from Stephenville
  • 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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Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Texas schools on the Texas public policy page.

Public Policy Wages Near Stephenville

Occupation Median Annual Wage (Texas, statewide)
Political Scientists $114,050
Management Analysts $101,400
Economists $121,420
Social and Community Service Managers $76,520
Survey Researchers $47,330
Compliance Officers $75,370
General and Operations Managers $103,230
Financial and Investment Analysts $99,150

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.

Stephenville at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 21,345 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $55,504 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 33.5% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Stephenville-Area Cities With Public Policy Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited public policy schools are near Stephenville, TX?

Our directory has 3 accredited schools offering public policy programs near Stephenville. The closest is Baylor University in Waco, TX (79.3 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Southern Methodist University (94.3 miles). 3 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying public policy-related roles in Texas are: Economists ($121,420), Political Scientists ($114,050), General and Operations Managers ($103,230). Wages for Stephenville workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Granbury instead of Stephenville?

Granbury, TX is 30.9 miles from Stephenville 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 Stephenville an affordable place to study public policy?

Stephenville’s median household income of $55,504 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Stephenville 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 Stephenville

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

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)