2020 Most Affordable Master's in Political Science Online
These schools represent the least expensive options for obtaining an online master's degree in political science. At #1, Northeastern State University offers an online M.A. in American Studies - American Politics for only $4,518 per year. Ranked #2, the Fort Hays State University offers a Master of Liberal Studies (MLS) - Political Science at a tuition rate of $4,604 annually. Classes for this program include American Civil Liberties, American Foreign Policy, Political Behavior, and Public Personnel Management.
You can read more about our ranked schools below or browse our rankings of the most affordable online master's programs. View our methodology or learn more about OnlineU.
All tuition numbers were manually collected and verified
| Rank | School | Annual Tuition |
|---|---|---|
| Northeastern State University | $4,518 | |
| Fort Hays State University | $4,604 | |
| American Public University System | $6,300 | |
| Sam Houston State University | $7,769 | |
| University of Illinois at Springfield | $8,145 | |
| University of Nebraska at Omaha | $9,000 | |
| Western New Mexico University | $10,334 | |
| Bellevue University | $10,530 | |
| Eastern Illinois University | $11,216 | |
| Sul Ross State University | $11,643 | |
| Regent University Online | $11,700 | |
| Liberty University | $13,560 | |
| The George Washington University | $15,030 | |
| The University of West Florida | $15,700 | |
| Jacksonville State University | $16,000 | |
| Rutgers University-Camden | $29,232 | |
| Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | $29,559 |
- Annual Tuition: $4,518
- School Type: Non-Profit
- School Accreditation: HLC
- Total Graduate Enrollment: 1,167
- Example Classes: American Diplomatic History; Media and Politics; Seminar in American Philosophy and the Law; Seminar in American Studies
Online Master's Degrees
- M.A. in American Studies - American Politics
- Annual Tuition: $4,604
- School Type: Non-Profit
- School Accreditation: HLC
- Total Graduate Enrollment: 2,743
- Example Classes: American Civil Liberties; American Foreign Policy; Political Behavior; Public Personnel Management; Seminar on Budgeting
Online Master's Degrees
- Master of Liberal Studies - Political Leadership and Public Service
- Master of Liberal Studies - Political Science
- Master of Liberal Studies - Public Administration
- Master of Professional Studies - Political Management
- Annual Tuition: $6,300
- School Type: For-Profit
- School Accreditation: HLC
- Total Graduate Enrollment: 8,342
- Example Classes: Government and Security in Korea; Latin American Security Issues; Program Appraisal; Regional Security Cooperation; Society, Class and Wealth; The Presidency: Institution and Performance
Online Master's Degrees
- Master of Arts in International Relations and Global Security
- Master of Arts in International Relations and Global Security - Comparative and Security Issues
- Master of Arts in International Relations and Global Security - Conflict Resolution
- Master of Arts in International Relations and Global Security - International and Transnational Security Issues
- Master of Arts in International Relations and Global Security - Peacekeeping
- Master of Arts in Political Science
- Annual Tuition: $7,769
- School Type: Non-Profit
- School Accreditation: SACS COC
- Total Graduate Enrollment: 2,715
- Example Classes: American Politics; Comparative Politics; International Relations
Online Master's Degrees
- Master of Arts in Political Science
- Annual Tuition: $8,145
- School Type: Non-Profit
- School Accreditation: HLC
- Total Graduate Enrollment: 1,761
- Example Classes: Constitution and National Security Issues; Effective Public Affairs Writing; Queer Theory; Russian Politics; Social Capital and Values; Urban Politics in the Industrial Heartland
Online Master's Degrees
- Master of Arts in Political Science
- Annual Tuition: $9,000
- School Type: Non-Profit
- School Accreditation: HLC
- Total Graduate Enrollment: 3,001
- Example Classes: Global Environmental Politics; Global Security Issues; International Conflict Resolution; International Development & Sustainability; International Relations of Latin America; United States Foreign Policy
Online Master's Degrees
- Master of Science in Political Science
- Master of Science in Political Science - American Government
- Master of Science in Political Science - International Affairs
- Annual Tuition: $10,334
- School Type: Non-Profit
- School Accreditation: HLC
- Total Graduate Enrollment: 1,003
- Example Classes: American Constitutional Development; Latin America and the Cold War; Modern Revolutions; Politics of Post-Communism; The Drug Wars; Water Rights
Online Master's Degrees
- Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies - Political Science
- Master of Arts in Teaching - Specialization (Political Science)
- Annual Tuition: $10,530
- School Type: Non-Profit
- School Accreditation: HLC
- Total Graduate Enrollment: 3,167
- Example Classes: Analyzing Anti-Americanism; Comparative Foreign Policy; Comparative Intelligence Cultures; Cyberwar and Cyberdeterrence; Political Islam and Terrorism: Understanding Martyrs and Messiahs; Transnational Crime and Corruption: The Dark Side of Globalization
Online Master's Degrees
- Master of Science in Intelligence and Security Studies - Comparative Politics
- Master of Science in Intelligence and Security Studies - International Relations
- Annual Tuition: $11,216
- School Type: Non-Profit
- School Accreditation: HLC
- Total Graduate Enrollment: 1,514
- Example Classes: African American Political Thought; Civic and Nonprofit Leadership; Classic Political Theory; Environmental Politics and Policy; Ideologies of the Developing World; The Supreme Court
Online Master's Degrees
- Master of Arts in Political Science - Public Administration & Public Policy
- Annual Tuition: $11,643
- School Type: Non-Profit
- School Accreditation: SACS COC
- Total Graduate Enrollment: 602
- Example Classes: Agency Politics; Intergovernmental Relations; Local Government Administration; Public Budgeting and Finance; Public Management; Public Policy Analysis
Online Master's Degrees
- Master of Arts in Political Science
- Annual Tuition: $11,700
- School Type: Non-Profit
- School Accreditation: SACS COC
- Total Graduate Enrollment: 5,536
- Example Classes: Christian Ethics; Constitutional Law & Policy II; International Relations Theory; Islamic Political Thought; Religion and Politics; Sharia Law
Online Master's Degrees
- M.A. in Communication - Political Communication
- M.A. in Government
- M.A. in Government - American Government
- M.A. in Government - Political Campaign Strategies & Management
- M.A. in Government - Political Communication
- M.A. in Government - Religion and Politics
- Annual Tuition: $13,560
- School Type: Non-Profit
- School Accreditation: SACS COC
- Total Graduate Enrollment: 33,217
- Example Classes: Campaign Tactics, Strategies, and Management; Message, Media and Political Communications; Speech Writing for Candidates and Officeholders
Online Master's Degrees
- MS: International Relations
- MS: Political Science
- MPA: Business & Government
- Annual Tuition: $15,030
- School Type: Non-Profit
- School Accreditation: MSCHE
- Total Graduate Enrollment: 31,252
- Example Classes: Campaigns Around the World; Grassroots Engagement; International Lobbying; Principled Political Leadership; State and Intergovernmental Politics; Targeting and Voter Contact
Online Master's Degrees
- Master of Professional Studies in Political Management
- MPS in Political Communications and Governance
- Annual Tuition: $15,700
- School Type: Non-Profit
- School Accreditation: SACS COC
- Total Graduate Enrollment: 3,114
- Example Classes: American Political Thought; Democracies; Political Science Research Methods; Seminar in American Politics; Seminar in Comparative Politics; Seminar in International Relations; Seminar in Political Theory; The Study of Politics
Online Master's Degrees
- MA in Political Science
- MA in Political Science - General
- MA in Political Science - Non-thesis
- MA in Political Science - Security and Diplomacy
- MA in Political Science - Thesis
- Annual Tuition: $16,000
- School Type: Non-Profit
- School Accreditation: SACS COC
- Total Graduate Enrollment: 1,158
- Example Classes: Inter-governmental Relations; Introduction to American Government; Introduction to Public Policy; Political Parties; Political Science Methods; Politics and Film; The Legislative Process
Online Master's Degrees
- Master of Public Administration - Political Science
- Annual Tuition: $29,232
- School Type: Non-Profit
- School Accreditation: MSCHE
- Total Graduate Enrollment: 1,395
- Example Classes: Democracy: Ancient and Modern; History, Politics, and Culture of the Sixties; Revolutions that Changed the World; World Politics
Online Master's Degrees
- Master of Arts in Liberal Studies - World History and Politics
- Annual Tuition: $29,559
- School Type: Non-Profit
- School Accreditation: SACS COC
- Total Graduate Enrollment: 6,872
- Example Classes: Collaborative Governance and Civil Society; Contemporary Political Theory; Electronic Governance; Public Policy Analysis; The Executive Branch; US Foreign Policy after 9/11
Online Master's Degrees
- Master of Arts in Political Science