Political Scientists
Political Scientists (SOC 19-3094) earn a median $142,080 a year ($68.31 an hour) in the United States, with 5,540 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Maryland.
What political scientists do
Political scientists examine how political systems originate, develop, and operate, including governments, public opinion, elections, ideologies, and policy decisions. Typical tasks include developing and testing theories using information from interviews, newspapers, periodicals, case law, and other sources, keeping current on government policy decisions, and spreading research results through academic publications, written reports, or public presentations. They may analyze the structure and operations of governments and organizations, conduct public opinion surveys, analyze election results, and examine public documents. Some also teach political science. The occupation differs from economists, who study economic questions, from historians, who interpret the past from records, from survey researchers, who design and run surveys, and from legislators and government administrators, who hold political or executive office rather than study it. They also interpret and analyze policies, public issues, legislation, and government operations, and they advise political science students.
Typical entry: According to O*NET, the most commonly reported education level is a doctoral degree.
Also called: Government Affairs Researcher, Government Affairs Specialist, Health Policy Analyst, Legislative Affairs Specialist, Citizen Participation Specialist.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $40.07 | $54.82 | $68.31 | $83.74 | $93.84 | $68.51 | 5,540 |
| Annual | $83,350 | $114,030 | $142,080 | $174,180 | $195,190 | $142,510 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where political scientists earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Maryland | Hourly | $48.75 | $55.60 | $73.74 | $88.02 | $93.84 | $71.37 | 100 | 0.04 | 1.05 |
| Annual | $101,400 | $115,650 | $153,380 | $183,080 | $195,190 | $148,440 | ||||
| District of Columbia | Hourly | $55.25 | $61.83 | $73.33 | $86.77 | $93.84 | $74.18 | 3,070 | 4.38 | 122.81 |
| Annual | $114,920 | $128,610 | $152,530 | $180,480 | $195,190 | $154,300 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $39.09 | $45.79 | $70.70 | $93.00 | $103.35 | $69.00 | 110 | 0.03 | 0.83 |
| Annual | $81,310 | $95,240 | $147,060 | $193,450 | $214,960 | $143,510 | ||||
| Pennsylvania | Hourly | $33.87 | $43.15 | $67.32 | $81.53 | $97.66 | $65.56 | 70 | 0.01 | 0.33 |
| Annual | $70,450 | $89,750 | $140,020 | $169,580 | $203,130 | $136,350 | ||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | $36.54 | $51.42 | $64.39 | $81.79 | $104.72 | $67.04 | 170 | 0.05 | 1.30 |
| Annual | $76,010 | $106,960 | $133,930 | $170,110 | $217,820 | $139,440 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| District of Columbia | Hourly | $55.25 | $61.83 | $73.33 | $86.77 | $93.84 | $74.18 | 3,070 | 4.38 | 122.81 |
| Annual | $114,920 | $128,610 | $152,530 | $180,480 | $195,190 | $154,300 | ||||
| Michigan | Hourly | $32.88 | $37.96 | $41.49 | $52.68 | $74.88 | $49.07 | 180 | 0.04 | 1.12 |
| Annual | $68,380 | $78,950 | $86,290 | $109,580 | $155,740 | $102,060 | ||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | $36.54 | $51.42 | $64.39 | $81.79 | $104.72 | $67.04 | 170 | 0.05 | 1.30 |
| Annual | $76,010 | $106,960 | $133,930 | $170,110 | $217,820 | $139,440 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $42.08 | $48.99 | $54.83 | $61.69 | $66.83 | $54.88 | 160 | 0.01 | 0.32 |
| Annual | $87,530 | $101,900 | $114,050 | $128,320 | $139,010 | $114,140 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 130 | 0.01 | 0.36 |
| Annual | * | * | * | * | * | * | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | Hourly | $56.87 | $61.83 | $75.35 | $89.05 | $93.84 | $75.15 | 3,700 | 1.18 | 33.11 |
| Annual | $118,290 | $128,610 | $156,730 | $185,220 | $195,190 | $156,310 | ||||
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | Hourly | $39.32 | $47.29 | $74.02 | $93.00 | $108.15 | $70.66 | 80 | 0.04 | 1.11 |
| Annual | $81,790 | $98,350 | $153,960 | $193,450 | $224,960 | $146,970 | ||||
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | Hourly | $34.95 | $42.53 | $64.39 | $81.79 | $104.72 | $65.26 | 190 | 0.07 | 1.95 |
| Annual | $72,700 | $88,450 | $133,930 | $170,110 | $217,810 | $135,740 | ||||
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | Hourly | $37.69 | $41.68 | $54.96 | $78.22 | $95.73 | $60.03 | 30 | 0.01 | 0.36 |
| Annual | $78,390 | $86,690 | $114,320 | $162,690 | $199,120 | $124,870 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $40.87 | $41.14 | $49.89 | $49.89 | $68.81 | $50.59 | 90 | 0.02 | 0.55 |
| Annual | $85,020 | $85,570 | $103,780 | $103,780 | $143,110 | $105,230 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | Hourly | $56.87 | $61.83 | $75.35 | $89.05 | $93.84 | $75.15 | 3,700 | 1.18 | 33.11 |
| Annual | $118,290 | $128,610 | $156,730 | $185,220 | $195,190 | $156,310 | ||||
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | Hourly | $34.95 | $42.53 | $64.39 | $81.79 | $104.72 | $65.26 | 190 | 0.07 | 1.95 |
| Annual | $72,700 | $88,450 | $133,930 | $170,110 | $217,810 | $135,740 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 110 | 0.01 | 0.33 |
| Annual | * | * | * | * | * | * | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $40.87 | $41.14 | $49.89 | $49.89 | $68.81 | $50.59 | 90 | 0.02 | 0.55 |
| Annual | $85,020 | $85,570 | $103,780 | $103,780 | $143,110 | $105,230 | ||||
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | Hourly | $39.32 | $47.29 | $74.02 | $93.00 | $108.15 | $70.66 | 80 | 0.04 | 1.11 |
| Annual | $81,790 | $98,350 | $153,960 | $193,450 | $224,960 | $146,970 | ||||
Top industries employing political scientists
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) employ 69.7% of political scientists nationally (3,860 jobs) at a median $151,990 a year ($73.07 an hour), followed by Scientific Research and Development Services (8.7%) and Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (7.2%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999100 | 3,860 | 69.7% | $151,990 | $73.07 |
| Scientific Research and Development Services NAICS 541700 | 480 | 8.7% | $169,710 | $81.59 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools NAICS 611300 | 400 | 7.2% | $102,360 | $49.21 |
| State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999200 | 170 | 3.1% | $85,460 | $41.09 |
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999300 | 160 | 2.9% | $103,780 | $49.89 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (5,540). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $122,510 for political scientists in May 2021 and $142,080 in May 2025, with employment of 5,650 and 5,540.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $122,510 | $58.90 | 5,650 |
| May 2022 | $128,020 | $61.55 | 5,660 |
| May 2023 | $132,350 | $63.63 | 5,580 |
| May 2024 | $139,380 | $67.01 | 5,950 |
| May 2025 | $142,080 | $68.31 | 5,540 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
15 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maryland profile | $73.74 | $153,380 | $101,400 | $195,190 | 100 | 0.04 | 1.05 |
| 2 | District of Columbia profile | $73.33 | $152,530 | $114,920 | $195,190 | 3,070 | 4.38 | 122.81 |
| 3 | Washington profile | $70.70 | $147,060 | $81,310 | $214,960 | 110 | 0.03 | 0.83 |
| 4 | Pennsylvania profile | $67.32 | $140,020 | $70,450 | $203,130 | 70 | 0.01 | 0.33 |
| 5 | Massachusetts profile | $64.39 | $133,930 | $76,010 | $217,820 | 170 | 0.05 | 1.30 |
| 6 | Colorado profile | $61.18 | $127,260 | $80,010 | $197,490 | 30 | 0.01 | 0.32 |
| 7 | Oregon profile | $57.43 | $119,460 | $107,230 | $119,460 | ** | ** | ** |
| 8 | Ohio profile | $57.39 | $119,370 | $63,590 | $142,080 | 40 | 0.01 | 0.22 |
| 9 | Texas profile | $54.83 | $114,050 | $87,530 | $139,010 | 160 | 0.01 | 0.32 |
| 10 | Arizona profile | $52.29 | $108,770 | $71,800 | $163,430 | 50 | 0.02 | 0.42 |
| 11 | Illinois profile | $49.89 | $103,780 | $71,990 | $127,190 | 110 | 0.02 | 0.49 |
| 12 | Michigan profile | $41.49 | $86,290 | $68,380 | $155,740 | 180 | 0.04 | 1.12 |
| 13 | New Hampshire profile | $35.84 | $74,560 | $34,960 | $174,670 | ** | ** | ** |
| – | Florida profile | * | * | * | * | 90 | 0.01 | 0.25 |
| – | New York profile | * | * | * | * | 130 | 0.01 | 0.36 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (19-3090), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 19-3094 Political Scientists.
*- Wage estimate not available.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 19-3094, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 19-3094.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.