Explore national salary, projected growth, education requirements, and career opportunities across the United States.
A concise view of this occupation’s national scale, compensation, and projected demand.
National median annual wage for this occupation.
Estimated jobs currently supported nationwide.
Projected employment change through 2034.
Estimated openings created each year.
The typical education, prior experience, and on-the-job training associated with entry into this career.
Master's degree
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These are the highest-rated capabilities associated with success in this occupation. Scores are derived from occupational skill analysis and are measured on a 100-point scale.
Based on skills, knowledge, and work activities, these occupations are the closest match to your current career.
Explore the states and metropolitan areas offering the strongest combination of salary, employment, demand, and long-term opportunity.
Discover metro markets where compensation, hiring demand, and long-term momentum align.
Understand the salary, outlook, education, and geographic opportunities shaping this career.
Political scientists study political systems, policies, and related issues, working in a field with a relatively small national workforce of about 6,000 people. The national median salary of $139,380 indicates strong earning potential for those who enter and advance in the field. However, projected national employment growth of -3.1% and zero annual openings suggest a challenging job market with limited new positions becoming available. Opportunity varies by state and metro area, with places like Maryland, Washington state, Massachusetts, and the Washington, DC region showing particularly strong combinations of employment levels and compensation. Success in this career draws on advanced skills in writing and reading, speaking and listening, critical and analytical thinking, and problem solving. A master’s degree is the typical education level, which aligns with the field’s analytical and research-oriented nature. For students and professionals considering this path, the role offers high incomes but must be weighed against modest job growth and tight employment numbers.
Political scientists earn a national median annual salary of $139,380, reflecting strong income potential. Pay varies across locations. Among top states by opportunity score, median salaries range from $114,050 in Texas to $153,380 in Maryland. Washington state also offers relatively high pay at $147,060, while Massachusetts and Colorado show median salaries of $133,930 and $127,260, respectively. At the metro level, the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria area stands out with a median salary of $156,730, and Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue follows closely at $153,960. The Boston-Cambridge-Newton metro aligns with the Massachusetts state median at $133,930, while Chicago-Naperville-Elgin and Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler show lower but still substantial medians of $103,780 and $114,320. Overall, the data suggest that geographic choice can significantly influence earnings within this field, with some states and metros offering notably higher median pay than others.
The labor market for political scientists is relatively small, with national employment of about 6,000. Projected national employment growth is -3.1%, indicating a slight decline rather than expansion over the projection period. Annual openings are reported as 0, which signals very limited opportunities for new entrants or career changers based on these figures. This pattern of -3.1% projected growth appears consistently across the highlighted states and metro areas, including Massachusetts, Colorado, Washington, Maryland, Texas, and major metros such as Washington-Arlington-Alexandria and Boston-Cambridge-Newton. For someone considering this field, the combination of negative projected growth and zero annual openings suggests that competition for existing roles may be significant. The career may be more suitable for individuals who are highly focused on this discipline and prepared to compete for a constrained number of positions, rather than those seeking a rapidly expanding occupation with many openings.
Location plays a major role in career prospects for political scientists. At the state level, Massachusetts has a strong opportunity score of 65.87, with a median salary of $133,930 and employment of 170. Maryland and Washington also stand out: Maryland offers the highest listed state median salary at $153,380 with employment of 100, while Washington provides $147,060 in median pay and employment of 110. Colorado and Texas have smaller employment counts of 30 and 160, with median salaries of $127,260 and $114,050, respectively, and somewhat lower opportunity scores. At the metro level, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria is notable, with 3,700 employed political scientists, a median salary of $156,730, and an opportunity score of 64.47, making it a major concentration of jobs. Boston-Cambridge-Newton and Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue also show strong opportunity scores above 60. Chicago-Naperville-Elgin and Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler offer smaller employment numbers and lower median salaries but still meaningful opportunities as reflected in their scores above 50.
The typical education level for political scientists is a master’s degree, indicating that this is a graduate-level profession requiring substantial academic preparation. This advanced education aligns with the field’s emphasis on research, analysis, and complex reasoning. The occupation’s skill profile reinforces this expectation. Top skills include writing and reading, speaking and listening, and critical and analytical thinking, all of which are central to advanced study and professional work in political science. Additional important skills include creativity and innovation, mathematics, science, computers and information technology, problem solving and decision making, project management, and adaptability. Together, these skills point toward a role that blends rigorous analysis with clear communication and organized project work. For students planning their path, focusing on programs that build strong analytical, writing, quantitative, and technology-related abilities at the master’s level will align well with the demands of this career.
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