Political Scientistssalary
Official wage statistics for political scientists in United States, published by U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)), reference period May 2025. Approximately 5.54K people work in this occupation.
Wage distribution
| Percentile | Annual |
|---|---|
| 10th percentileentry / lowest decile | $83,350 |
| 25th percentilelower quartile | $114,030 |
| Median (50th)typical worker | $142,080 |
| 75th percentileupper quartile | $174,180 |
| 90th percentiletop decile | $195,190 |
| Meanaverage, skews high | $142,510 |
Salary by state
Political Scientists wages vary widely by state. Official U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates, May 2025, sorted by median. Suppressed areas omitted.
| State | Median (annual) | P10–P90 / low–high | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| MDMaryland | $153,380 | $101,400 – $195,190 | 100 |
| DCDistrict of Columbia | $152,530 | $114,920 – $195,190 | 3,070 |
| WAWashington | $147,060 | $81,310 – $214,960 | 110 |
| PAPennsylvania | $140,020 | $70,450 – $203,130 | 70 |
| MAMassachusetts | $133,930 | $76,010 – $217,820 | 170 |
| COColorado | $127,260 | $80,010 – $197,490 | 30 |
| OROregon | $119,460 | $107,230 – $119,460 | — |
| OHOhio | $119,370 | $63,590 – $142,080 | 40 |
| TXTexas | $114,050 | $87,530 – $139,010 | 160 |
| AZArizona | $108,770 | $71,800 – $163,430 | 50 |
| ILIllinois | $103,780 | $71,990 – $127,190 | 110 |
| MIMichigan | $86,290 | $68,380 – $155,740 | 180 |
| NHNew Hampshire | $74,560 | $34,960 – $174,670 | — |
Frequently asked
The median political scientists in United States earns $142,080 per year (reference period May 2025). Earnings typically range from $83,350 (10th percentile or low) to $195,190 (90th percentile or high). These are official statistics published by U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) (SOC 2018 code 19-3094). FedSalary republishes official statistics only; no self-reported or crowdsourced figures. Retrieved 2026-06-11.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates 5,540 people employed in this occupation in United States (May 2025).
Approximately EUR 129,164 · GBP 111,874 per year (mid-market snapshot 2026-05-02). The authoritative native figure is $142,080. FX conversion is informational only.