Political Scientists pay in the U.S.
$142,510avg. a year
$68.51 an hour · 5,540 employed
Political Scientists in the U.S. earn an average of $142,510 a year and a median of $142,080. Pay is highest in District of Columbia ($154,300) and lowest in New Hampshire ($99,590).
$142,080Median pay
$68.51Average hourly
+15%Avg. pay since 2020
5,540Jobs in the U.S.
Top-paying states for political scientists
Average pay by state. Swipe to see the top 10.
13,070 jobs
District of Columbia
$154,300
$74.18 an hour
2100 jobs
Maryland
$148,440
$71.37 an hour
3110 jobs
Washington
$143,510
$69.00 an hour
4170 jobs
Massachusetts
$139,440
$67.04 an hour
570 jobs
Pennsylvania
$136,350
$65.56 an hour
630 jobs
Colorado
$128,590
$61.82 an hour
750 jobs
Arizona
$117,910
$56.69 an hour
8
Oregon
$117,330
$56.41 an hour
9160 jobs
Texas
$114,140
$54.88 an hour
1040 jobs
Ohio
$110,980
$53.36 an hour
Why people trust JobPayFacts
Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
Political Scientists pay, charted
Pay over time
United States, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where the jobs are
Employment by state, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · tap a state
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Under $111k$111k–$118k$118k–$139k$139k+
Top-paying metro areas
Average pay, May 2025 (areas with 100+ jobs)
| Metro area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $156,310 | $75.15 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $135,740 | $65.26 |
Related jobs
- Clinical and Counseling Psychologists$112,750
- School Psychologists$99,160
- Urban and Regional Planners$94,750
- Social Scientists and Related Workers, All Other$107,690
- Psychologists, All Other$111,210
- Economists$142,130
Average U.S. pay, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Political Scientists pay in every state
States without a figure had too few jobs or too little survey data for BLS to publish.
| State | Avg. pay | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona | $117,910 | $108,770 | 50 |
| Colorado | $128,590 | $127,260 | 30 |
| District of Columbia | $154,300 | $152,530 | 3,070 |
| Illinois | $104,460 | $103,780 | 110 |
| Maryland | $148,440 | $153,380 | 100 |
| Massachusetts | $139,440 | $133,930 | 170 |
| Michigan | $102,060 | $86,290 | 180 |
| New Hampshire | $99,590 | $74,560 | – |
| Ohio | $110,980 | $119,370 | 40 |
| Oregon | $117,330 | $119,460 | – |
| Pennsylvania | $136,350 | $140,020 | 70 |
| Texas | $114,140 | $114,050 | 160 |
| Washington | $143,510 | $147,060 | 110 |
Metro areas with the most jobs
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
$156,310
3,700 jobsBoston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH
$135,740
190 jobsQuestions and answers
How much do political scientists make?
The average is $142,510 a year across the U.S. Half earn more than $142,080 and half earn less (the median).
What is the hourly pay?
The average hourly wage is $68.51, and the median is $68.31 an hour.
Which state pays political scientists the most?
District of Columbia, with an average of $154,300 a year. The best-paying metro area is Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV at $156,310.
What is the pay range?
The lowest-paid 10% earn under $83,350 a year, and the top 10% earn over $195,190.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2020–May 2025), occupation code 19-3094. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.