Political scientist earnings by seniority

90th percentile

Top-level political scientist earnings begin at:

$80.66 per hour

$167,780 per year

75th percentile

Senior-level political scientist earnings begin at:

$63.23 per hour

$131,520 per year

50th percentile

Mid-level political scientist earnings begin at:

$36.81 per hour

$76,560 per year

25th percentile

Junior-level political scientist earnings begin at:

$28.49 per hour

$59,260 per year

10th percentile

Starting level political scientist earnings begin at:

$24.55 per hour

$51,060 per year

Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.

Political scientist salary by state

State Name Average Salary
Arizona $94,420
Florida $88,470
Texas $88,070
Ohio $86,220
Massachusetts $82,110
Washington $76,660
Michigan $76,560
Georgia $73,740
Maine $67,760
Illinois $64,423
California $63,970
Virginia $141,340
Maryland $129,870
New York $124,620
District of Columbia $123,130
Pennsylvania $102,110

How do political scientist salaries compare to similar careers?

Political scientists earn 6% more than similar careers in Michigan.

Career Median Salary
Intelligence analyst salary $87K
Economist salary $81K
Sociologist salary $77K

Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)