Political scientist earnings by seniority

90th percentile

Top-level political scientist earnings begin at:

$70.22 per hour

$146,050 per year

75th percentile

Senior-level political scientist earnings begin at:

$53.02 per hour

$110,280 per year

50th percentile

Mid-level political scientist earnings begin at:

$41.45 per hour

$86,220 per year

25th percentile

Junior-level political scientist earnings begin at:

$29.88 per hour

$62,150 per year

10th percentile

Starting level political scientist earnings begin at:

$25.12 per hour

$52,240 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 20% more than similar careers in Ohio. On average, they make more than sociologists.

Career Median Salary
Political scientist salary $86K
Intelligence analyst salary $63K
Sociologist salary $58K

Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)