Political scientist earnings by seniority

90th percentile

Top-level political scientist earnings begin at:

$94.47 per hour

$196,503 per year

75th percentile

Senior-level political scientist earnings begin at:

$69.28 per hour

$144,111 per year

50th percentile

Mid-level political scientist earnings begin at:

$49.09 per hour

$102,110 per year

25th percentile

Junior-level political scientist earnings begin at:

$34.78 per hour

$72,350 per year

10th percentile

Starting level political scientist earnings begin at:

$25.51 per hour

$53,060 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 18% more than similar careers in Pennsylvania. On average, they make more than economists.

Career Median Salary
Political scientist salary $102K
Intelligence analyst salary $86K
Economist salary $85K

Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)