Political scientist earnings by seniority

90th percentile

Top-level political scientist earnings begin at:

$61.24 per hour

$127,370 per year

75th percentile

Senior-level political scientist earnings begin at:

$61.24 per hour

$127,370 per year

50th percentile

Mid-level political scientist earnings begin at:

$37.53 per hour

$78,060 per year

25th percentile

Junior-level political scientist earnings begin at:

$29.42 per hour

$61,200 per year

10th percentile

Starting level political scientist earnings begin at:

$14.32 per hour

$29,790 per year

Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.

Political scientist salary by state

State Name Average Salary
California $99,340
Texas $95,890
Arizona $95,660
Ohio $86,220
Florida $83,200
New Hampshire $82,410
Illinois $80,450
Michigan $78,550
Massachusetts $78,060
Georgia $73,740
Maine $73,200
Kentucky $60,270
Vermont $59,500
Pennsylvania $50,730
Virginia $158,510
Maryland $145,950
District of Columbia $127,880
Washington $119,770
New York $102,220

How do political scientist salaries compare to similar careers?

Political scientists earn 6% less than similar careers in Massachusetts. On average, they make less than sociologists.

Career Median Salary
Sociologist salary $82K
Political scientist salary $78K

Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)