The average salary for a political scientist in California is around $63,970 per year.
Avg Salary
Political scientists earn an average yearly salary of $63,970.
Wages typically start from $35,600 and go up to $118,490.
9% below national average Updated in 2018
Political scientist earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level political scientist earnings begin at:
$56.97 per hour
$118,490 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level political scientist earnings begin at:
$39.14 per hour
$81,400 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level political scientist earnings begin at:
$30.76 per hour
$63,970 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level political scientist earnings begin at:
$21.73 per hour
$45,190 per year
10th percentile
Starting level political scientist earnings begin at:
$17.12 per hour
$35,600 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Political scientist salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Florida | $88,470 |
| Michigan | $86,290 |
| New Hampshire | $74,560 |
| Georgia | $73,740 |
| Maine | $67,760 |
| California | $63,970 |
| Maryland | $153,380 |
| District of Columbia | $152,530 |
| Washington | $147,060 |
| Virginia | $141,340 |
| Pennsylvania | $140,020 |
| Massachusetts | $133,930 |
| Colorado | $127,260 |
| New York | $124,620 |
| Oregon | $119,460 |
| Ohio | $119,370 |
| Texas | $114,050 |
| Arizona | $108,770 |
| Illinois | $103,780 |
How do political scientist salaries compare to similar careers?
Political scientists earn 20% less than similar careers in California. On average, they make less than intelligence analysts.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Intelligence analyst salary | $100K |
| Sociologist salary | $97K |
| Political scientist salary | $64K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)