Political scientist earnings by seniority

90th percentile

Top-level political scientist earnings begin at:

$68.80 per hour

$143,100 per year

75th percentile

Senior-level political scientist earnings begin at:

$49.17 per hour

$102,270 per year

50th percentile

Mid-level political scientist earnings begin at:

$42.53 per hour

$88,470 per year

25th percentile

Junior-level political scientist earnings begin at:

$37.99 per hour

$79,010 per year

10th percentile

Starting level political scientist earnings begin at:

$32.82 per hour

$68,260 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 14% more than similar careers in Florida. On average, they make more than intelligence analysts.

Career Median Salary
Political scientist salary $88K
Sociologist salary $79K
Intelligence analyst salary $64K

Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)