Political scientist earnings by seniority

90th percentile

Top-level political scientist earnings begin at:

$48.29 per hour

$100,440 per year

75th percentile

Senior-level political scientist earnings begin at:

$37.86 per hour

$78,760 per year

50th percentile

Mid-level political scientist earnings begin at:

$35.19 per hour

$73,200 per year

25th percentile

Junior-level political scientist earnings begin at:

$28.08 per hour

$58,410 per year

10th percentile

Starting level political scientist earnings begin at:

$23.24 per hour

$48,330 per year

Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.

Political scientist salary by state

State Name Average Salary
California $99,340
Michigan $86,290
Florida $83,200
New Hampshire $74,560
Georgia $73,740
Maine $73,200
Kentucky $60,270
Vermont $59,500
Virginia $158,510
Maryland $153,380
District of Columbia $152,530
Washington $147,060
Pennsylvania $140,020
Massachusetts $133,930
Colorado $127,260
Oregon $119,460
Ohio $119,370
Texas $114,050
Arizona $108,770
Illinois $103,780
New York $102,220

How do political scientist salaries compare to similar careers?

Political scientists earn 11% more than similar careers in Maine. On average, they make more than social workers.

Career Median Salary
Political scientist salary $73K
Social worker salary $50K

Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)