Political scientist earnings by seniority

90th percentile

Top-level political scientist earnings begin at:

$83.98 per hour

$174,670 per year

75th percentile

Senior-level political scientist earnings begin at:

$76.80 per hour

$159,730 per year

50th percentile

Mid-level political scientist earnings begin at:

$35.84 per hour

$74,560 per year

25th percentile

Junior-level political scientist earnings begin at:

$24.70 per hour

$51,370 per year

10th percentile

Starting level political scientist earnings begin at:

$16.81 per hour

$34,960 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 23% more than similar careers in New Hampshire. On average, they make more than anthropologists.

Career Median Salary
Political scientist salary $75K
Social worker salary $104K
Archaeologist salary $61K
Anthropologist salary $61K

Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)