Political scientist earnings by seniority

90th percentile

Top-level political scientist earnings begin at:

$29.88 per hour

$62,140 per year

75th percentile

Senior-level political scientist earnings begin at:

$29.28 per hour

$60,900 per year

50th percentile

Mid-level political scientist earnings begin at:

$28.61 per hour

$59,500 per year

25th percentile

Junior-level political scientist earnings begin at:

$26.24 per hour

$54,590 per year

10th percentile

Starting level political scientist earnings begin at:

$23.97 per hour

$49,860 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 about the same as related careers in Vermont. On average, they make more than social workers.

Career Median Salary
Political scientist salary $60K
Social worker salary $58K

Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)