We surveyed 2,504 political scientists to better understand the work environment and required skills of a typical political scientist. Here are the results.

How much intelligence is required as a political scientist?

Low

High

Working as a political scientist typically requires higher levels of intelligence when compared with the average career. This means that political scientists are required to actively learn new things related to their discipline and solve complex problems.

Can I learn to become a political scientist?

Intrinsic Talent

Acquired Talent

A career as a political scientist typically depends predominantly on qualities you can gain through experience, with a small aspect of skills you are born with.

Is it easy to get a job as a political scientist?

Easy

Hard

It’s typically quite difficult to find a job as a political scientist. If you’re curious about the numbers, check out the job market for political scientists.

Info

Do political scientists work full-time or part-time?

67% of political scientists work in full-time roles while 33% work part-time.

Is being a political scientist stressful?

Low

High

Stress is not uncommon amongst political scientists, with daily work sometimes being quite demanding.

Is being organized important as a political scientist?

Low

High

Organization is not considered a particuarly important part of being a political scientist.

How competitive is the workplace for political scientists?

Low

High

Political scientists see mild competition in their workplace.

Does being a political scientist require frequent time pressure to complete tasks?

Low

High

Time pressure tends not to be a major contributor of stress for political scientists.

Are political scientists allowed to express themselves creatively?

Low

High

Political scientists rarely get a chance to express themselves creatively.

Do political scientists have control over the direction of their work?

Low

High

Political scientists tend to have a set and inflexible work schedule that they are unable to deviate from too much.

Is being a political scientist physically demanding?

Low

High

Work as a political scientists is rarely physically demanding, making it a suitable option for those unable to perform physically strenuous tasks.

Are political scientists exposed to a wide variety of work?

Low

High

Political scientists tend to have a monotonous work routine, with little variety in their day-to-day tasks.

Does being a political scientist require attention to detail?

Low

High

Attention to detail isn't necessarily required to be successful as a political scientist.

Does being a good political scientist require compassion and empathy?

Low

High

The ability to be compassion and empathetic isn't considered fundamental to success as a political scientist.