Political Scientists
Study the origin, development, and operation of political systems. May study topics such as public opinion, political decision-making, ideology, and public policy.
Political Scientists study the origin, development, and operation of political systems. May study topics such as public opinion, political decision-making, ideology, and public policy. The role reports a median annual salary of $139,380 in the US with the middle 80% earning between $63,920 and $181,040 and is projected to decline by 3% over the next decade. Entry typically requires a Master's degree, and shows moderate AI exposure (0.53 on a 0-1 scale) — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. The most in-demand skills for the role include Critical Thinking, Reading Comprehension, Writing, Active Learning, Speaking.
Salary distribution (US)
Real salary data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The p10–p90 spread tells you more than the median alone.
Pay in the UK
UK: median £39,899 a year for Social and humanities scientists (ONS ASHE 2025, full-time)
UK jobs are grouped differently; this is the closest UK occupation group (ONS SOC 2020 2115). ONS rates this estimate acceptable: it rests on a small sample, so treat it as a rough guide. 2025 provisional figures; ONS revises them a year later. Source: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (Open Government Licence)
Pay in India (occupation group)
Average monthly earnings of salaried employees in the occupation group “Professionals” in India, from the Government of India's Periodic Labour Force Survey (January–December 2025). It covers everyone in this group, not only Political Scientists, and it is not US pay converted to rupees.
Source: MoSPI (Government of India), Periodic Labour Force Survey Annual Report 2025, Table 51 — average wage/salary earnings of regular wage/salaried employees, NCO-2015 division 2. Official India data gives one average per occupation group: there are no official India figures for single careers, experience levels or cities. Read the report
How to get here in India
No single fixed route is listed for this career. These Indian degrees lead to it, according to the US CIP–SOC education-to-occupation crosswalk; open a degree for its entrance exams and colleges.[1]
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International Relations — BA (Hons) International Relations or Political Science with IR papers (three or four years)
Entrance exams: CUET-UG
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Political Science — BA (Hons) Political Science (three years, or four years with research)
Entrance exams: CUET-UG
Rules change: check the exam body's and regulator's current notice before you apply.
- CIP 2020 – SOC 2018 crosswalk (NCES / BLS) (read on 2026-09-27)
Top skills
Knowledge you'll build
- Law and Government
- English Language
- History and Archeology
- Sociology and Anthropology
- Philosophy and Theology
- Administration and Management
A day in the life
Your morning might start buried in academic journals and government documents, coding data from congressional voting records or international treaties for a research project. By midday you are running statistical models to test a hypothesis about voter behavior or drafting a policy brief for a think tank that will land on a senator's desk. Afternoons could include teaching a graduate seminar, presenting findings at a conference, or doing a media interview about an upcoming election. The work sits at the intersection of data, power, and ideas, and the thrill is knowing your analysis can shape how people understand democracy.
Illustrative: one typical day. Real days vary by employer and seniority.
What you'd actually do
- Teach political science.
- Maintain current knowledge of government policy decisions.
- Develop and test theories, using information from interviews, newspapers, periodicals, case law, historical papers, polls, or statistical sources.
- Disseminate research results through academic publications, written reports, or public presentations.
- Advise political science students.
- Collect, analyze, and interpret data, such as election results and public opinion surveys, reporting on findings, recommendations, and conclusions.
Tools & technology you'd use
Frequently asked questions
What does Political Scientists do?
Study the origin, development, and operation of political systems. May study topics such as public opinion, political decision-making, ideology, and public policy.
What does a typical day look like in Political Scientists?
Your morning might start buried in academic journals and government documents, coding data from congressional voting records or international treaties for a research project. By midday you are running statistical models to test a hypothesis about voter behavior or drafting a policy brief for a think tank that will land on a senator's desk. Afternoons could include teaching a graduate seminar, presenting findings at a conference, or doing a media interview about an upcoming election.
How much does Political Scientists earn?
The median annual salary for Political Scientists in the US is $139,380. The middle 80% of workers earn between $63,920 and $181,040 annually. Entry-to-mid-career earners typically fall between $86,640 and $170,400.
What is the job outlook for Political Scientists?
The role is projected to decline by 3% over the next decade. Current US employment is approximately 6,500 workers.
How do I become political scientists?
The typical entry education is a Master's degree. Building a foundation in the top skills below will strengthen your application.
What skills does Political Scientists need?
The most in-demand skills for this role include Critical Thinking, Reading Comprehension, Writing, Active Learning, Speaking, Complex Problem Solving. These are the skills O*NET identifies as most important for competent performance.
Will AI replace Political Scientists?
Our AI-durability model gives Political Scientists a score of 0.53 on a 0-1 scale (higher = more exposure). That places it at moderate AI exposure — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. Learning to work with AI tools rather than against them is the path forward.
How hard is it to enter this field?
Political Scientists has high barrier to entry — highly gated — a graduate degree or extended training/apprenticeship is typically required.