Career profile · SOC 19-3094

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.

Median salary
$139,380
per year
Growth outlook
Decline
BLS 10-yr
Education
Master's degree
AI exposure
4.8/10
automation risk

Salary distribution (US)

Real salary data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The p10–p90 spread tells you more than the median alone.

Bottom 10%
$63,920
25th %ile
$86,640
Median
$139,380
75th %ile
$170,400
Top 10%
$181,040

Top skills

Critical Thinking Reading Comprehension Writing Active Learning Speaking Complex Problem Solving Active Listening Judgment and Decision Making Research Design

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.

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