Anthropologists and Archeologists
Median $70,770
Occupation · SOC 19-3094
Political Scientists: pay and where the jobs are
What political scientists earn in the U.S., how pay varies across workers and states, and tools to plan around it.
National pay, May 2025
$142,080 median annual wage
- Mean (average) annual wage
- $142,510
- Median hourly wage
- $68.31
- Mean hourly wage
- $68.51
- Employment
- 5,540
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (released 2026-05-15), SOC 19-3094.
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See where your pay falls among political scientists nationally and in your state. Nothing you type leaves your browser.
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Use these numbers
How much do political scientists make?
The median annual wage for political scientists was $142,080 in May 2025, so half of workers earned more and half earned less. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $83,350 and the highest-paid 10% more than $195,190. As an hourly rate, the median is $68.31. About 5,540 people work in this occupation nationwide. The highest state medians are in Maryland ($153,380), District of Columbia ($152,530) and Washington ($147,060). After taxes and local prices, though, a median paycheck goes furthest in Pennsylvania.
Pay ladder
What each step of the pay range for political scientists looks like per month. Take-home here includes federal tax, Social Security and Medicare for a single filer; add your state in the paycheck calculator.
| Step | Annual | Hourly | Monthly gross | Monthly after federal tax & FICA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $83,350 | $40.07 | $6,946 | $5,622 |
| 25th percentile | $114,030 | $54.82 | $9,503 | $7,421 |
| Median | $142,080 | $68.31 | $11,840 | $9,031 |
| 75th percentile | $174,180 | $83.74 | $14,515 | $10,860 |
| 90th percentile | $195,190 | $93.84 | $16,266 | $12,057 |
Political Scientists: pay by state
13 states and territories have a published median, sorted from highest to lowest. The last two columns are our estimates: the median after 2026 federal and state taxes, and that take-home restated in national-average prices.
1
$105,125 take-home in national prices
2
$103,700 take-home in national prices
3
$102,550 take-home in national prices
Where a median political scientist paycheck goes furthest after 2026 taxes and BEA price levels.
| State | Employment | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Median after tax* | In national prices† |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maryland | 100 | $153,380 | $101,400 | $195,190 | $108,842 | $103,700 |
| District of Columbia | 3,070 | $152,530 | $114,920 | $195,190 | $105,524 | $96,017 |
| Washington | 110 | $147,060 | $81,310 | $214,960 | $109,742 | $102,550 |
| Pennsylvania | 70 | $140,020 | $70,450 | $203,130 | $102,573 | $105,125 |
| Massachusetts | 170 | $133,930 | $76,010 | $217,820 | $95,715 | $90,504 |
| Colorado | 30 | $127,260 | $80,010 | $197,490 | $92,797 | $90,049 |
| Oregon | Not published | $119,460 | $107,230 | $119,460 | $83,040 | $80,340 |
| Ohio | 40 | $119,370 | $63,590 | $142,080 | $89,961 | $96,968 |
| Texas | 160 | $114,050 | $87,530 | $139,010 | $89,064 | $91,765 |
| Arizona | 50 | $108,770 | $71,800 | $163,430 | $83,024 | $82,466 |
| Illinois | 110 | $103,780 | $71,990 | $127,190 | $76,847 | $76,879 |
| Michigan | 180 | $86,290 | $68,380 | $155,740 | $66,118 | $68,718 |
| New Hampshire | Not published | $74,560 | $34,960 | $174,670 | $61,283 | $58,833 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (released 2026-05-15), SOC 19-3094. *Our estimate for a single filer paid biweekly with no pre-tax deductions or local tax, 2026 federal and state rules. †Take-home ÷ BEA Regional Price Parity × 100 (2024 price levels).
Sources
- OEWS May 2025 (oesm25nat.zip) — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Accessed 2026-10-09.
- OEWS May 2025 (oesm25st.zip) — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Accessed 2026-10-09.