Political science teachers, postsecondary

SOC Code: 25-1065
Also known as:
Adjunct Instructor, Adjunct Political Science Instructor, Adjunct Professor, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor
Median Annual Salary
$94,680
+2.0% growth (2024-2034)
2K
Openings/Year
22K
Current Jobs

What Political science teachers, postsecondary Do

Teach courses in political science, international affairs, and international relations. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

💰 Salary

$94,680
Median annual wage (2024)

📈 Job Growth

+2.0%
As fast as average

🎓 Education

Doctoral or professional degree
Typical entry-level requirement

🚀 Annual Openings

2K
Projected average per year

Employment Projections (2024-2034)

Current Employment (2024)

21,800

Projected Employment (2034)

22,200

Related Careers

Political scientists

$139,380 • -3.1% growth

Economics teachers, postsecondary

$119,980 • +2.1% growth

Sociology teachers, postsecondary

$82,540 • +2.1% growth

Law teachers, postsecondary

$126,650 • +2.2% growth

History teachers, postsecondary

$81,500 • -0.2% growth

Top Skills Required

Speaking
Reading Comprehension
Active Listening
Writing
Active Learning

Daily Tasks & Responsibilities

  • Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as classical political thought, international relations, and democracy and citizenship.
  • Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.
  • Evaluate and grade students' class work, assignments, and papers.
  • Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
  • Plan, evaluate, and revise curricula, course content, course materials, and methods of instruction.
  • Conduct research in a particular field of knowledge and publish findings in professional journals, books, or electronic media.
  • Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.
  • Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
  • Supervise undergraduate or graduate teaching, internship, and research work.
  • Maintain student attendance records, grades, and other required records.

Technology & Tools

C Google Docs Microsoft Excel Microsoft Office software Microsoft Outlook Microsoft PowerPoint Microsoft Word R

📚 Entry-Level Education

Doctoral or professional degree
Most common requirement

🎯 Recommended Education

Doctoral Degree
O*NET recommended level

Degree Programs for Political science teachers, postsecondary

These degree programs can prepare you for a career as a political science teachers, postsecondary:

Political Science and Government, General

43,359 degrees awarded • 1,174 colleges offer this program

International Relations and Affairs

11,684 degrees awarded • 327 colleges offer this program

Public Policy Analysis, General

5,419 degrees awarded • 163 colleges offer this program

Political Science and Government, Other

1,031 degrees awarded • 51 colleges offer this program

National Security Policy Studies

788 degrees awarded • 45 colleges offer this program

International Relations and National Security Studies, Other

563 degrees awarded • 24 colleges offer this program

American Government and Politics (United States)

286 degrees awarded • 30 colleges offer this program

International Policy Analysis

276 degrees awarded • 19 colleges offer this program

Political Economy

266 degrees awarded • 19 colleges offer this program

Philosophy, Politics, and Economics

164 degrees awarded • 15 colleges offer this program

Best Colleges for Becoming a Political science teachers, postsecondary

Ranked by Repit grade, then by degrees in related programs. These are the top-rated colleges that prepare students to become political science teachers, postsecondary.

# College Location Related Degrees Repit Grade
1 University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA 919 A+
2 University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI 568 A+
3 Johns Hopkins University Baltimore, MD 1,146 A
4 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC 626 A
5 Columbia University in the City of New York New York, NY 567 A
6 Harvard University Cambridge, MA 562 A
7 University of California-Berkeley Berkeley, CA 558 A
8 University of California-San Diego La Jolla, CA 533 A
9 University of Georgia Athens, GA 530 A
10 The University of Texas at Austin Austin, TX 525 A
11 New York University New York, NY 507 A
12 Duke University Durham, NC 485 A
13 University of Chicago Chicago, IL 461 A
14 University of Virginia-Main Campus Charlottesville, VA 448 A
15 University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA 437 A
16 Tufts University Medford, MA 411 A
17 University of Florida Gainesville, FL 405 A
18 Boston University Boston, MA 366 A
19 University of California-Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA 337 A
20 Princeton University Princeton, NJ 322 A

Want this ranking as a spreadsheet? Investor Pro+ members can export any Repit table to CSV. See plans →

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do political science teachers, postsecondary make?
The median annual salary for political science teachers, postsecondary is $94,680.
What education do political science teachers, postsecondary need?
Most political science teachers, postsecondary positions require a doctoral or professional degree. Common degree programs include Political Science and Government, General, International Relations and Affairs, Public Policy Analysis, General.
Is becoming a political science teachers, postsecondary a good career choice?
Political science teachers, postsecondary is projected to see +2.0% job growth from 2024 to 2034, which is about average for all occupations. With approximately 1,600 job openings expected annually, there are good opportunities for those entering the field.
What are the best colleges for political science teachers, postsecondary?
Top colleges for aspiring political science teachers, postsecondary include University of California-Los Angeles, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, Johns Hopkins University, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Columbia University in the City of New York. These schools are ranked based on their Repit grade and the number of graduates in related programs.
What other job titles are similar to political science teachers, postsecondary?
Political science teachers, postsecondary may also be known as: Adjunct Instructor, Adjunct Political Science Instructor, Adjunct Professor, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, College Faculty Member, College Professor, Faculty Member, Geopolitics Teacher, Government Instructor, Government Professor, Government Teacher, Instructor, International Relations Professor, International Relations Teacher, Lecturer, Political Science Adjunct Instructor, Political Science Adjunct Professor, Political Science Faculty Member, Political Science Instructor. These titles often refer to similar roles with varying responsibilities or specializations.