Political scientists

SOC Code: 19-3094
Also known as:
Citizen Participation Specialist, Government Affairs Researcher, Government Affairs Specialist, Health Policy Analyst, Legislative Affairs Specialist
Median Annual Salary
$139,380
-3.1% growth (2024-2034)
500
Openings/Year
7K
Current Jobs

What Political scientists Do

Study the origin, development, and operation of political systems. May study topics, such as public opinion, political decisionmaking, and ideology. May analyze the structure and operation of governments, as well as various political entities. May conduct public opinion surveys, analyze election results, or analyze public documents.

💰 Salary

$139,380
Median annual wage (2024)

📈 Job Growth

-3.1%
Decline

🎓 Education

Master's degree
Typical entry-level requirement

🚀 Annual Openings

500
Projected average per year

Employment Projections (2024-2034)

Current Employment (2024)

6,500

Projected Employment (2034)

6,300

Related Careers

Legislators

$44,810 • +3.4% growth
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Economists

$115,440 • +1.2% growth
View →

Sociologists

$101,690 • +3.6% growth
View →

Political science teachers, postsecondary

$94,680 • +2.0% growth
View →

Law teachers, postsecondary

$126,650 • +2.2% growth
View →

Top Skills Required

Reading Comprehension
Active Listening
Speaking
Active Learning
Writing

Daily Tasks & Responsibilities

  • 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.
  • Interpret and analyze policies, public issues, legislation, or the operations of governments, businesses, and organizations.
  • Identify issues for research and analysis.
  • Serve on committees.
  • Forecast political, economic, and social trends.

Technology & Tools

Adobe Acrobat IBM SPSS Statistics Microsoft Access Microsoft Active Server Pages ASP Microsoft Excel Microsoft Office software Microsoft Outlook Microsoft PowerPoint Microsoft SharePoint Microsoft Visio

📚 Entry-Level Education

Master's degree
Most common requirement

🎯 Recommended Education

Doctoral Degree
O*NET recommended level

Degree Programs for Political scientists

These degree programs can prepare you for a career as a political scientists:

Political Science and Government, General

43,359 degrees awarded • 1,174 colleges offer this program
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International Relations and Affairs

11,684 degrees awarded • 327 colleges offer this program
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International/Globalization Studies

5,740 degrees awarded • 324 colleges offer this program
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Public Policy Analysis, General

5,419 degrees awarded • 163 colleges offer this program
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Political Science and Government, Other

1,031 degrees awarded • 51 colleges offer this program
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National Security Policy Studies

788 degrees awarded • 45 colleges offer this program
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International Relations and National Security Studies, Other

563 degrees awarded • 24 colleges offer this program
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American Government and Politics (United States)

286 degrees awarded • 30 colleges offer this program
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International Policy Analysis

276 degrees awarded • 19 colleges offer this program
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Political Economy

266 degrees awarded • 19 colleges offer this program
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Best Colleges for Becoming a Political scientists

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

# College Location Related Degrees Repit Grade
1 University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA 975 A+
2 University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI 689 A+
3 Johns Hopkins University Baltimore, MD 1,133 A
4 University of California-San Diego La Jolla, CA 946 A
5 The University of Texas at Austin Austin, TX 727 A
6 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC 635 A
7 University of California-Berkeley Berkeley, CA 631 A
8 Columbia University in the City of New York New York, NY 567 A
9 University of Georgia Athens, GA 566 A
10 Harvard University Cambridge, MA 553 A
11 New York University New York, NY 507 A
12 University of Florida Gainesville, FL 493 A
13 Duke University Durham, NC 485 A
14 University of California-Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA 481 A
15 University of Chicago Chicago, IL 461 A
16 University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA 461 A
17 University of Virginia-Main Campus Charlottesville, VA 448 A
18 University of California-Irvine Irvine, CA 422 A
19 Tufts University Medford, MA 411 A
20 Boston University Boston, MA 355 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 scientists make?
The median annual salary for political scientists is $139,380.
What education do political scientists need?
Most political scientists positions require a master's degree. Common degree programs include Political Science and Government, General, International Relations and Affairs, International/Globalization Studies.
Is becoming political scientists a good career choice?
Political scientists is projected to see -3.1% job growth from 2024 to 2034, which reflects some decline in the field. With approximately 500 job openings expected annually, there are good opportunities for those entering the field.
What are the best colleges for political scientists?
Top colleges for aspiring political scientists include University of California-Los Angeles, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, Johns Hopkins University, University of California-San Diego, The University of Texas at Austin. 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 scientists?
Political scientists may also be known as: Citizen Participation Specialist, Government Affairs Researcher, Government Affairs Specialist, Health Policy Analyst, Legislative Affairs Specialist, Legislative Analyst, Legislative Liaison, Legislative Policy Analyst, Local Governance Specialist, Medical Policy Analyst, Policy Advisor, Policy Analyst, Policy Officer, Policy Specialist, Political Advisor, Political Aide, Political Analyst, Political Consultant, Political Research Scientist, Political Researcher. These titles often refer to similar roles with varying responsibilities or specializations.