Political Scientist Salary in the United States

How much does a Political Scientist make in the United States?

As of January 01, 2026, the average salary for a Political Scientist in the United States is $76,499 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $37.

However, a Political Scientist's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $87,072
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $69,717 to $82,034
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $63,543
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View as table View as graph 25% $69,717 10% $63,543 90% $87,072 75% $82,034 $76,499 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Political Scientist Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $82,034 $6,836 $1,578 $39
Average $76,499 $6,375 $1,471 $37
25th Percentile $69,717 $5,810 $1,341 $34
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Key Factors That Influence Political Scientist Salaries

A Political Scientist's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Political Scientist Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Political Scientist's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $76,499
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $76,970
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $78,018
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $78,716
  • Expert (over 8 years): $78,891
Levels Salary
Entry Level Political Scientist$76,499
Intermediate Level Political Scientist$76,970
Senior Level Political Scientist$78,018
Specialist Level Political Scientist$78,716
Expert Level Political Scientist$78,891
$76,499 0 yr
$76,970 < 2 yrs
$78,018 2-4 yrs
$78,716 5-8 yrs
$78,891 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Political Scientists

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $96,488
  • San Francisco: $95,539
  • Oakland: $93,420

What Skills Can Increase a Political Scientist's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Standard Operating Procedures (Mentioned in 4.07% Job Postings): A standard operating procedure (SOP) is a set of step-by-step instructions compiled by an organization to help workers carry out routine operations.
  • Continuous Improvement (Mentioned in 3.07% Job Postings): A continual improvement process, also often called a continuous improvement process (abbreviated as CIP or CI), is an ongoing effort to improve products, services, or processes. These efforts can seek "incremental" improvement over time or "breakthrough" improvement all at once. Delivery (customer valued) processes are constantly evaluated and improved in the light of their efficiency, effectiveness and flexibility. Some see CIPs as a meta-process for most management systems (such as business process management, quality management, project management, and program management). W. Edwards Deming, a pioneer of the field, saw it as part of the 'system' whereby feedback from the process and customer were evaluated against organisational goals. The fact that it can be called a management process does not mean that it needs to be executed by 'management'; but rather merely that it makes decisions about the implementation of the delivery process and the design of the delivery process itself.
  • Lean (Mentioned in 1.88% Job Postings): Lean manufacturing, or lean production, is a system of techniques and activities for running a manufacturing or service operation.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Standard Operating Procedures 4.07%
Continuous Improvement 3.07%
Lean 1.88%
What skills can make your compensation higher?
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Political Scientist's salary.
  • Chromatography: Can increase your salary by up to 15%.
  • Biotechnology: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
  • Manufacturing Equipment: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Chromatography
$87,974
15%
Biotechnology
$81,089
6%
Manufacturing Equipment
$81,089
6%
ISO
$78,794
3%
Collaboration
$78,794
3%
Process Improvement
$78,794
3%
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How Education impacts a Political Scientist's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Political Scientists enter the field with a Associate's Degree degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Political Scientist with a Associate's Degree is between $75,235 and $78,515).

Political Scientist Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Political Scientist
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 0.6%
High School 3.2%
Associates 8.2%
Bachelors 70.1%
Masters 17.7%
Doctorate 0.1%
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Political Scientist Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Political Scientist's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on January 01, 2026

Salary Trends for Political Scientist

Salaries for a Political Scientist can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary increased from $66,866 in 2023 to around $66,880 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Political Scientist salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Political Scientist Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$66,866
2024
$67,088
2025
$66,880
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $66,866
2024 $67,088
2025 $66,880
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Political Scientist

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for Political Scientist

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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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