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Science

Political Scientists

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.

Median salary (BLS)

$142,080

10th–90th percentile (BLS)

$83k – $195k

Job outlook

No separate BLS projection for this specific role

AI exposure

Early-career check: graduates of the matching programs below typically earn $119,000 ten years after starting college — an early-career figure, vs. the all-experience BLS median above. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard.

Plan a path to Political Scientists

Qualification costsStack incomeBest cities/statesSchool ROIJob-posting fitTailored resume

Education

Typical entry: Master's degree

Plan my path to this →

How to qualify

Estimate

Cost to qualify

$64,000–$230,000

Time to qualify

6 yr

Renewal

—

  1. 1

    Bachelor's degree

    Degree

    Four years at public in-state rates — average published tuition & fees ≈ $11,610/yr, plus books. Private and out-of-state run higher; grant aid lowers most students' actual net price.

    $40,000–$150,000 · 4 years source

  2. 2

    Master's degree

    Degree

    Typically two years; average graduate tuition ≈ $20,000/yr at public universities (NCES).

    $24,000–$80,000 · 2 years source

Estimated typical U.S. route for "Political Scientists" — built from BLS education requirements and College Board 2024–25 average published prices (public, in-state tuition + fees + books). Not yet verified against a specific state's licensing rules — confirm with your state licensing board or program.

Typical progression

  1. Political Scientists Intern

    Internship

    $41,675

    ~4 mos to advance

  2. Junior Political Scientists

    Entry / Junior

    $83,350

    ~2 yrs to advance

  3. Political Scientists

    Established

    $142,080

    ~3 yrs to advance

  4. Senior Political Scientists

    Senior

    $168,635

Internships are a common on-ramp here — they speed up landing that first role and improve your odds, which is why the Safe and High-ceiling plans build one in.

Key skills

A typical day

  • •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.

Fields of study

Any field

Top colleges for Science

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Reputation-based selection; stats shown are outcome data per school.