Career
Political scientists
Study governments, politics and public policy.
$142,080
Median pay
-2.0%
Job growth, 2025–35
400
Openings a year
Master's degree
Typical education
6 years
Typical time after high school
Here's what you actually need to know.
The work
What people in this job do
- 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.
The outlook
How the forecast changed this year
The deeper question
What kind of person does this path ask you to become?
What this work centers on
O*NET interest profile, scored 1–7.
The work
Do you want most of your days spent on ideas & analysis, then creation & expression?
Responsibility
Are you willing to be the one responsible for this?
“Teach political science.”
Development
What would you need to build over the next 5–10 years?
Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Speaking, Active Learning.
Trade-offs
What does it ask of you in exchange?
6 years of education after high school (master's degree), for a median of $142,080 a year and 400 openings nationally each year.
Paths in
Degrees that lead here
- Political ScienceSee the degree →
- International RelationsSee the degree →
- International StudiesSee the degree →
- International/Globalization StudiesCIP 30.2001
- History and Political ScienceCIP 30.4601
- Philosophy, Politics, and EconomicsCIP 30.5101
Paths across
Careers that use similar skills
- Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary$98,070 · +2.5%
- Sociologists$106,030 · +3.8%
- Economists$124,720 · +4.7%
- Law Teachers, Postsecondary$128,500 · +2.6%
- Legislators
Ask anything about this career.
“Would this make sense if I don't want to sit at a desk all day?” Answers will come from the sources on this page, with citations. Coming soon.
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Sources
- BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- BLS Employment Projections, 2024–34 (archived), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- O*NET 31.0 Database (August 2026), National Center for O*NET Development / U.S. Department of Labor. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk, NCES and BLS. Retrieved 2026-10-01.