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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2023

19-3094 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. Excludes “Survey Researchers” (19-3022).


National estimates for Political Scientists
Industry profile for Political Scientists
Geographic profile for Political Scientists

National estimates for Political Scientists:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Political Scientists:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
5,580 3.4 % $ 63.47 $ 132,020 0.9 %

Percentile wage estimates for Political Scientists:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 34.84 $ 46.44 $ 63.63 $ 80.60 $ 88.22
Annual Wage (2) $ 72,470 $ 96,600 $ 132,350 $ 167,650 $ 183,500


Industry profile for Political Scientists:

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Political Scientists are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in Political Scientists, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Political Scientists:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) 3,620 0.17 $ 68.46 $ 142,390
Scientific Research and Development Services 870 0.09 $ 65.20 $ 135,620
Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) 320 0.01 $ 45.58 $ 94,810
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 260 0.01 $ 43.63 $ 90,740
State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) 170 0.01 $ 37.66 $ 78,340

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Political Scientists:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) 3,620 0.17 $ 68.46 $ 142,390
Scientific Research and Development Services 870 0.09 $ 65.20 $ 135,620
Social Advocacy Organizations 90 0.04 $ 46.70 $ 97,130
Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations 100 0.02 $ 39.39 $ 81,940
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 260 0.01 $ 43.63 $ 90,740

Top paying industries for Political Scientists:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) 3,620 0.17 $ 68.46 $ 142,390
Scientific Research and Development Services 870 0.09 $ 65.20 $ 135,620
Social Advocacy Organizations 90 0.04 $ 46.70 $ 97,130
Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) 320 0.01 $ 45.58 $ 94,810
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 260 0.01 $ 43.63 $ 90,740


Geographic profile for Political Scientists:

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Political Scientists are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in Political Scientists, see the Create Customized Tables function.



Map of employment of political scientists by state, May 2023


States with the highest employment level in Political Scientists:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
District of Columbia 2,960 4.22 114.73 $ 70.48 $ 146,600
Virginia 710 0.18 4.84 $ 69.76 $ 145,100
Illinois 210 0.03 0.93 $ 42.42 $ 88,230
California 200 0.01 0.30 $ 61.28 $ 127,460
Washington 180 0.05 1.37 $ 63.47 $ 132,010


Map of location quotient of political scientists by state, May 2023


States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Political Scientists:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
District of Columbia 2,960 4.22 114.73 $ 70.48 $ 146,600
Virginia 710 0.18 4.84 $ 69.76 $ 145,100
Washington 180 0.05 1.37 $ 63.47 $ 132,010
Maryland 100 0.04 1.00 $ 74.77 $ 155,520
Illinois 210 0.03 0.93 $ 42.42 $ 88,230


Map of annual mean wages of political scientists by state, May 2023


Top paying states for Political Scientists:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Maryland 100 0.04 1.00 $ 74.77 $ 155,520
District of Columbia 2,960 4.22 114.73 $ 70.48 $ 146,600
Virginia 710 0.18 4.84 $ 69.76 $ 145,100
New York 100 0.01 0.28 $ 65.89 $ 137,060
Washington 180 0.05 1.37 $ 63.47 $ 132,010



Map of employment of political scientists by area, May 2023


Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Political Scientists:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 3,620 1.17 31.85 $ 71.02 $ 147,720
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 170 0.04 1.04 $ 42.48 $ 88,360
San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX 150 0.14 3.79 $ 50.17 $ 104,350
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 130 0.06 1.72 $ 63.55 $ 132,190
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 100 0.01 0.30 $ 61.98 $ 128,920
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ 40 0.02 0.52 $ 51.52 $ 107,170
Ann Arbor, MI 40 0.19 5.21 $ 41.86 $ 87,070
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC 40 0.05 1.48 $ 59.07 $ 122,870
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 30 0.01 0.32 $ 35.77 $ 74,400


Map of location quotient of political scientists by area, May 2023


Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Political Scientists:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 3,620 1.17 31.85 $ 71.02 $ 147,720
Ann Arbor, MI 40 0.19 5.21 $ 41.86 $ 87,070
San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX 150 0.14 3.79 $ 50.17 $ 104,350
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 130 0.06 1.72 $ 63.55 $ 132,190
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC 40 0.05 1.48 $ 59.07 $ 122,870
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 170 0.04 1.04 $ 42.48 $ 88,360
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ 40 0.02 0.52 $ 51.52 $ 107,170
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 30 0.01 0.32 $ 35.77 $ 74,400
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 100 0.01 0.30 $ 61.98 $ 128,920


Map of annual mean wages of political scientists by area, May 2023


Top paying metropolitan areas for Political Scientists:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 3,620 1.17 31.85 $ 71.02 $ 147,720
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 130 0.06 1.72 $ 63.55 $ 132,190
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 100 0.01 0.30 $ 61.98 $ 128,920
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC 40 0.05 1.48 $ 59.07 $ 122,870
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH (8) (8) (8) $ 57.63 $ 119,870
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ 40 0.02 0.52 $ 51.52 $ 107,170
San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX 150 0.14 3.79 $ 50.17 $ 104,350
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 170 0.04 1.04 $ 42.48 $ 88,360
Ann Arbor, MI 40 0.19 5.21 $ 41.86 $ 87,070
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 30 0.01 0.32 $ 35.77 $ 74,400


About May 2023 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(8) Estimate not released.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OEWS estimates and related information:

May 2023 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2023 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2023 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2023 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2023 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: April 3, 2024