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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2019

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 this occupation
Industry profile for this occupation
Geographic profile for this occupation

National estimates for this occupation:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
6,010 7.6 % $57.82 $120,260 2.9 %

Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $29.31 $42.31 $58.76 $71.62 $78.95
Annual Wage (2) $60,960 $87,990 $122,220 $148,960 $164,210


Industry profile for this occupation:

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

Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation) 3,010 0.15 $61.30 $127,500
Scientific Research and Development Services 1,040 0.15 $61.89 $128,720
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 400 0.01 $42.90 $89,230
Social Advocacy Organizations 280 0.13 $43.40 $90,280
Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OES Designation) 210 0.00 $47.36 $98,500

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation) 3,010 0.15 $61.30 $127,500
Scientific Research and Development Services 1,040 0.15 $61.89 $128,720
Social Advocacy Organizations 280 0.13 $43.40 $90,280
Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services 130 0.03 $64.79 $134,760
State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OES Designation) 190 0.01 $33.88 $70,470

Top paying industries for this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services 130 0.03 $64.79 $134,760
Scientific Research and Development Services 1,040 0.15 $61.89 $128,720
Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation) 3,010 0.15 $61.30 $127,500
Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OES Designation) 210 (7) $47.36 $98,500
Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations 30 0.01 $46.60 $96,930


Geographic profile for this occupation:

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





States with the highest employment level in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
District of Columbia 3,160 4.37 106.69 $59.59 $123,940
Virginia 1,140 0.29 7.18 $62.53 $130,070
Texas 280 0.02 0.55 $42.94 $89,310
California 140 0.01 0.20 $38.27 $79,600
Pennsylvania 120 0.02 0.51 $51.25 $106,590




States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
District of Columbia 3,160 4.37 106.69 $59.59 $123,940
Virginia 1,140 0.29 7.18 $62.53 $130,070
Maine 50 0.08 1.86 $36.92 $76,790
Washington 120 0.03 0.85 $47.61 $99,040
Texas 280 0.02 0.55 $42.94 $89,310




Top paying States for this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Virginia 1,140 0.29 7.18 $62.53 $130,070
New York 80 0.01 0.21 $61.38 $127,660
District of Columbia 3,160 4.37 106.69 $59.59 $123,940
Massachusetts (8) (8) (8) $52.44 $109,060
Pennsylvania 120 0.02 0.51 $51.25 $106,590





Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:

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 4,270 1.34 32.82 $60.44 $125,710
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 90 0.05 1.13 $44.99 $93,590
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 70 0.01 0.19 $64.42 $134,000
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 70 0.01 0.34 $36.92 $76,790
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC 60 0.08 2.06 $59.11 $122,940
Pittsburgh, PA 60 0.06 1.35 $54.20 $112,740
Portland-South Portland, ME 40 0.20 4.89 $38.15 $79,350




Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

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 4,270 1.34 32.82 $60.44 $125,710
Portland-South Portland, ME 40 0.20 4.89 $38.15 $79,350
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC 60 0.08 2.06 $59.11 $122,940
Pittsburgh, PA 60 0.06 1.35 $54.20 $112,740
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 90 0.05 1.13 $44.99 $93,590
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 70 0.01 0.19 $64.42 $134,000
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 70 0.01 0.34 $36.92 $76,790




Top paying metropolitan areas for this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD (8) (8) (8) $73.64 $153,170
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 70 0.01 0.19 $64.42 $134,000
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 4,270 1.34 32.82 $60.44 $125,710
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC 60 0.08 2.06 $59.11 $122,940
Pittsburgh, PA 60 0.06 1.35 $54.20 $112,740
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH (8) (8) (8) $51.37 $106,850
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 90 0.05 1.13 $44.99 $93,590
Portland-South Portland, ME 40 0.20 4.89 $38.15 $79,350
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 70 0.01 0.34 $36.92 $76,790


About May 2019 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.

(7) The value is less than .005 percent of industry employment.

(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 OES estimates and related information:

May 2019 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2019 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2019 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2019 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2019 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: July 6, 2020