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 pay
- $142,080
- Doing it now
- 6,100
- By 2035
- Down 2%
- Usually needs
- Master's degree
a year
across the country
400 openings a year
to get in
What the work involves
- Teach political science.
- Disseminate research results through academic publications, written reports, or public presentations.
- Identify issues for research and analysis.
- Develop and test theories, using information from interviews, newspapers, periodicals, case law, historical papers, polls, or statistical sources.
- Maintain current knowledge of government policy decisions.
- Collect, analyze, and interpret data, such as election results and public opinion surveys, reporting on findings, recommendations, and conclusions.
- Interpret and analyze policies, public issues, legislation, or the operations of governments, businesses, and organizations.
What to study
The fields of study the Department of Education links to this occupation, most widely taught first.
- Political Science and GovernmentSee 1,130 colleges that teach it
- History and Political ScienceSee 13 colleges that teach it
- International Relations and National Security StudiesSee 390 colleges that teach it
- International/Globalization StudiesSee 362 colleges that teach it
Who it suits
O*NET scores every occupation on six interest dimensions. This one leans hardest on these three.
Analytical and curious
Creative and expressive
Leading and persuading
Careers like this one
Where this comes from: the description and the task list are O*NET, which the Department of Labor maintains. Pay, workforce size, outlook and the education normally needed are the Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections programme, 2025 wages and 2025 to 2035 projections. Half of them earn more than $142,080 a year, which means half earn less, and what you would earn depends on where you work and how long you have been doing it. The fields of study come from the National Center for Education Statistics crosswalk.