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Higher Education
Harvard University, Georgetown University, University of Michigan
Political Scientists
Political scientists study how governments, elections, public opinion, and laws shape behavior and outcomes. Their work mixes data analysis, theory, and writing: they have to turn surveys, historical records, and policy changes into clear conclusions that others can act on. The tradeoff is a well-paid, highly educated field with very few openings, so competition is strong and the work can be shaped by politics, funding, and institutional priorities.
Also known as Political Science AnalystPolitical Science ResearcherPolitical Research AnalystPolicy ResearcherGovernment Policy Analyst
Median Salary
$139,380
Mean $137,600
U.S. Workforce
~6K
0.5K openings per year
10-Year Growth
+-3.1%
6.5K to 6.3K
Entry Education
Master's degree
+ None experience
What This Role Looks Like in Practice
Political Scientists sits in the Government category. In practical terms, this role combines day-to-day execution, cross-team coordination, and consistent decision-making under real business constraints.
U.S. employment is currently about ~6K workers, with a median annual pay of $139,380 and roughly 0.5K openings each year. Based on BLS projections, total employment is expected to decline from 6.5 K in 2024 to 6.3K in 2034.
Most hiring paths start with Doctoral degree in political science or a related field, and employers typically expect none of related experience. Many careers in this track begin around Research Assistant and can progress toward Senior Political Scientist. High-value skills usually include Academic Research Databases, JSTOR & LexisNexis, R, Stata & Excel for Statistical Analysis, and Qualtrics, SurveyMonkey & Polling Analysis, paired with soft skills such as Reading Comprehension, Active Learning, and Active Listening.
Core Responsibilities
- Guide political science students and answer questions about research and course work.
- Pull together election results, survey data, and opinion polling, then look for patterns in the numbers.
- Build and test explanations for political behavior using interviews, news coverage, court decisions, archives, and other source material.
- Write reports, academic papers, and presentations that explain findings to specialists, decision-makers, or the public.
Keep exploring: more Government careers or browse all job titles.
A Day in the Life
01 Guide political science students and answer questions about research and course work.
02 Pull together election results, survey data, and opinion polling, then look for patterns in the numbers.
03 Build and test explanations for political behavior using interviews, news coverage, court decisions, archives, and other source material.
04 Write reports, academic papers, and presentations that explain findings to specialists, decision-makers, or the public.
05 Watch political, economic, and social trends to make educated forecasts about what may happen next.
06 Review laws, public issues, and government actions, while keeping up with policy changes that could affect the research.
Industries That Hire
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Federal Government
U.S. Department of State, Congressional Research Service, U.S. Government Accountability Office
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Think Tanks & Policy Institutes
Brookings Institution, RAND, Pew Research Center
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Market Research & Polling
Gallup, Ipsos, YouGov
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Consulting & Public Affairs
McKinsey & Company, Booz Allen Hamilton, Edelman
Pros and Cons
Advantages
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The pay is strong for a research career, with mean annual pay at $137,600 and a median of $139,380.
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The work is intellectually deep: you get to study real elections, public opinion, laws, and institutions instead of abstract classroom examples.
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A typical role does not require prior work experience or on-the-job training, so once you have the degree, you can move directly into research work.
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The job can have a public impact because findings often shape policy debates, campaign strategy, or government decisions.
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The work is varied, mixing data analysis, writing, teaching, forecasting, and source-based research.
Challenges
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This is a very small occupation, with only 5,950 jobs today and a projected decline of 3.1% to 2034.
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Openings are limited, with only about 500 annual openings, so competition for each position is intense.
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The field has a high educational barrier: 88.46% of workers in the O*NET distribution have a doctoral degree, which means years of school before you can compete seriously.
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The career ladder can be narrow because many employers have only a few research posts, and advancement often depends on publishing, grants, or reputation rather than simple tenure in the role.
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Some routine parts of the job, like gathering background information, summarizing sources, or basic data work, are easier to automate or outsource, which can squeeze lower-level research tasks.
Career Progression
Research Assistant
0-2 years
$45K-$65K
Supports literature reviews, data collection, and basic analysis while learning how political research projects are built.
Policy Analyst
2-5 years
$66K-$95K
Helps turn research and survey findings into briefs, memos, and recommendations for agencies, nonprofits, or consulting teams.
Political Scientist THIS ROLE
5-10 years
$120K-$160K
Leads original research on elections, institutions, public opinion, or policy and publishes findings for academic or public audiences.
Senior Political Scientist
10+ years
$161K-$210K
Directs larger research agendas, mentors junior staff, and often represents an organization in high-stakes policy or media discussions.
Education Paths
Doctoral degree in political science or a related field
The most common entry path, used by 88.46% of workers in the O*NET distribution.
Master's degree in political science, public policy, or a related field
A smaller route into the field, held by 7.69% of workers in the O*NET distribution.
Post-doctoral training or a postdoc appointment
A niche follow-on path, listed for 3.85% of workers in the O*NET distribution.
Key Skills
Technical
Academic Research Databases, JSTOR & LexisNexis 81%
R, Stata & Excel for Statistical Analysis 78%
Qualtrics, SurveyMonkey & Polling Analysis 78%
Government Databases, Legislative Tracking & Public Records Research 75%
Tableau, Power BI & Data Visualization 69%
NVivo, Atlas.ti & Qualitative Coding 66%
Soft Skills
Reading ComprehensionActive LearningActive ListeningSpeakingCritical ThinkingWriting Job Outlook and Trends
+-3.1%
Projected growth (2024-2034)
0.5K
Annual job openings
Employment is projected to rise from 6.5K to 6.3 K over the next decade, representing -3.1% growth. Around 0.5 K openings per year include both newly created roles and replacement hiring from turnover.
Remote availability is currently Moderate. Demand remains strongest where employers need practical domain knowledge plus modern workflow and data skills.