Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary: Career Overview
Teach courses in political science, international affairs, and international relations. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.
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What Do Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary Perform?
The core tasks performed by political science teachers, postsecondary cover:
- Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as classical political thought, international relations, and democracy and citizenship.
- Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.
- Evaluate and grade students' class work, assignments, and papers.
- Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
- Plan, evaluate, and revise curricula, course content, course materials, and methods of instruction.
- Conduct research in a particular field of knowledge and publish findings in professional journals, books, or electronic media.
- Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.
- Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
Skills and Knowledge
Top political science teachers, postsecondary draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Top Skills
The competencies most important for this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Types of Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary Jobs
Common job titles for this role include:
- Adjunct Instructor
- Adjunct Political Science Instructor
- Adjunct Political Science Professor
- Adjunct Professor
- Assistant Professor
- Associate Professor
- College Faculty Member
- College Professor
How Many Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary Are There?
There are roughly 1,468,323 political science teachers, postsecondary working in the United States today. This occupation is expected to grow by +11.6% over the projection horizon.
Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary Pay
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $66,472 |
| Hourly median | $31.96 |
| 10th percentile | $39,855 |
| 25th percentile | $53,164 |
| 75th percentile | $79,781 |
| 90th percentile | $93,090 |
Wages vary widely based on experience, location, and industry.
Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary Salary by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| California | $124,780 |
| New York | $121,600 |
| Maine | $111,260 |
| Montana | $107,330 |
| Connecticut | $104,500 |
| Massachusetts | $103,910 |
| Vermont | $103,150 |
| Michigan | $102,730 |
| District of Columbia | $100,070 |
| Maryland | $99,950 |
| Rhode Island | $99,700 |
| Texas | $98,790 |
| Arizona | $98,760 |
| New Jersey | $98,280 |
| Minnesota | $98,030 |
| Virginia | $97,970 |
| Illinois | $96,350 |
| Pennsylvania | $93,010 |
| Louisiana | $85,740 |
| Missouri | $83,960 |
| Tennessee | $83,770 |
| Nevada | $83,130 |
| Washington | $82,990 |
| Nebraska | $82,190 |
| Wisconsin | $81,770 |
| Wyoming | $81,570 |
| Indiana | $81,440 |
| South Carolina | $81,410 |
| North Carolina | $80,770 |
| West Virginia | $80,270 |
| Kentucky | $79,960 |
| Oregon | $79,710 |
| Iowa | $79,610 |
| Alabama | $79,340 |
| Georgia | $79,300 |
| Kansas | $78,410 |
| New Mexico | $77,380 |
| Ohio | $76,610 |
| Utah | $70,820 |
| Mississippi | $69,380 |
| South Dakota | $64,980 |
| Oklahoma | $63,350 |
| Arkansas | $62,710 |
| Florida | $58,690 |
Top-Paying U.S. Regions
Compensation for political science teachers, postsecondary differ across the country. Top regions by median wage:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $105,815 | 10.7% | 0.75 |
| Middle Atlantic | $105,512 | 27.5% | 5.92 |
| Southwest | $97,301 | 14.2% | 1.20 |
| New England | $96,210 | 8.5% | 1.91 |
| Great Lakes | $87,422 | 12.9% | 1.08 |
| Plains States | $85,336 | 5.0% | 0.76 |
| Southeast | $80,300 | 20.1% | 0.98 |
| Rocky Mountains | $79,792 | 1.0% | 0.67 |
Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | CA | $158,290 | 60 |
| El Paso, TX | TX | $134,510 | 100 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | NY | $132,700 | 1,180 |
| Ann Arbor, MI | MI | $131,880 | 140 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $131,120 | 130 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | CA | $126,510 | 40 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $124,780 | 90 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | MA | $122,650 | 620 |
Top Industries Employing Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary
Most political science teachers, postsecondary are concentrated in the following sectors:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Educational Services | 17,170 | n/a |
Below are examples of industries where political science teachers, postsecondary work:
Tech Stack
- Development environment software: C (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Google Docs (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Object or component oriented development software: R (hot technology)
- Computer based training software: Learning management system LMS (in demand)
The Day-to-Day Environment
The work environment for political science teachers, postsecondary tends to involve the following characteristics:
- Freedom to Make Decisions
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
Education and Training
The role falls in Extensive Preparation Needed (Job Zone 5), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.
Similar Occupations
Similar Occupations
- Sociologists (Supplemental)
- Political Scientists (Primary-Short)
- Business Teachers, Postsecondary (Supplemental)
- Anthropology and Archeology Teachers, Postsecondary (Supplemental)
- Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary (Primary-Long)
- Economics Teachers, Postsecondary (Primary-Short)
- Geography Teachers, Postsecondary (Supplemental)
- Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary (Supplemental)
Degree Programs
Students preparing for political science teachers, postsecondary typically earn programs in:
Social Sciences
7 programs across 2 majors
Public Administration and Social Service Professions
3 programs across 1 majors
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
2 programs across 2 majors
About the Data
Data on this page comes from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 25-1065.00 (Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary).
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