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Political Scientists in Washington

Thinking about a career as a Political Scientists in Washington? Below are the key facts. 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).

What do Political Scientists Make in Washington?

For a political scientists working in Washington, the typical annual salary is $140,970 per year (or roughly $67.78/hour).Pay can range from $75,350 at the 10th percentile to $179,700 at the 90th percentile.

Wage Statistic	Annual	Hourly
10th percentile	$75,350	$36.23
25th percentile	$89,060	$42.82
Median (50th)	$140,970	$67.78
75th percentile	$163,020	$78.38
90th percentile	$179,700	$86.40

The location quotient — a measure of how concentrated this occupation is in Washington relative to the national average — is 1.04.

National Wage Comparison

Nationally, political scientists earn a median of $71,521 per year ($34.39/hour), higher than the Washington median.

Employment Outlook

National employment for 192,429 political scientists across the United States. In Washington alone, about 140 people work in this role. That’s higher than the typical state, which employs around 120 political scientists.

Top Washington Metros for Political Scientists

The largest metro-area employers of political scientists in Washington.

Metro Area	Number Employed	Annual Median Salary
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA	100	$140,970

Top States for Political Scientists Employment

These states have the highest employment of political scientists work.

State	Number Employed
District of Columbia	3,250
Virginia	660
New York	210
Florida	210
Texas	170
Washington	140
Maryland	130
Michigan	120
Illinois	110
Pennsylvania	90
New Jersey	70
California	50
Ohio	50
Arizona	40
Georgia	30

Highest-Paying States for Political Scientists

These states pay the most for political scientists.

State	Annual Median Salary
Virginia	$163,950
District of Columbia	$153,320
Maryland	$148,680
Washington	$140,970
Pennsylvania	$132,640
California	$130,630
Massachusetts	$130,580
Michigan	$125,750
Texas	$111,720
Arizona	$104,100

Skills

Key political scientists skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Knowledge Areas

Core knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Abilities

The abilities that matter most for political scientists, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Daily Tasks

Day-to-day, political scientists typically:

• Teach political science.
• Maintain current knowledge of government policy decisions.
• Develop and test theories, using information from interviews, newspapers, periodicals, case law, historical papers, polls, or statistical sources.
• Disseminate research results through academic publications, written reports, or public presentations.
• Advise political science students.
• 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.
• Identify issues for research and analysis.
• Serve on committees.
• Forecast political, economic, and social trends.
• Consult with and advise government officials, civic bodies, research agencies, the media, political parties, and others concerned with political issues.
• Evaluate programs and policies, and make related recommendations to institutions and organizations.

Work Activities

• Analyzing Data or Information
• Getting Information
• Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
• Processing Information
• Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others
• Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
• Training and Teaching Others
• Thinking Creatively
• Working with Computers
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
• Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems

Tools & Technology

Software and systems commonly involved: Hot technologies: Adobe Acrobat, IBM SPSS Statistics In-demand technologies: Microsoft Excel

What Major Will Prepare You For This Career?

Several college majors map to this occupation:

• Political Science & Government
• International Relations & Security
• International Studies
• Philosophy, Politics, and Economics
• History and Political Science
• Public Policy

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Related Careers

Careers similar to political scientists include:

• Equal Opportunity Representatives and Officers
• Labor Relations Specialists
• Management Analysts
• Climate Change Policy Analysts
• Economists
• Environmental Economists

Also Known As

Citizen Participation Specialist, Government Affairs Researcher, Government Affairs Specialist, Health Policy Analyst, Legislative Affairs Specialist, Legislative Analyst, Legislative Liaison, Legislative Policy Analyst, Local Governance Specialist, Medical Policy Analyst, Policy Advisor, Policy Analyst, Policy Associate, Policy Officer, Policy Specialist.

References

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — https://www.bls.gov/oes/
• O*NET Online — https://www.onetonline.org/
• BLS Employment Projections — https://www.bls.gov/emp/
• O*NET-SOC code: 19-3094.00