Political Scientists

19-3094.00 Zone 5 — Extensive Preparation Needed

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.

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, ...

Annual Salary

$139,380

Median annual wage (May 2024)

$103,030 25th – 75th percentile $172,050
10th percentile $74,750
90th percentile $191,880
U.S. Employment: 5,950

Job Outlook

-3.1%

Projected growth, 2024–2034 (Declining)

Annual Job Openings 500 per year (avg. 2024–2034)
Typical education: Master's degree

What You'd Do

  • 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.
  • Forecast political, economic, and social trends.
  • Advise political science students.
  • Serve on committees.

Top Skills

Reading Comprehension 4.3
Active Listening 4.1
Speaking 4.1
Active Learning 4.1
Writing 4.0
Critical Thinking 4.0
Social Perceptiveness 3.8
Judgment and Decision Making 3.6

Importance scale: 1 (low) – 5 (high)

Knowledge Areas

Law and Government 4.7
English Language 4.4
Education and Training 4.3
History and Archeology 3.4
Mathematics 3.4
Communications and Media 3.3
Sociology and Anthropology 3.2
Geography 3.1

Importance scale: 1 (low) – 5 (high)

Education Level Distribution

Percentage of workers in this occupation by education level

Doctoral
88.5%
Master's
7.7%
Post-Doctoral
3.9%

Technology & Tools

Software and tools commonly used in this role

In-Demand Technologies

Adobe Acrobat IBM SPSS Statistics Microsoft Access Microsoft Active Server Pages ASP Microsoft Excel Microsoft Office software Microsoft Outlook Microsoft PowerPoint Microsoft SharePoint Microsoft Visio Microsoft Word Python R SAP software SAS Tableau

Other Tools

Bare Bones Software BBEdit CQ Press Political Reference Suite Data visualization software DataMystic TextPipe Pro EBSCO Publishing Academic Search Premier EBSCO Publishing Political Science Complete Email software Europa World Plus FedStats Gale Expanded Academic ASAP PLUS IDM Computer Solutions UltraEdit Interuniversity Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR) database JSTOR database JudgeIt II

Work Styles

Personality traits and work styles important for this career

3.0
Intellectual Curiosity
2.3
Integrity
2.2
Attention to Detail
2.1
Achievement Orientation
2.0
Tolerance for Ambiguity
1.9
Dependability
1.9
Innovation

Key Abilities

Cognitive, physical, and sensory abilities important for this role

Written Comprehension 4.6
Oral Comprehension 4.1
Oral Expression 4.1
Written Expression 4.0
Speech Clarity 4.0
Inductive Reasoning 4.0
Speech Recognition 3.9
Deductive Reasoning 3.8

Importance scale: 1 (low) – 5 (high)

Work Activities

General types of job behaviors occurring on this job

Analyzing Data or Information 4.8
Getting Information 4.8
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge 4.7
Processing Information 4.6
Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others 4.5
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events 4.5
Training and Teaching Others 4.5
Thinking Creatively 4.2

Importance scale: 1 (low) – 5 (high)

Work Environment

Physical and social factors that influence the nature of work

E-Mail
5.0
Freedom to Make Decisions
4.9
Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals
4.8
Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
4.7
Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
4.5
Level of Competition
4.3
Public Speaking
4.2
Spend Time Sitting
4.0
Contact With Others
3.9
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
3.8
Telephone Conversations
3.7
Written Letters and Memos
3.6

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Salary data: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024. Outlook data: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034.

This page includes information from the O*NET 30.2 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license.