Average Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary Salary in the United States
The national median salary for Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary is $94,680 per year. The middle 50% earn between $65,330 and $127,480, with 17,170 workers employed nationally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2024 estimates . Data covers 45 states and 70 metro areas.
Wage range
Pay distribution
Here is how Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary pay is distributed across workers nationally. The 10th percentile typically reflects entry-level or early-career pay, the median is the midpoint, and the 90th percentile represents the top earners in the field.
- 10th
- $50,490
- 25th
- $65,330
- Median
- $94,680
- 75th
- $127,480
- 90th
- $173,380
All values are percentiles of annual wages.
Pay is well above the national median for all US workers. This is an upper-income occupation.
Pay varies significantly across workers. Seniority, employer size, and specialization all move the needle, so it is normal for two political science teachers, postsecondary at different points in their careers to earn very different salaries.
BLS projections
Job outlook
BLS projects employment for political science teachers, postsecondary from 2024 to 2034. Growth is roughly in line with the US average of about 4% across all occupations.
- Projected growth
- +2.0%
- 400 net jobs over the projection period.
- Annual openings
- 1,600
- Includes growth plus replacements for workers who leave. Annual openings reflect typical replacement demand alongside any growth.
- Typical entry education
- Doctoral or professional degree
Entry into this field typically requires a doctoral or professional degree, which helps explain the high wage level and relatively narrow candidate pool.
Where Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary earn the most
Location matters a lot. The gap between top-paying and bottom-paying states is large, so where political science teachers, postsecondary work can reshape their total compensation. Right now, the top-paying state is California at $124,780, about 31.8% above the national median. At the metro level, Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA leads with a median of $158,290.
By state
Top-paying states
| State | Median salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| California | $124,780 | 990 |
| New York | $121,600 | 1,460 |
| Maine | $111,260 | 60 |
| Montana | $107,330 | 30 |
| Connecticut | $104,500 | 340 |
| Massachusetts | $103,910 | 810 |
| Vermont | $103,150 | 90 |
| Michigan | $102,730 | 380 |
By metro
Top-paying metros
| Metro area | Median salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $158,290 | 60 |
| El Paso, TX | $134,510 | 100 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $132,700 | 1,180 |
| Ann Arbor, MI | $131,880 | 140 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $131,120 | 130 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $126,510 | 40 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $124,780 | 90 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $122,650 | 620 |
Compare two locations side by side
Pick two states or metros to see political science teachers, postsecondary pay in each, along with a cost-of-living adjusted view.
Salary trend and related occupations
Between 2019 and 2024, the national median salary for Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary rose from $85,930 to $94,680, a gain of +10.2% in nominal dollars.
Over the same period, US consumer prices rose by +22.7%. Just to keep pace with inflation, the 2019 median of $85,930 would need to be worth $105,435 in 2024 dollars.
The actual 2024 median of $94,680 is −$10,755 below that inflation-adjusted benchmark, a real change of -10.2% in purchasing power.
Adjusted for inflation, pay has lost ground. Nominal growth of 10.2% has not kept up with rising prices.
- Nominal change
- +10.2%
- 2019–2024
- Cumulative inflation
- +22.7%
- US CPI, 2019–2024
- Real change
- -10.2%
- After adjusting for inflation
Annual history
Median salary over time
Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary median pay by year, going back through the available BLS releases.
- 2019
- $85,930
- 2020
- $85,760
- 2021
- $81,980
- 2022
- $83,770
- 2023
- $93,810
- 2024
- $94,680
Similar jobs
Related occupations
Other occupations in the same field, with median pay for comparison.
- Business Teachers, Postsecondary
- $97,270
- Physics Teachers, Postsecondary
- $97,360
- Architecture Teachers, Postsecondary
- $101,480
Common salary questions for Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary
What does the median salary mean? +
The median is the midpoint of all wages. Half of Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary workers earn more and half earn less. It is a better measure of typical pay than the average, which can be skewed by very high or very low earners.
Why does pay vary so much by location? +
Local labor markets, cost of living, industry concentration, and employer competition all affect wages. High-cost metros like San Francisco and New York often pay more in nominal terms, though some of that premium is offset by higher living costs.
How current is this salary data? +
This page uses the May 2024 BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics release. BLS publishes OEWS data once per year, typically in the spring for the previous May reference period.
What do the percentile ranges tell me? +
The 10th and 90th percentiles show the full pay band. The 25th to 75th percentile range, the middle 50%, is where most workers fall. A wide spread usually means experience, specialization, or location matter a lot for this occupation.