25 Series · SOC 25-1065
Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $98,070
- Median / year
- $174,660
- Top 10% earn
- +2%
- Growth '23–'33
- 16,970
- US workers
Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary earn a median of $98,070 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $98,070, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $56,450 (10th percentile) to $174,660 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 16,970 US workers. Massachusetts pays the most ($128,150), since pay varies by state and metro area.
The pay verdict
Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary earn a median of $98,070, putting them among the better-paid US occupations and higher than 82% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Educational Instruction and Library, it ranks #11 of 64 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 2% by 2033.
- $98,070
- Median annual wage
- Top 18%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #11 of 64
- in Educational Instruction and Library
- 3.1×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: Massachusetts at $128,150. Typical entry-level education: Doctoral or professional degree.
Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary (SOC 25-1065) pays a national median of $98,070 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $56,450 at the 10th percentile to $174,660 at the 90th, with a mean of $108,100 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 16,970 Americans work in this occupation across 45 reporting states and 70 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +2% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as slower than average relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 1,600 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is Doctoral or professional degree. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of A for this role, with a fatality rate of 0.3 per 100,000 and injury rate of 0.8 per 100.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Massachusetts pays the highest state median at $128,150, which is +31% above the national figure. The top metro is Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA at $150,940 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.
Median Salary
$98,070
per year
Median Hourly
N/A
per hour
Mean Salary
$108,100
average
Employment
16,970
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$98,070 Top 18% higher than 82% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 25-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Among 25 25-series occupations with growth data, Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary sits on the slower-growing side at +2% growth and $98,070 median pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
+2%
Slower than average
Annual Openings
1,600
per year (projected)
Typical Education
Doctoral or professional degree
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Very Safe
Safety Grade (BLS 2023)
Fatality Rate
0.3/100K
Injury Rate
0.8/100
Danger Index
3.4/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ 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.
- ▸ Supervise undergraduate or graduate teaching, internship, and research work.
- ▸ Maintain student attendance records, grades, and other required records.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
10th Percentile
$56,450
25th Percentile
$73,260
Median
$98,070
75th Percentile
$129,130
90th Percentile
$174,660
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
View all 45 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | $128,150 | +31% above national |
| 2 | California | $124,890 | +27% above national |
| 3 | New Hampshire | $124,110 | +27% above national |
| 4 | Montana | $109,050 | +11% above national |
| 5 | Vermont | $107,490 | +10% above national |
| 6 | Michigan | $107,060 | +9% above national |
| 7 | Maryland | $105,630 | +8% above national |
| 8 | New York | $104,050 | +6% above national |
| 9 | District of Columbia | $102,310 | +4% above national |
| 10 | Virginia | $101,430 | +3% above national |
| 11 | Rhode Island | $101,320 | +3% above national |
| 12 | Washington | $101,140 | +3% above national |
| 13 | Illinois | $100,700 | +3% above national |
| 14 | New Jersey | $100,260 | +2% above national |
| 15 | Connecticut | $100,230 | +2% above national |
| 16 | Arizona | $99,910 | +2% above national |
| 17 | Pennsylvania | $97,230 | 1% below national |
| 18 | Minnesota | $97,170 | 1% below national |
| 19 | Maine | $96,760 | 1% below national |
| 20 | Missouri | $94,500 | 4% below national |
| 21 | Nevada | $93,300 | 5% below national |
| 22 | Louisiana | $88,090 | 10% below national |
| 23 | Texas | $86,950 | 11% below national |
| 24 | Nebraska | $86,380 | 12% below national |
| 25 | Wyoming | $84,750 | 14% below national |
| 26 | Indiana | $83,770 | 15% below national |
| 27 | Oregon | $83,580 | 15% below national |
| 28 | Wisconsin | $83,190 | 15% below national |
| 29 | Tennessee | $81,330 | 17% below national |
| 30 | New Mexico | $80,640 | 18% below national |
| 31 | Utah | $80,610 | 18% below national |
| 32 | Iowa | $80,160 | 18% below national |
| 33 | Ohio | $80,090 | 18% below national |
| 34 | Georgia | $79,870 | 19% below national |
| 35 | Kansas | $78,800 | 20% below national |
| 36 | North Carolina | $78,760 | 20% below national |
| 37 | Kentucky | $78,670 | 20% below national |
| 38 | South Carolina | $78,650 | 20% below national |
| 39 | Alabama | $77,860 | 21% below national |
| 40 | Florida | $77,860 | 21% below national |
| 41 | West Virginia | $77,420 | 21% below national |
| 42 | South Dakota | $72,580 | 26% below national |
| 43 | Oklahoma | $63,400 | 35% below national |
| 44 | Mississippi | $59,270 | 40% below national |
| 45 | Arkansas | $58,350 | 41% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 70 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $150,940 | +54% above national |
| 2 | Ann Arbor, MI | $137,430 | +40% above national |
| 3 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $131,690 | +34% above national |
| 4 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $131,440 | +34% above national |
| 5 | Fresno, CA | $128,820 | +31% above national |
| 6 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $128,050 | +31% above national |
| 7 | College Station-Bryan, TX | $126,240 | +29% above national |
| 8 | Lexington-Fayette, KY | $121,300 | +24% above national |
| 9 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $119,590 | +22% above national |
| 10 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $118,950 | +21% above national |
| 11 | McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | $111,030 | +13% above national |
| 12 | Burlington-South Burlington, VT | $107,490 | +10% above national |
| 13 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $107,170 | +9% above national |
| 14 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $107,070 | +9% above national |
| 15 | Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | $107,060 | +9% above national |
| 16 | Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | $105,200 | +7% above national |
| 17 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $105,090 | +7% above national |
| 18 | Amherst Town-Northampton, MA | $104,970 | +7% above national |
| 19 | Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $104,700 | +7% above national |
| 20 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $104,120 | +6% above national |
| 21 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $104,090 | +6% above national |
| 22 | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $104,050 | +6% above national |
| 23 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $103,370 | +5% above national |
| 24 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $102,960 | +5% above national |
| 25 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $102,430 | +4% above national |
| 26 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $102,310 | +4% above national |
| 27 | Worcester, MA | $101,990 | +4% above national |
| 28 | Lincoln, NE | $101,770 | +4% above national |
| 29 | Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $101,470 | +3% above national |
| 30 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $101,320 | +3% above national |
| 31 | Columbia, SC | $101,220 | +3% above national |
| 32 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $101,090 | +3% above national |
| 33 | Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $101,070 | +3% above national |
| 34 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $100,900 | +3% above national |
| 35 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $100,700 | +3% above national |
| 36 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $100,630 | +3% above national |
| 37 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $99,380 | +1% above national |
| 38 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $98,260 | same as national |
| 39 | Harrisonburg, VA | $97,370 | 1% below national |
| 40 | Ithaca, NY | $97,240 | 1% below national |
| 41 | Rochester, NY | $96,960 | 1% below national |
| 42 | Syracuse, NY | $95,260 | 3% below national |
| 43 | Pittsburgh, PA | $95,210 | 3% below national |
| 44 | Richmond, VA | $92,410 | 6% below national |
| 45 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $91,670 | 7% below national |
| 46 | Lubbock, TX | $90,660 | 8% below national |
| 47 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $86,930 | 11% below national |
| 48 | Central Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $84,830 | 14% below national |
| 49 | Western North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $84,170 | 14% below national |
| 50 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $83,760 | 15% below national |
| 51 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $83,300 | 15% below national |
| 52 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $82,850 | 16% below national |
| 53 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $82,480 | 16% below national |
| 54 | New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $81,070 | 17% below national |
| 55 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $80,360 | 18% below national |
| 56 | Columbus, OH | $80,090 | 18% below national |
| 57 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $79,660 | 19% below national |
| 58 | Auburn-Opelika, AL | $79,090 | 19% below national |
| 59 | Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $78,010 | 20% below national |
| 60 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $77,870 | 21% below national |
| 61 | Greensboro-High Point, NC | $77,530 | 21% below national |
| 62 | Cleveland, OH | $77,350 | 21% below national |
| 63 | El Paso, TX | $76,810 | 22% below national |
| 64 | Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | $76,560 | 22% below national |
| 65 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $71,260 | 27% below national |
| 66 | North Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $70,510 | 28% below national |
| 67 | South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | $65,660 | 33% below national |
| 68 | Hill Country Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $63,840 | 35% below national |
| 69 | Oklahoma City, OK | $63,590 | 35% below national |
| 70 | Upper East Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | $59,270 | 40% below national |
Similar Occupations in the Same Category
Other roles in SOC major group 25 (education) with comparable pay and career paths.
Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors
SOC 25-3011
Agricultural Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary
SOC 25-1041
Anthropology and Archeology Teachers, Postsecondary
SOC 25-1061
Architecture Teachers, Postsecondary
SOC 25-1031
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SOC 25-4011
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary make? ▼
What state pays Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary the most? ▼
What education do you need to become a Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary? ▼
How dangerous is being a Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary? ▼
Is Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary a good career? ▼
How does Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary pay vary by state? ▼
Which metro areas pay the most for Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary? ▼
What to do with this data
How to use Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $129,130/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: Massachusetts leads at $128,150/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.