Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary Salary: $94,680 Median Pay (2026 stats)
Executive Summary
About 17,170 political science teachers, postsecondary work nationally, and $94,680 is the BLS national median annual wage. Employment in the series shown fell about 21% from the first to the last year; projections imply about 4.4% annual growth.
Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary: what the data shows
Common questions about political science teachers, postsecondary careers, answered from BLS OEWS and O*NET in this repository.
What is a political science teachers, postsecondary?
Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary is tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics under SOC 25-1065.
U.S. employment in our OEWS extract is about 17,170 workers.
What does a political science teachers, postsecondary do?
O*NET work activities rated highest for this occupation include Analyzing Data or Information, Getting Information, Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge, Training and Teaching Others, Thinking Creatively, Working with Computers, and related tasks. See Work Activities for the full list.
How much does a political science teachers, postsecondary make?
BLS national median annual wage: $94,680 (May 2024 in our extract).
Mean annual wage in our occupational extract: $133,759 — higher than the median, which often reflects top earners in the distribution.
Wage percentiles below are from the California OEWS extract (not national unless noted).
| Wage percentile | Annual wage |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $64,486 |
| 25th percentile | $83,448 |
| Median (50th) | $128,171 |
| 75th percentile | $167,800 |
| 90th percentile | $214,639 |
What skills do you need?
O*NET ratings for this occupation emphasize skills such as Speaking, Reading Comprehension, Active Learning, Instructing, Active Listening, Writing, and knowledge areas including English Language, Law and Government, Education and Training, History and Archeology. See Education & Skills for detail.
Is political science teachers, postsecondary in demand?
Historical employment trend in our series implies about 4.4% annual growth (compound rate in the extract).
Five-year projected employment change: 24.2%.
Ten-year projected employment change: 54.2%.
Current U.S. headcount: 17,170.
We report federal series only—compare wages, growth, and openings against your target market.
Where do political science teachers, postsecondarys work?
Top industries by employment share in our OEWS industry extract:
| Industry | Employment | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Educational Services | 34,340 | 26.4% |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | 30,700 | 23.6% |
| Cross-industry | 17,170 | 13.2% |
| Educational Services | 17,170 | 13.2% |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, including State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | 10,140 | 7.8% |
| State Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | 8,200 | 6.3% |
See Industry for charts.
What degrees lead to this career?
Common majors for Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary in O*NET:
See Related degrees.
What careers are related?
Other occupations linked through shared degree pathways in our mapping:
| Occupation | U.S. employment | Median wage |
|---|---|---|
| Political Scientists | 5,950 | $139,380 |
| Computer Hardware Engineers | 75,710 | $155,020 |
| Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers | 12,460 | $65,480 |
| Home Health Aides | — | — |
| Soil and Plant Scientists | 16,600 | $71,410 |
Employment
Employment and salary information for the Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary workforce.
Employment Over Time
17,170 U.S. workforce (OEWS)
California employment for Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary grew from 1,740 in 2009 to 3,480 in 2025 (100.0%).
Historical employment for Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary from the California OEWS series, 2009–2025. The U.S. workforce figure is national and is not the endpoint of this line.
Yearly Wage Ranking
$94,680 Median pay (BLS national)
Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary earn $94,680 as the BLS national median annual wage.
Wage ranking compared to other occupations.
Wage Distribution
This chart shows the distribution of average salaries by income buckets for Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary.
Salary distribution for Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary.
Employment Growth Projections
4.4% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR)
4,321 Projected Employment (5 years)
Projected growth: 24.2%
5,366 Projected Employment (10 years)
Projected growth: 54.2%
This occupation is projected to grow at 4.4% annually, indicating strong future demand.
Historical employment trends and future projections for Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary.
Industry
Information on the industries that employ Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary and on wages for those in the field.
Occupations by Industries
This graphic shows the share of Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary employed by various industries.
Industry distribution for Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary.
Wage Trends by Industry
5.3% Average Annual Wage Growth Rate
Total, All Industry: 1.7% growth (Current: $170,933)
Historical wage growth trends by industry for Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary.
Geographic Distribution
Employment and wage information by geographic location for Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary.
State employment and wages are from the U.S. BLS OEWS May 2024 state extract. Metropolitan areas use the national MSA file when available.
Top States by Employment
Top States by Employment:
- TX: 2,020 employees, $107,320 avg wage
- NY: 1,460 employees, $135,390 avg wage
- DC: 1,340 employees, $98,550 avg wage
- CA: 990 employees, $130,220 avg wage
- MA: 810 employees, $124,370 avg wage
- PA: 810 employees, $96,840 avg wage
- VA: 790 employees, $110,820 avg wage
- IN: 680 employees, $94,730 avg wage
- NJ: 570 employees, $110,930 avg wage
- FL: 520 employees, $66,220 avg wage
Top 10 states by employment for Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary.
Top Metropolitan Areas
Top Metropolitan Areas:
- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV: 1,640 employees, $104,250 avg wage
- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ: 1,180 employees, $147,540 avg wage
- Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH: 620 employees, $130,790 avg wage
- Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX: 510 employees, $99,460 avg wage
- Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD: 420 employees, $98,330 avg wage
- Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX: 340 employees, $114,810 avg wage
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA: 330 employees, $123,450 avg wage
- Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA: 320 employees, $96,170 avg wage
- Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX: 300 employees, $126,680 avg wage
- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN: 290 employees, $97,160 avg wage
Top 10 metropolitan statistical areas by employment for Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary.
Diversity
Demographic information on Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary in the US.
Gender and Age
The U.S. workforce for Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary is about 17,170 people in our OEWS extract.
Gender and age distribution for Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary.
Races
Racial and ethnic shares when present in the career dataset. If the chart area shows a notice instead, occupational race/ethnicity fields are not yet populated for this extract.
Race and ethnicity distribution for Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary.
Education & Skills
Data on higher education choices and required skills for Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary.
Majors
The most common majors achieved by Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary in 2023 were Education, Subject Area, Psychology.
Common majors for Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary.
Education Levels
The main educational levels achieved by Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary workers.
Education level distribution for Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary.
Skills
Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary need many skills, but most especially Speaking, Reading Comprehension, Active Learning, Instructing, Active Listening.
Required skills for Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary.
Knowledge & Abilities
Knowledge areas and abilities required for Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary.
Knowledge Areas
The most important knowledge areas for Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary include English Language, Law and Government, Education and Training, History and Archeology, Sociology and Anthropology.
Knowledge areas required for Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary.
Abilities
Key abilities needed for Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary include Written Comprehension, Oral Comprehension, Oral Expression, Written Expression, Speech Clarity.
Required abilities for Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary.
Work Activities
Common work activities performed by Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary.
Daily Activities
Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary spend their time on activities such as Analyzing Data or Information, Getting Information, Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge, Training and Teaching Others, Thinking Creatively.
Most important work activities for Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary.
About
Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary
Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary earn $94,680 as the BLS national median annual wage.
SOC Code
25-1065 - Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary
Insights and Analysis
High earnings profile: Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary reports an average salary of $133,759, placing it among stronger-paying occupations.
Labor market presence: The current workforce is approximately 17,170 workers, indicating sustained demand.
Forward outlook: Projected annual growth is 4.4%, which should inform long-term career planning.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS), and O*NET Online.
All wage figures represent annual averages and may vary by location, industry, and experience level.