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What Can You Do With a Political Science Degree? Jobs (2026)
Key takeaway: Most political science graduates do not become political scientists. That occupation employed 6,500 people in 2024, generates about 500 openings a year, and is projected to decline 3.1 percent through 2034 (BLS Employment Projections, 2024-2034), and it generally requires a master's or a doctorate. The degree's real destinations are larger and differently named. Management analysts earn a median annual wage of $101,860; compliance officers $80,730; social and community service managers $80,390; and public relations specialists $74,750 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 OEWS). Titles matter less than the analytic and writing skills you can demonstrate.
Political science trains you to explain political outcomes with evidence: how institutions work, how decisions get made, what a law actually does, and whether a claim about any of it survives scrutiny. That is a general analytic education, not a vocational one, which is why the job search rewards graduates who can point at a specific skill – statistics, legislative process, regulatory reading, regional or language expertise – rather than at the major alone.
Jobs you can get with a political science degree
| Occupation | Median annual wage |
|---|---|
| Political scientist | $142,080 |
| Management analyst | $101,860 |
| Political science teacher, postsecondary | $98,070 |
| Compliance officer | $80,730 |
| Social and community service manager | $80,390 |
| Public relations specialist | $74,750 |
| Survey researcher | $69,460 |
| Paralegal and legal assistant | $62,890 |
View the data behind this chart
| Occupation | Avg. annual openings |
|---|---|
| Management Analysts | 98,100/yr |
| Paralegals and Legal Assistants | 39,300/yr |
| Compliance Officers | 33,300/yr |
| Public Relations Specialists | 27,600/yr |
| Social and Community Service Managers | 18,600/yr |
| Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,600/yr |
| Survey Researchers | 700/yr |
| Political Scientists | 500/yr |
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 OEWS national medians. Median means half of workers in the occupation earned more and half earned less. Wage figures describe the occupation, not political science graduates specifically, and several of these occupations hire from many majors.
Political scientist. Research on political systems, public opinion, foreign policy, and institutional behavior, mostly inside federal agencies, research organizations, and policy institutes. The national median annual wage was $142,080 – the 10th percentile was $83,350 and the 90th was $195,190 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 OEWS). Read that median alongside the size of the occupation: 6,500 jobs in 2024, a projected decline of 3.1 percent through 2034, and about 500 openings a year (BLS Employment Projections, 2024-2034). Entry generally requires a master’s or a doctorate, and many federal roles require security clearance eligibility.
Management analyst. The largest realistic destination on this list. Management analysts study how organizations and programs operate and recommend changes, in consulting firms, federal and state agencies, and large employers, often under titles like program analyst, operations analyst, or management consultant. The national median annual wage was $101,860 – the 10th percentile was $60,640 and the 90th was $171,640 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 OEWS). The occupation employed 1,075,100 people in 2024, is projected to grow 8.8 percent through 2034, and generates about 98,100 openings a year (BLS Employment Projections, 2024-2034). Methods coursework and demonstrable analytic work matter more here than the major title.
Political science teacher, postsecondary. Teaching the discipline at colleges and universities. The national median annual wage was $98,070 – the 10th percentile was $56,450 and the 90th was $174,660 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 OEWS). Employment was 21,800 in 2024, projected to grow 2.0 percent through 2034, with about 1,600 openings a year (BLS Employment Projections, 2024-2034). Tenure-track roles generally require a doctorate; a master’s typically reaches adjunct and community-college teaching.
Compliance officer. Evaluating conformity with laws, regulations, and internal policy across banking, health care, energy, government contracting, and higher education. The national median annual wage was $80,730 – the 10th percentile was $48,220 and the 90th was $133,720 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 OEWS). Employment was 418,000 in 2024, projected to grow 3.0 percent, with about 33,300 openings a year (BLS Employment Projections, 2024-2034). Public law and administrative process coursework is directly relevant, since the job is reading rules and applying them to facts.
Social and community service manager. Running programs at nonprofits, community organizations, and public agencies: planning services, managing staff and budgets, and reporting on outcomes. The national median annual wage was $80,390 – the 10th percentile was $53,150 and the 90th was $132,260 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 OEWS). Employment was 219,800 in 2024, projected to grow 6.4 percent, with about 18,600 openings a year (BLS Employment Projections, 2024-2034). If management is the goal, public administration coursework strengthens the application.
Public relations specialist. Communications for campaigns, agencies, trade associations, advocacy organizations, and companies with a government-affairs function. The national median annual wage was $74,750 – the 10th percentile was $44,110 and the 90th was $135,150 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 OEWS). Employment was 315,900 in 2024, projected to grow 4.8 percent, with about 27,600 openings a year (BLS Employment Projections, 2024-2034). Writing samples and campaign or press-office experience carry the application.
Survey researcher. Designing and analyzing surveys for polling firms, research organizations, and government. The national median annual wage was $69,460 – the 10th percentile was $39,260 and the 90th was $130,860 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 OEWS). This is a small occupation under pressure: 8,800 jobs in 2024, projected to decline 5.2 percent through 2034, with about 700 openings a year (BLS Employment Projections, 2024-2034). It is the most direct use of the methods sequence and the hardest of these to enter.
Paralegal and legal assistant. Supporting attorneys with research, drafting, discovery, and case management. The national median annual wage was $62,890 – the 10th percentile was $44,740 and the 90th was $101,500 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 OEWS). Employment was 376,200 in 2024, projected to grow 0.2 percent, with about 39,300 openings a year (BLS Employment Projections, 2024-2034). Be clear-eyed here: most employers want a paralegal certificate or an associate degree in the specialty, so a political science BA alone is not the standard credential. See legal studies for the coursework that is.
What the degree level changes
Nothing in political science is licensed, so the question is not which credential unlocks which title. It is which credential a given employer screens on.
The online bachelor’s in political science is a general analytic degree. It reaches analyst, coordinator, communications, compliance, campaign, and government administration roles, and it is a standard pre-law major even though no major is required for law school. Employers in this band hire on writing samples, internships, and demonstrable data skills.
The online master’s in political science matters in a narrower band: research roles in agencies and institutes, some federal analytic positions, community-college teaching, and doctoral admissions. It is the practical minimum for the political scientist title. It is not a general employability upgrade for the consulting and communications roles above.
Common questions
What jobs can you get with a political science degree?
Common destinations include management analyst and program analyst, legislative and agency staff roles, compliance officer, social and community service manager, public relations specialist, survey researcher, and campaign or government-affairs positions. Research roles carrying the political scientist title generally require a graduate degree.
How much do political science majors make?
Wages depend on the occupation you enter, not the major. BLS May 2025 national medians are $142,080 for political scientists, $101,860 for management analysts, $98,070 for postsecondary political science teachers, $80,730 for compliance officers, $80,390 for social and community service managers, $74,750 for public relations specialists, $69,460 for survey researchers, and $62,890 for paralegals and legal assistants (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 OEWS).
Is political science a good pre-law major?
It is a common and reasonable one, because the reading and argument load resembles legal study, especially in public law courses. It is not required. Law schools admit from every major and weigh grades, the entrance exam, and the personal statement.
Which of these careers has the most openings?
Management analysts, by a wide margin: about 98,100 openings a year against 8.8 percent projected growth (BLS Employment Projections, 2024-2034). Paralegals and legal assistants generate about 39,300 and compliance officers about 33,300. The political scientist occupation generates about 500.
Is a political science degree worth it?
It is worth it if you use it to build a specific, demonstrable skill on top of the analytic training – statistics, regulatory or legislative fluency, a language, or a sector – and if you accept that the job titles will rarely say “political science.” The is a political science degree worth it page walks through the trade-offs.
Keep exploring
- Start at the political science program hub, then compare levels: online bachelor’s and online master’s.
- Walk through how to become a political scientist, or weigh the trade-offs on is it worth it.
- Find programs near you at the state index.
- Compare related fields: public policy, public administration, international relations, economics, and legal studies.
Data verified: September 5, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.