The median annual wage of political scientists was $107,420 in May 2010. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $48,720, and the top 10 percent earned more than $155,490.
Median annual wages in the industries employing the largest numbers of political scientists in May 2010 were:
| Federal government, excluding postal service | $119,130 |
| Scientific research and development services | 95,640 |
| Colleges, universities, and professional schools | 47,810 |
Political scientists work in offices. They generally work full time, although some may work overtime to finish reports and meet deadlines.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2012-13 Edition