Political Scientists

Employment for political scientists is expected to increase as fast as the average for all occupations through 2028, according to the Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH). Government agencies, political organizations, labor unions, and lobbying firms will need political scientists to assess the impact of policies and manage complex legal and regulatory issues. However, competition for jobs will be strong because the field is small. Growing interest in politics, foreign affairs, public policy, health care, and other governmental issues will cause greater demand for political science research.

The OOH predicts that "candidates with advanced degrees, strong writing and analytical skills, and experience researching or performing policy analysis should have the best job prospects."

Employment for college political science teachers is expected to grow faster than the average through 2028, but, again, competition will be strong for jobs—especially for tenured positions, graduate assistantships, and new faculty positions. More employment opportunities are expected for part-time and non-tenure-track positions. There's not a great deal of mobility within the field; professors who achieve tenure generally stay in their positions until retirement.

The pay inequity between male and female professors is of some concern. In the workplace in general, women are paid less than men, but this inequity is even greater in the field of academics. The American Association of University Professors is fighting to correct this, and female professors are becoming more cautious when choosing tenure-track positions.