How much does a politics professor make?
Answer: A typical politics professor in the United States makes $98,070 a year (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Line up 100 people; this is the one in the middle (median). about 17,000 people work in this job. Well above the US-wide typical pay ($50,980).
If 100 people had this job
Lowest at bottom-left, highest at top-rightHover over a person to see their yearly pay
Politics professor pay in the United States (May 2025, median and spread)
| Lower earner (10th from bottom) | Typical person (median) | Higher earner (10th from top) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|---|
| $56,450 | $98,070 | $174,660 | about 17,000 |
| State | Typical person (median) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $128,150 | about 920 |
| California | $124,890 | about 1,000 |
| New York | $104,050 | about 1,000 |
| District of Columbia | $102,310 | about 1,000 |
| Virginia | $101,430 | about 830 |
Why does pay differ?
In the US, pay can differ with experience and job rank, the kind of college, and location. University and professional-school teachers tend to earn more than community-college teachers, and full-time versus part-time work can also affect total pay.
What if you lived in a different state?
Pay varies a lot by state in the USTop 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.
What does a politics professor do?
Teach courses in political science, international affairs, and international relations. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.
What's a typical day like?
A politics professor may lead a lecture or debate on elections, democracy, or world affairs, then meet students and grade their papers. Between classes, they may read studies, analyze data, write research, or meet colleagues.
How to get this job
In the US, earn a bachelor's degree and usually a PhD in political science; doctoral students take advanced courses, pass exams, and defend original research. Many gain classroom practice as graduate teaching assistants, then apply for college jobs.
Graduate degree or long training (preparation level 5 of 5)
Good for people who like helping and teaching and figuring things out.
Did you know?
A political science professor studied nearly 16 million traffic stops in North Carolina to look for patterns in searches and arrests.
Similar jobs
Jobs using similar skills (O*NET)Earn more in the same field
Educational Instruction and Library jobs that pay a bit moreSources and data
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine
Pages used for the text
- www.bls.gov/ooh/education-training-and-library/postsecondary-teachers.htm
- www.onetonline.org/link/summary/25-1065.00
- apsanet.org/careers/careers-for-political-scientists/after-completing-a-bachelor
- www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2015/article/print/wage-differences.htm
- www.sog.unc.edu/blogs/nc-criminal-law/political-science-professor-civil-rights-l
Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY