Career Options

Careers for Political Science Majors

  • Paralegal/Lawyer
  • Politician
  • Judge
  • Campaign Manager/Political Consultant
  • Political Analyst/Technical Writer
  • Lobbyist
  • Journalist/Media Specialist
  • Intelligence Analyst
  • Community Organizer
  • Elected or appointed officials in local, state, or federal government
  • Professional researchers and writers for elected officials

Starting Salary1

The typical starting salary for a political science major is $40,269. The typical salary after 10–19 years is $70,210.

Job Titles of People with Political Science Degrees

  • Special Agent, Tennessee Bomb and Arson Section
  • Attorney, Venable, LLP
  • Vice President, Emergency Committee for American Trade (ECAT)
  • Senior Counsel for Corporate Affairs, Recording Industry Association of America Inc.
  • Editor, Congress Reconsidered
  • Congressional Fellow, American Political Science Association
  • Project Assistant, Richardson, Patrick, Westbrook, and Brickman, LLC.
  • Special Agent, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms
  • Associate Project Director, Lunz, Maslansky Strategic Research
  • Government and Business Affairs Liaison, Congressman C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger
  • Judicial Law Clerk, Bankruptcy Appellate Panel for the Sixth Circuit
  • Field Organizer, Barack Obama's presidential campaign
  • Analyst, Florida Department of Education
  • Regional Reporter, Washington Bureau of The Associated Press
  • Lobbyist, Association for Public Television Stations
  • Chief of Staff, Representative Jerry McNerny (D-CA,11)
  • Public Information Officer, Office of the Tulare County District Attorney
  • President & CEO, The Buckeye Institute

Note: This information is current for the 2023-24 academic year; however, all stated academic information is subject to change. Please refer to the current Academic Catalog for more information.

Footnotes

  1. Salary information is provided for general reference only. APU does not guarantee the accuracy of the figures listed, and cannot predict or promise a specific salary for any graduate. For the most current salary estimates, please visit payscale.com.
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