Find a Job You Really Want In
A master’s degree in political science will give you more than just an understanding of government structure and policies: It will teach you about how policies are formed, how power dynamics work, and how to influence public opinion. You’ll also graduate with strong critical thinking, research, and data analysis skills.
Key Takeaways
-
Three of the best-paying jobs for people with a master’s in political science are political scientist, political campaign manager, and development director.
-
Three of the best entry-level jobs for people with a master’s in political science are urban and regional planner, news correspondent, and economic development officer.
-
A master’s in political science can qualify you for many high-paying, fulfilling roles in both the government and private sectors.
6 Best-Paying Jobs for People With a Master’s in Political Science
-
Political Scientist
Average Annual Salary: N/A
Political scientists study political systems, policies, and issues. They research the history and development of these systems and policies and analyze governments and political trends. They also study how these policies and systems affect people, businesses, and even the government itself.
Political scientists collect data by conducting surveys and other research, analyze it, and present their findings in articles and presentations. So, if you find these types of tasks fascinating, you might thoroughly enjoy putting your political science master’s degree to work in this way.
Where political scientists work: Most political scientists work in office settings and are employed by the federal government, but many also work for companies and organizations such as labor unions or political groups that have a stake of some kind in government policy.
-
Average Annual Salary: $107,000
Development directors are responsible for raising funds for non-profit organizations and projects. They come up with strategies for raising money, manage donor relations, write grant applications, and handle the financial reporting for the money they’ve raised.
While this job isn’t necessarily in the political sector, it will require you to rely heavily on the research, communication, and data analysis skills you acquired in your political science master’s program. Plus, it allows you to choose the type of organization and mission you want to spend your career furthering.
Where development directors work: Development directors often work for universities, foundations, private and government non-profits, and corporations.
-
Federal or State Congressman
Average Annual Salary: N/A
If you’re passionate about government, consider pursuing a career as a Representative or Senator. You can work in these roles in your state government or the federal government, and you’ll get to use everything you learned in your political science master’s program to create and pass laws for your constituents.
This job requires a lot of strategy, problem-solving, and research, and it can be highly strenuous and highly rewarding.
Where federal or state congressmen work: Federal congressmen work in the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., and state congressmen work in their state capitals. Some congressmen work additional jobs on the side, especially if they’re working in state government.
-
Political Campaign Manager
Average Annual Salary: N/A
Political campaign managers need a thorough understanding of politics, government, research, fundraising, and communication. As a result, someone with a master’s in political science is perfect for this role.
Political campaign managers work with people running for all sorts of government offices, from the local city level all the way up to the federal level. They’re in charge of creating campaign strategies and raising funds on behalf of their candidates, as well as “marketing” their candidates to voters.
Where political campaign managers work: Many political campaign managers start in local government and move up to state and federal government, working for political parties or individual candidates.
-
Average Annual Salary: $77,000
If you enjoy behind-the-scenes research and analysis, you might enjoy working as an intelligence analyst. These professionals work for government organizations doing research and analyzing information to understand, mitigate, and neutralize security threats.
Whether these come from terrorists or organized crime, intelligence analysts get to use the skills they learned in their political science master’s program to protect their communities from these threats.
Where intelligence analysts work: Many intelligence analysts work for government agencies such as the FBI, CIA, or NSA, but others work for the military, science or tech companies, or economists. Even in these roles, most of the projects that intelligence analysts work on will be government-related.
-
Average Annual Salary: $87,000
Also known as diplomats, foreign service officers are tasked with representing the U.S. in other countries and managing political and economic relationships with those countries.
Foreign service officers can work in five career areas: Consular Affairs (protecting and serving U.S. citizens abroad), Economic Affairs, Management Affairs, Political Affairs, and Public Diplomacy. In all of these areas, foreign service officers need a solid background in law, government, problem-solving, and communication.
Where foreign service officers work: While most foreign service officers work in one of the U.S.’s more than 270 embassies, consulates, and diplomatic missions around the world, some work in Washington, D.C.
7 Entry-Level Jobs for People With a Master’s In Political Science
-
Average Annual Salary: $55,000
Political consultants offer their expertise to politicians, businesses, and lobbyists. They’re sometimes called campaign consultants as well, and they can do everything from helping candidates run their election campaigns to helping businesses respond to regulatory changes or current events.
Political consultants need excellent research and communication skills, as well as a good understanding of policies and the current political and social climate and trends. Because of this, a master’s degree in political science is the perfect foundation for a political consultant to have.
Where political consultants work: Political consultants often work in campaign offices, which usually brings a lot of travel and highly seasonal work. To offset this, some also work for companies or lobbyists during the seasons when elections don’t take place.
-
Average Annual Salary: $45,000
Legislative assistants help keep the senator or representative they work for up-to-date on the issues that their constituents are concerned about. These professionals are assigned a specific issue and then they conduct research, pay attention to trends, and communicate with constituents on that issue.
Being a legislative assistant is the perfect role for someone with a master’s degree in political science who wants to play an active role in government.
Where legislative assistants work: Typically, legislative assistants work in the offices of the legislator they work for, which is at the U.S. Capitol or a state capitol.
-
Economic Development Officer
Average Annual Salary: N/A
Economic development officers are responsible for overseeing the economic development of the community they’ve been assigned to. This usually includes applying for and implementing federal grants, working to help grow and retain local businesses, and overseeing land disposition.
To be a successful economic development officer, you have to have strong communication, problem-solving, and organizational skills, as well as a thorough understanding of laws, government, and the community’s needs. If you complete a master’s degree in political science, you’ll be well-prepared for this role.
Where economic development officers work: Economic development officers usually work in local and state government offices. However, similar roles often exist in chambers of commerce and non-profits focused on furthering communities’ economic development.
-
Average Annual Salary: $64,000
News stations need people who are well-versed in politics, government, and public policy to cover news stories related to these topics. As a result, many people who earn their master’s degree in political science pursue this career path.
News correspondents report on and analyze new political policies, laws, elections, or other issues as they come up, helping their audiences understand what they are and how they affect them. If you’re a good communicator and passionate about educating others, this could be an excellent job for you.
Where news correspondents work: Most news correspondents work for news outlets or magazines, both at a national and local levels.
-
Average Annual Salary: $65,000
When cities expand, they can’t just put homes and businesses willy-nilly – they need to be carefully planned so that they’re usable, enjoyable, and have the infrastructure needed to sustain them. This is where urban and regional planners come in, and people with master’s degrees in political science are often perfect for these roles.
Urban and regional planners are in charge of planning future city expansions and revitalizing older areas to accommodate future population growth. They zone land to be used for different purposes after consulting environmental studies, market research, censuses, and economic studies, as well as developers’ proposals.
Where urban and regional planners work: Urban and regional planners work for city, county, and state governments, usually in large metropolitan areas.
-
Average Annual Salary: $66,000
If you’re interested in studying public policy and how it affects people, businesses, and even governments, you might consider a career as a public policy analyst after you obtain your master’s in political science.
This job has two sides to it: Researching and reporting on the effects that current laws have on communities, companies, and individuals, and proposing new policies and laws that would solve the problems those communities, companies, and individuals are facing.
Where public policy analysts work: Public policy analysts can work in the government, helping lawmakers write and adjust laws, or they can work in the private sector, where they look at how laws and regulations could be changed to benefit a business or industry.
-
Average Annual Salary: $84,000
If you’re passionate about political science and education, teaching political science classes at a college or university is an excellent career option. Most higher education institutions require at least a master’s degree to qualify for a teaching position, so a master’s in political science is the perfect choice if you’re interested in this career path.
Political science professors teach a variety of classes to political science students, and many of them also have the opportunity to lead research projects at the universities they work for.
Where political science professors work: Political science professors typically work at colleges and universities, although some may work in high schools that want highly qualified instructors.
Why Get a Master’s in Political Science?
-
You’re interested in government and/or public policy. If you think you’re interested in a career that involves government or public policy of some kind, a master’s in political science can open a lot of doors for you along your career path.
-
You’ll hone your research, analysis, and communication skills. A master’s in political science doesn’t pigeonhole you into a career in politics because it teaches you valuable skills that you can transfer to any industry.
You’ll become adept at research, data analysis, communication, and problem-solving, which virtually every company wants its employees to have.
-
You can get a job in both the private and government sectors. No matter what type of organization you want to work for, a master’s degree in political science will open up a wide variety of jobs in a wide variety of settings.
-
Many careers require a master’s degree to get even an entry-level job. A master’s in political science will open up doors for you in fields such as urban and regional planning, political science, and academia.
While you might be able to work your way up to those jobs without a master’s degree, it will take much longer, and there’s no guarantee you’ll ever be able to accomplish that.
-
It can get you a bigger paycheck. Especially in government, many companies will pay employees more for having a master’s degree. Besides that, having a master’s degree will often allow you to move into research or leadership roles more quickly, which also tend to come with larger-than-average paychecks.
Political Science Master’s Degree FAQ
-
What can you do with a master’s degree in political science?
You can work in government or the private sector with a master’s degree in political science. Having a master’s in political science will qualify you for jobs as an urban and regional planner, political scientist, or foreign service officer, to name just a few.
In addition, the skills you learn in this program will also qualify you for non-political roles such as a development director or a political science professor.
-
What skills do you need for political science jobs?
You need communication, research, data analysis, and problem-solving skills for political science jobs. Many of the responsibilities that come with jobs in the political science sector involve a significant amount of research, so knowing how to gather, interpret, and communicate information is vital.
In addition, many political science jobs involve a significant amount of problem-solving, so having strong skills in this area is important as well.
-
Do employees with a master’s in political science get paid more?
Yes, employees with a master’s in political science get paid more. This isn’t necessarily true in every entry-level position, but employees with master’s degrees often have the opportunity to work in higher-paying roles earlier in their careers than those without master’s degrees do.
In addition, many government pay scales automatically pay employees with master’s degrees more.
Author
Abby is a writer who is passionate about the power of story. Whether it’s communicating complicated topics in a clear way or helping readers connect with another person or place from the comfort of their couch. Abby attended Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where she earned a degree in writing with concentrations in journalism and business.
