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Assistant professor of political science salary

Quoted expert
David McMahan Ph.D.

Average assistant professor of political science salary

$78,076

$37.54 hourly rate

Entry-level assistant professor of political science salary
$44,000 yearly salary
Updated December 15, 2025

Average Salary Overview

The average salary for an Assistant Professor of Political Science in the United States is around $78,076 per year. This figure is influenced by various factors such as geographic location, years of experience, and the type of institution. For example, professors at research universities typically earn higher salaries compared to those in community colleges.

State Variances

Salaries can vary significantly by state. States like California and New York often offer higher salaries due to living costs and demand for political science educators. In contrast, states with lower demand may offer less competitive compensation.

Career Opportunities

Positions in urban areas tend to pay more than those in rural settings. Additionally, administrative roles or positions with tenure-track options typically come with higher compensation. As you explore job opportunities, consider not only the salary but also benefits, research opportunities, and department resources to find the best fit for your career.

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Where can an Assistant Professor Of Political Science earn more?

Compare salary by location
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129k
109k
89k
69k
49k
29k
Columbus, OH$115,331
Columbus, GA$59,007
Compare salary by company
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153k
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93k
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The Citadel$135,446
Boston University$83,410

Average assistant professor of political science salary by state

The highest-paying states for assistant professors of political science are Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Connecticut. The lowest average assistant professor of political science salary states are Florida, Oklahoma, and Georgia.

  • State view
  • County view
Average salary:

Highest paying states for assistant professors of political science

RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
1Rhode Island$115,016$55.30
2Vermont$97,755$47.00
3Utah$98,278$47.25
4New York$100,461$48.30
5District of Columbia$106,602$51.25
6Mississippi$89,641$43.10
7Alaska$93,825$45.11
8New Hampshire$100,182$48.16
9Nebraska$90,957$43.73
10North Dakota$93,185$44.80
11Massachusetts$101,249$48.68
12Nevada$92,529$44.49
13Connecticut$101,061$48.59
14Maine$88,979$42.78
15Delaware$97,085$46.68
16West Virginia$79,031$38.00
17California$100,005$48.08
18Michigan$81,045$38.96
19Maryland$93,623$45.01
20Iowa$78,508$37.74
21Idaho$79,813$38.37
22Montana$74,493$35.81
23Pennsylvania$77,442$37.23
24Washington$85,673$41.19
25South Dakota$71,110$34.19
26Kansas$77,666$37.34
27Oregon$75,004$36.06
28New Jersey$80,531$38.72
29Kentucky$71,517$34.38
30Wisconsin$76,717$36.88
31Illinois$81,040$38.96
32Colorado$71,322$34.29
33Ohio$78,687$37.83
34Louisiana$70,660$33.97
35Virginia$73,309$35.24
36Indiana$75,272$36.19
37Wyoming$67,544$32.47
38South Carolina$70,699$33.99
39Tennessee$70,640$33.96
40North Carolina$71,438$34.35
41Alabama$62,241$29.92
42Hawaii$66,368$31.91
43Missouri$69,852$33.58
44Arizona$68,379$32.87
45Minnesota$67,610$32.50
46Texas$57,889$27.83
47New Mexico$59,329$28.52
48Oklahoma$59,990$28.84
49Arkansas$55,747$26.80
50Florida$60,333$29.01
51Georgia$59,392$28.55
Top assistant professor of political science jobs near you

Highest paying cities for assistant professors of political science

The highest-paying cities for assistant professors of political science are Providence, RI, Washington, DC, and Oakland, CA.

RankCityAvg. salaryHourly rate
1Providence, RI$115,331$55.45
2Washington, DC$106,647$51.27
3Oakland, CA$106,471$51.19
4Bridgewater, MA$101,790$48.94
5Poughkeepsie, NY$101,181$48.64
6Annapolis, MD$93,823$45.11
7Lincoln, NE$90,876$43.69
8Seattle, WA$86,583$41.63
9Chicago, IL$81,500$39.18
10Moscow, ID$80,512$38.71
11New Brunswick, NJ$80,377$38.64
12Grand Rapids, MI$78,615$37.80
13Williamsport, PA$77,451$37.24
14Greenville, NC$74,991$36.05
15Portland, OR$74,852$35.99
16Colorado Springs, CO$71,214$34.24
17Murfreesboro, TN$70,592$33.94
18Saint Louis, MO$69,957$33.63
19Saint Paul, MN$67,650$32.52
20Columbus, GA$59,007$28.37

Assistant professor of political science salary details

An assistant professor of political science's salary ranges from $44,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $136,000 at the 90th percentile.

Average assistant professor of political science salary graph
Average assistant professor of political science salary graph, trends, and summary

What is an assistant professor of political science's salary?

PercentileAnnual salaryMonthly salaryHourly rate
90th Percentile$136,000$11,333$65
75th Percentile$104,000$8,667$50
Average$78,076$6,506$38
25th Percentile$58,000$4,833$28
10th Percentile$44,000$3,667$21

Highest paying assistant professor of political science jobs

The highest paying types of assistant professors of political science are government professor, professor, and international relations professor.

Job titleAnnual salaryMonthly salaryHourly rateJob openings
Professor$157,570$13,131$75.7521,861
Political Science Instructor$56,669$4,722$27.2439,344

How would you rate the starting salaries for Assistant professors of political science, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?

David McMahan Ph.D.

Charles A. Dana Professor of Religious Studies, Franklin and Marshall College

Graduates in Religious Studies don't necessarily go into careers in religion. The standard career path for those involved is going to graduate school, spending several years getting a Ph.D., and facing a tough job market. Starting salaries can vary widely depending on the college or university.

Top companies hiring assistant professors of political science now:

  1. University of Notre Dame jobs (4)
  2. Seattle University jobs (4)
  3. Oakland University jobs (10)
  4. University of North Carolina jobs (4)
  5. State University of New York College at Cortland jobs (6)

Which companies pay assistant professors of political science the most?

Assistant professor of political science salaries at The Citadel and Columbia University in the City of New York are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average assistant professor of political science salary at companies like Stanford University and The George Washington University are highly competitive.

RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rate
1The Citadel$135,446$65.12
2Columbia University in the City of New York$124,100$59.66
3Stanford University$115,836$55.69
4The George Washington University$107,751$51.80
5Saint Louis University$105,520$50.73
6Reed College$100,214$48.18
7Santa Clara University$97,634$46.94
8United States Naval Academy$91,041$43.77
9University of Delaware$90,665$43.59
10California Polytechnic State University$90,573$43.54
11Creighton University$88,808$42.70
12University of La Verne$88,765$42.68
13Univ Of Colorado-Colorado Spgs$88,430$42.51
14Brown University$87,766$42.20
15Fordham University$85,794$41.25
16Chapman University$85,407$41.06
17Rutgers University$85,306$41.01
18California State University$84,974$40.85
19Pitzer College$83,911$40.34
20Boston University$83,410$40.10

Wage gap by gender, race and education

$72,000$71,000$70,000$69,000$68,000$67,000
MaleFemale

Assistant professor of political science salary trends

The average assistant professor of political science salary has risen by $13,010 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average assistant professor of political science earned $65,066 annually, but today, they earn $78,076 a year. That works out to a 8% change in pay for assistant professors of political science over the last decade.

Compare assistant professor of political science salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.

Average assistant professor of political science salary over time

Compare assistant professor of political science salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.

Assistant professor of political science salary by year

YearAvg. salaryHourly rate% Change
2025$78,100$37.54-0.2%
2024$78,200$37.61+3.0%
2023$75,900$36.49+2.3%
2022$74,100$35.64+2.7%
2021$72,100$34.67+3.6%

Recently added assistant professor of political science salaries

CompanyJobLocationDate addedSalary
Utah State UniversityVisiting Assistant Professor of Political ScienceLogan, UT06/30/2025$55,000
Loyola Marymount UniversityAssistant Professor In Political Science and International RelationsLos Angeles, CA06/28/2025$87,000
Utah State UniversityVisiting Assistant Professor of Political ScienceLogan, UT04/29/2025$55,000
UMS GroupAssistant Professor of History and Political SciencePresque Isle, ME04/28/2025$62,222
Skidmore CollegeVisiting Assistant Professor, Political ScienceSaratoga Springs, NY04/23/2025$67,636
St. Mary's College of MarylandVisiting Assistant Professor of Political ScienceMaryland04/19/2025$65,000
UMS GroupAssistant Professor of History and Political SciencePresque Isle, ME03/29/2025$62,222
FhsuAssistant Professor, Department of Communication Studies, LAW, and Political Science (Public RelatioHays, KS03/28/2025$51,034
Jobs@DuVisiting Teaching Assistant Professor, Political Science (Political Theory)Denver, CO03/16/2025$25,000
University of DenverVisiting Teaching Assistant Professor, Political Science (Political Theory)Denver, CO03/14/2025$25,000

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