Many think political science is just about shaping the public policy, however, it is actually more than that. Political Science major is an interesting field that is not only teaching government organization, but also public and verbal communication, presentation, critical thinking, writing, research (political research, research design) and analyzing skills. Diverse in its nature, political science major can offer you a lot of interesting jobs if you do not want to a job related solely to politics. Before we talk about the career options for people who hold a political science degree, let’s talk about what political science actually is.
What is Political Science?
Essentially, the political science major covers three important topics. The first one is to examine the theories and practices of government. It includes learning how power is gained, how local and international organizations function, how political campaigns are conducted. Secondly, political science students study the effect of policy on the social and economic status of the population. This includes exploring the consequences of governments’ actions and public opinion. Lastly, they gain insights regarding a lot of different issues such as foreign governments, international relations, and law.
The perks of studying political science are not limited. You can work both in public and private sectors thanks to the skills you gain during your education. You would be able to examine the written documents and verbal communications and turn them into solid facts. Additionally, you would read polls and surveys in order to build strategies for public organizations or private companies. Sounds good? We checked out the data supplied by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) for you. Let’s have a look at the entry-level job list for political science majors.
17 Career Options For Political Science Majors
1) Arbitrator :
It is the most lucrative entry-level job for political science degree holders. What do arbitrators do? Well, they basically work for resolving the conflicts between organizations through negotiations and dialogues. Salary: With a bachelor’s degree, you can earn up to $64,000 per year. If you expand your knowledge with a master’s degree or even p.h.d, you might earn even up to $120,000 annually. Keep in mind that it has 11% expected growth. Not so bad for a steady career!
2) Public Relations Specialist:
Nowadays from the public to private industries, to main a positive public image is crucial. Public relations specialists’ tasks include organizing press conferences and other events to enhance the organizations’ standings in the public eye. They often try to attract and manage media attention. They need to respond to public questions and maintain the public appearances. Salary: They earn $60,000 annually and they may earn up to $115,000. This career option is expected to grow by 9% and it does not require anything but a political science degree.
3) Policy Analyst:
Policy analysts manage the process of generating public policies. They simply examine the possible impact of public policy proposals. Salary: You can expect a median salary of $59,000 per year. The top ten policy analysts earn $80,000 annually.
4) Paralegal or Legislative Assitant:
You can work to assist senators, members, and representatives to manage their daily operations. Their main duties are responding to constituent inquiries, researching policy issues, tracking legislation, arranging the date used by lawyers, corresponding between legal parties, and preparing briefings. Salary: The average salary for legislative assistants is $45,500, but the top 10% may earn up to $80,260 per year. Keep in mind that usually, a bachelor’s degree in political science is enough for getting a job, nevertheless, you may need additional training regarding paralegal subjects. With 15% expected growth, being a legislative assistant seems to have a lot of opportunities for the future as well.
5)Social Media Manager:
Remember we talked about how political science major deals with the management of public opinion? Well, in today’s world public opinion is mostly shaped by social media. From political candidates to private companies, everybody needs social media managers to shape the users’ opinions on certain issues. Salary: Social media managers earn $51.000 per year and can earn up to $78,000.
6) Lawyer:
If you want to work for a governmental agency, a political science degree is a good start for becoming an attorney. Lawyers have many duties related to political science degrees such as conducting research on legal and policy issues and providing advice. Salary: For a challenging job like this one, a rewarding paycheck is inevitable. Lawyers annually earn $122,960 and they may earn up to $208,000. This career option is expected to grow by 6% by the end of 2028.
7) Political Scientist:
As indicated in the name, this career option is the most obvious one for political science degree holders. Half of the political scientists work for the federal government. Salary: The pay is great, you can earn between $115,000 and $160,000. Nevertheless, a bachelor’s degree will not be enough for being a political scientist. You need to have a master degree and with only 2% expected growth, to land a job will not be that easy.
8) Economist:
With your political science degree and a master’s degree focused on economics, you can work in federal governments, consulting services, and research firms as an economist. In short, economists analyze the distribution of money and financial data in order to predict market trends. Salary: Economists can earn between $100,000 and $180,0900.
9) Intelligence Analyst:
As an intelligence analyst you function as a secret agent working for governmental organizations. Intelligence analysts analyze popular support and identify certain groups that can be a threat to society. They investigate potential threats like terrorists and present briefings. Keep in mind that knowing foreign languages is a great asset for this kind of job. Salary: They earn between $70,000 and $100,000.
10) Management Analyst:
You can work both in the public and private sector as a management analyst. They gather data for and advise managers based on their findings. Usually, a bachelor’s degree in political science is enough, but for most of the jobs, it is required that you have 3-5 years of experience in related fields. Salary: You can earn between $80,000 and $150,000 per year. This career has an expected growth of 12%.
11) Operations Research Analyst:
Operations Research Analysts evaluate the performance through advanced mathematics. They guide the organization for a better decision regarding their operations. Apart from your political science degree, you need to have experience in mathematics in order to land such a position. Salary: You can earn between $79,000 and $130,000 per year. Additionally, it is a quite promising job with an expected growth of 27%.
12) Urban Planners:
Regional or urban planners are the ones organizations consult on the usage of the lands. They conduct field research and manage government plans. In order to be an urban planner, you need to have a master’s degree in a planning program. Salary: Urban planners earn between $70,000 and $100,000 per year and the profession’s expected growth is 13%. Not a bad choice for your future.
13) Community Service Manager:
Community service managers coordinate the social services of organizations and community programs. Even though you do not need to have a master’s degree in a certain field, you need to have at least 5 years of related experience for this kind of position. Salary: Community service managers earn between $65,000 and $110,000 per year. It is one of the fastest-growing careers with an expected growth of 16%.
14) Political Campaign Staff:
They work for political campaigns and candidates in order to create a better image in the eyes of the public. Their duties vary based on certain campaigns. Political campaign staff usually manage the candidate’s or party’s social media accounts, organize events, raise money, recruit and train. Salary: They earn between $35,000 and $40,000.
15) Historian:
Historians work with historical information in order to pass it on to future generations, if possible through providing an interesting perspective. In order to be a historian, you need to have a master’s degree focusing on history apart from your political science major. Salary: Historians earn between $55,000 and $100,000 per year, however, the expected growth is lower than the national average. It is 5%.
16) Survey Researcher:
As a survey researcher, you can work in any private or public organization that needs your data analysis skills. Survey researchers’ main duty is to conduct research in order to make proper recommendations for a wide range of situations. For some jobs a bachelor’s degree in political science would be enough, however, most of the positions are opened for people who have a master’s degree in related fields such as statistics. Salary: Survey researchers can earn between $55,000 and $100,000 per year however this job has the lowest expected growth: 1%.
17) Activities Directors:
Acritivites directors usually work as college-student leadership officers. Their main duty is to manage student elections and leadership programs through investigating irregularities, managing financial resources, and settling the conflicts. Salary: They earn up to $63,000 per year.
Now that you are fully informed about your options, set your career goals and tailor your skills accordingly!
