DOL Filings vs BLS Survey
What Employers File with DOL
This figure comes from 558 employer filings with the US Department of Labor under legal obligation. Employers file this salary when sponsoring workers for PERM green cards or H-1B visas.
What BLS Says the Market Pays
This figure comes from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey of 5,950 establishments. This is an independent survey-based estimate of what all workers in this occupation earn.
Salary Distribution
Top Paying Employers for Political Scientists
Ranked by median salary from DOL filingsSalary by Metro Area
| Metro Area | Median | vs National | Filings | Employers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York, NY | $96,000 | +15.6% | 48 | 33 |
| Washington, DC, DC | $90,000 | +8.4% | 11 | 5 |
| New York, NE | $86,798 | +4.6% | 12 | 11 |
| Washington, DC | $85,000 | +2.4% | 148 | 76 |
| San Francisco, CA | $77,095 | -7.1% | 26 | 17 |
Salary by State
| State | Median | vs National | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $146,000 | +3.6% | 2 |
| New Jersey | $130,000 | +73.9% | 1 |
| Indiana | $113,316 | N/A | 1 |
| Tennessee | $102,000 | N/A | 1 |
| New York | $96,000 | +29.6% | 50 |
| District of Columbia | $89,232 | -41.8% | 163 |
| Nebraska | $86,798 | N/A | 14 |
| Massachusetts | $80,205 | -38.6% | 13 |
| Virginia | $78,300 | -52.2% | 18 |
| Florida | $73,653 | N/A | 3 |
| California | $73,214 | -44% | 63 |
| Georgia | $68,349 | -14.6% | 1 |
| Colorado | $65,000 | N/A | 9 |
| Pennsylvania | $62,400 | -53% | 4 |
| Illinois | $60,382 | -38.6% | 9 |
| Michigan | $60,000 | -52.3% | 1 |
| Delaware | $57,699 | N/A | 1 |
| Maryland | $55,200 | -62.9% | 4 |
| South Carolina | $50,000 | N/A | 2 |
| Oregon | $49,491 | N/A | 2 |
| Ohio | $48,200 | -51.4% | 3 |
| Texas | $48,048 | -57% | 7 |
Salary Trend - DOL Data
Education Requirements
From PERM filingsFor Political Scientists positions, 8% of PERM filings required a Bachelor's degree, 73% required a Master's degree, and 0% required no formal degree.
Education by Top Employer
Most common minimum education from PERM filings| Employer | Most Common Education | Median Salary |
|---|---|---|
| WORLD RESOURCES INSTITUTE | Not specified | $106,369 |
| International Budget Partnership | Not specified | $75,000 |
| United States Institute of Peace | Not specified | $103,286 |
| Carnegie Endowment for International Peace | Not specified | $106,100 |
| Tides Center | Not specified | $81,619 |
| BLUE LABS, LLC | Not specified | $68,349 |
| NUCLEAR THREAT INITIATIVE | Not specified | $138,200 |
| One Earth Future Foundation | Not specified | $65,000 |
| Access Now | Not specified | $124,800 |
| GOOGLE LLC | Master's | $145,000 |
Salary by Industry
Same occupation, different industries (NAICS)The highest-paying industry for Political Scientists is Professional and Technical Services at $103,951. The lowest-paying industry with significant hiring is Educational Services at $71,198.
Frequently Asked Questions
Based on 558 DOL filings, the median salary for a Political Scientists is $83,013, ranging from $69,000 to $110,210.
The 90th percentile salary is $191,880 according to BLS data.
Based on DOL filings, New York, NY offers the highest median at $96,000.
DOL filing data covers positions where the employer filed for PERM green card sponsorship or an H-1B visa. These filings represent a subset of all Political Scientists positions. We compare this data against BLS OEWS data which covers all workers in this occupation.
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