The median annual wage for Political Scientists in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV is $153,340 (May 2024 BLS OES). The mean (average) is $153,650.
Pay spans roughly $108,840 at the 10th percentile to $191,880 at the 90th, so experience and specialisation move this figure a lot. At the median that is about $73.72 per hour. An estimated 3,910 people work as political scientists in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV.
| Median (annual) | $153,340 |
| Mean (annual) | $153,650 |
| Median (hourly) | $73.72 |
| 10th percentile | $108,840 |
| 90th percentile | $191,880 |
| Employment | 3,910 |
Updated 2026-07-23.
Source: BLS OES May 2024 — bls.gov/oes. Checked 2026-07-23.