Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary: Career Profile
Teach courses in political science, international affairs, and international relations. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.
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What Tasks Do Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary Do?
Typical responsibilities of political science teachers, postsecondary cover:
- Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as classical political thought, international relations, and democracy and citizenship.
- Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.
- Evaluate and grade students' class work, assignments, and papers.
- Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
- Plan, evaluate, and revise curricula, course content, course materials, and methods of instruction.
- Conduct research in a particular field of knowledge and publish findings in professional journals, books, or electronic media.
- Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.
- Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
Skills and Knowledge
Top political science teachers, postsecondary combine a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Most Important Skills
The competencies that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Types of Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary Jobs
Common job titles for this role include:
- Adjunct Instructor
- Adjunct Political Science Instructor
- Adjunct Political Science Professor
- Adjunct Professor
- Assistant Professor
- Associate Professor
- College Faculty Member
- College Professor
How Many Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary Are There?
There are roughly 1,468,323 political science teachers, postsecondary working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to grow by +11.6% over the projection horizon.
Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary Pay
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $66,472 |
| Hourly median | $31.96 |
| 10th percentile | $39,855 |
| 25th percentile | $53,164 |
| 75th percentile | $79,781 |
| 90th percentile | $93,090 |
Pay can vary substantially based on experience, location, and industry.
Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary Salary by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| California | $124,780 |
| New York | $121,600 |
| Maine | $111,260 |
| Montana | $107,330 |
| Connecticut | $104,500 |
| Massachusetts | $103,910 |
| Vermont | $103,150 |
| Michigan | $102,730 |
| District of Columbia | $100,070 |
| Maryland | $99,950 |
| Rhode Island | $99,700 |
| Texas | $98,790 |
| Arizona | $98,760 |
| New Jersey | $98,280 |
| Minnesota | $98,030 |
| Virginia | $97,970 |
| Illinois | $96,350 |
| Pennsylvania | $93,010 |
| Louisiana | $85,740 |
| Missouri | $83,960 |
| Tennessee | $83,770 |
| Nevada | $83,130 |
| Washington | $82,990 |
| Nebraska | $82,190 |
| Wisconsin | $81,770 |
| Wyoming | $81,570 |
| Indiana | $81,440 |
| South Carolina | $81,410 |
| North Carolina | $80,770 |
| West Virginia | $80,270 |
| Kentucky | $79,960 |
| Oregon | $79,710 |
| Iowa | $79,610 |
| Alabama | $79,340 |
| Georgia | $79,300 |
| Kansas | $78,410 |
| New Mexico | $77,380 |
| Ohio | $76,610 |
| Utah | $70,820 |
| Mississippi | $69,380 |
| South Dakota | $64,980 |
| Oklahoma | $63,350 |
| Arkansas | $62,710 |
| Florida | $58,690 |
Where Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary Earn the Most
Compensation for political science teachers, postsecondary differ across the country. The following regions pay the most:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $105,815 | 10.7% | 0.75 |
| Middle Atlantic | $105,512 | 27.5% | 5.92 |
| Southwest | $97,301 | 14.2% | 1.20 |
| New England | $96,210 | 8.5% | 1.91 |
| Great Lakes | $87,422 | 12.9% | 1.08 |
| Plains States | $85,336 | 5.0% | 0.76 |
| Southeast | $80,300 | 20.1% | 0.98 |
| Rocky Mountains | $79,792 | 1.0% | 0.67 |
Top Metro Areas
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | CA | $158,290 | 60 |
| El Paso, TX | TX | $134,510 | 100 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | NY | $132,700 | 1,180 |
| Ann Arbor, MI | MI | $131,880 | 140 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $131,120 | 130 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | CA | $126,510 | 40 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $124,780 | 90 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | MA | $122,650 | 620 |
Industry Breakdown
Most political science teachers, postsecondary work in these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Educational Services | 17,170 | n/a |
Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary work in the following industries:
Tools and Technology
- Development environment software: C (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Google Docs (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Object or component oriented development software: R (hot technology)
- Computer based training software: Learning management system LMS (in demand)
Work Environment
Daily working conditions for political science teachers, postsecondary tends to involve the following characteristics:
- Freedom to Make Decisions
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
Getting Started in This Career
The role falls in Extensive Preparation Needed (Job Zone 5), indicating the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Sociologists (Supplemental)
- Political Scientists (Primary-Short)
- Business Teachers, Postsecondary (Supplemental)
- Anthropology and Archeology Teachers, Postsecondary (Supplemental)
- Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary (Primary-Long)
- Economics Teachers, Postsecondary (Primary-Short)
- Geography Teachers, Postsecondary (Supplemental)
- Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary (Supplemental)
Sources
Statistics shown above are sourced from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 25-1065.00 (Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary).
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