SOC 19-3094 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Political Scientists — Colorado
Colorado
In Colorado the median wage is $127,260.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
Salary overview
In Colorado the median wage is $127,260. That is 10.4% lower than the national median of $142,080. Pay ranges from under $80,010 at the tenth percentile to more than $197,490 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $82,540 to $175,530.
Employment stands at 30, or 0.0 jobs per thousand held locally. Colorado ranks number 6th out of 13 states by median pay for this occupation. Of the 738 occupations with published wages in this area, it sits 69th.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $80,010 | −43.7% |
| 25th | $82,540 | −41.9% |
| Median (50th) | $127,260 | −10.4% |
| 75th | $175,530 | +23.5% |
| 90th | $197,490 | +39.0% |
| Mean | $128,590 | −9.5% |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Colorado run 3.1% above the national average, so the median of $127,260 buys what $123,434 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way the gap against the national median narrows to 13.1% below the national median in real terms.
Published median
$127,260as reported by BLSLocal price level
103.1US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$123,434US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $127,260 a year, 10.4% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $80,010 to $197,490 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 30 jobs in this occupation.
- It ranks 6th of 13 states for this occupation.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Political Scientists in Colorado?
The median annual wage is $127,260, or $61.18 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $142,080, so pay in Colorado is 10.4% lower. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in Colorado earns more than $197,490 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $80,010 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 30 jobs in this occupation in Colorado. Self-employed workers are not included.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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