SOC 19-3094 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Political Scientists — New Hampshire
New Hampshire
At $74,560, this is one of the lower medians recorded for Political Scientists, 47.5% beneath the national figure of $142,080.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
How pay has moved
The next ten years
Projected to decline
- Change in jobs, 2024 to 2034
- -3.1%
- Openings per year
- 500
- Typical entry-level education
- Master's degree
Includes jobs opened by workers leaving the occupation, not only new positions.
Projections are published nationally only. This is the outlook for the occupation across the United States, not a measurement for New Hampshire.
Projections are based on 2024 employment and run to 2034. The wages above are from the May 2025 survey, a separate BLS programme on a different release cycle, so the two are not two views of one dataset.
Salary overview
At $74,560, this is one of the lower medians recorded for Political Scientists, 47.5% beneath the national figure of $142,080. Pay ranges from under $34,960 at the tenth percentile to more than $174,670 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $51,370 to $159,730.
New Hampshire ranks number 13th out of 13 states by median pay for this occupation. Of the 631 occupations with published wages in this area, it sits 218th.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $34,960 | −75.4% |
| 25th | $51,370 | −63.8% |
| Median (50th) | $74,560 | −47.5% |
| 75th | $159,730 | +12.4% |
| 90th | $174,670 | +22.9% |
| Mean | $99,590 | −29.9% |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in New Hampshire run 4.2% above the national average, so the median of $74,560 buys what $71,555 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way the gap against the national median narrows to 49.6% below the national median in real terms.
Published median
$74,560as reported by BLSLocal price level
104.2US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$71,555US average = 100 · BEA 2024Why the state that pays most is usually not where pay goes furthest
Key takeaways
- Median pay is $74,560 a year, 47.5% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $34,960 to $174,670 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- It ranks 13th of 13 states for this occupation.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Political Scientists in New Hampshire?
The median annual wage is $74,560, or $35.84 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 New Hampshire is 47.5% 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 New Hampshire earns more than $174,670 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $34,960 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.
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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