Top Jobs for Political Science Majors

When people ask me my major and I respond "Political Science", I usually get a look of disgust or a shudder or a polite "Oh, okay". Most of the time, I am asked if I want to go to law school or become a lawyer. What people do not see is the potential and variety of careers political science degrees can access. Political scientists are social scientists that study politics and the government. They gather vast amounts of information and then proceed to organize it into a system or theory that will answer questions in the area of politics or government. The following are some popular jobs amongst political science graduates.

Intelligence analysts gather information from different sources and piece it together to form specific views on subjects such as public safety or national security. Agencies that offer this type of employment include the FBI, CIA, and CACI International. Tasks include monitor domestic and international threats by the use of databases and reports and constructing intelligence policy through contacts with local law enforcement bodies. The requirements for some of these jobs include knowing a critical language such as Arabic, Korean, or Chinese and use their knowledge to assess open media sources from abroad such as television, radio, and internet sites to form aid American foreign affairs. Intelligence analysts make about $80,000 a year.

Becoming a Foreign Service officer is also a great option for Political Science graduates with a focus on international relations. There are many careers to choose from such as: consular officers who protect and support Americans living abroad and help with passports, management officers who supervise the budgets for embassies abroad, political officers who interact with foreign officials to influence them with their policies to benefit the United States in the long run, and public diplomacy officers interact with foreign media and organizing cultural exchanges. A career as a Foreign Service officer takes you to many different countries while still working for the United States. The starting salary is $30,000, but officers can work their way up and make over $100,000 a year.

75% of Political Science graduates go on to teach at the university level by becoming a professor's assistant. Simultaneously, they most likely are taking graduate courses towards a masters or doctorate degree. Depending on your specialty or focus (local level government, Middle Eastern politics, etc) you will probably teach classes pertaining to your subject. Responsibilities include advising students, teaching courses, and lecturing for a certain number of credit hours as stated by the university. Assistant professors make about $70,000 a year and with advancement, professors with doctorates make over $110,000 a year. Who said a Political Science degree gets you nowhere?