Career Atlas USA

Best States for Political Scientists

Ranked by the Career Atlas Opportunity Score, not raw pay — a high-paying state with few jobs or a high cost of living can rank below a more balanced one.

  1. 1District of Columbia80 / 100
  2. 2Maryland68.6 / 100
  3. 3Massachusetts66.1 / 100
  4. 4Washington57.9 / 100
  5. 5Pennsylvania47.5 / 100
  6. 6Michigan46.8 / 100
  7. 7Illinois34.6 / 100
  8. 8Texas30.4 / 100
  9. 9Arizona30 / 100
  10. 10Ohio23.9 / 100
  11. 11Colorado23.6 / 100

Also see highest-paying states (ranked by salary alone).