CFChooseField
Education

Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary

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.

Visual summary of pay, outlook, skills, interests, and preparation for Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary
Download graphic

Median pay

$94,680
Median annual pay for Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2024
View source ↗

10-year growth

2%
Projected employment growth from 2024 to 2034.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2024–2034 projections
View source ↗

Annual openings

1,600
Projected annual openings, including growth and replacement demand.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2024–2034 projections
View source ↗

Employment

21,800
Estimated U.S. employment for Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary in 2024.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2024
View source ↗

Jobs added or lost

+400
Projected numeric employment change from 2024 to 2034.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2024–2034 projections
View source ↗

Entry preparation

Doctoral or professional degree
Typical education needed to enter Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2024 profile
View source ↗
O*NET occupation profile

What the work involves

Strongest O*NET signals first.

Essential skills

  1. 1Speaking
  2. 2Reading Comprehension
  3. 3Active Learning
  4. 4Active Listening
  5. 5Writing
  6. 6Critical Thinking

Knowledge areas

  1. 1English Language
  2. 2Law and Government
  3. 3Education and Training
  4. 4History and Archeology
  5. 5Sociology and Anthropology
  6. 6Geography

Abilities

  1. 1Written Comprehension
  2. 2Oral Comprehension
  3. 3Oral Expression
  4. 4Written Expression
  5. 5Inductive Reasoning
  6. 6Speech Clarity

Career interests

  1. 1Social
  2. 2Investigative
  3. 3Artistic
  4. 4Enterprising
  5. 5Conventional
  6. 6Realistic

Work styles

  1. 1Intellectual Curiosity
  2. 2Dependability
  3. 3Integrity
  4. 4Social Orientation
  5. 5Achievement Orientation
  6. 6Cooperation

Work activities

  1. 1Analyzing Data or Information
  2. 2Getting Information
  3. 3Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
  4. 4Training and Teaching Others
  5. 5Thinking Creatively
  6. 6Working with Computers

Work context

  1. 1E-Mail
  2. 2Freedom to Make Decisions
  3. 3Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
  4. 4Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals
  5. 5Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
  6. 6Public Speaking

Representative tasks

  • 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.

Software and tools

Learning management system LMS · in demandC · hot technologyR · hot technologyMicrosoft Word · hot technologyMicrosoft PowerPoint · hot technologyGoogle Docs · hot technologyMicrosoft Outlook · hot technologyMicrosoft Office software · hot technologyMicrosoft Excel · hot technologyWeb browser softwareW-NOMINATESakai CLE

Sources

BLS provides national pay, employment, and projections. O*NET provides skills, interests, preparation, tasks, work context, and tools.

ChooseField compares fields using public labor-market and professional sources.