The prevailing wage for Political Scientists varies significantly by state and metro area. Below is a breakdown of DOL-determined prevailing wages compared to actual H-1B offered salaries across 3 states, based on 14 filings. The national average prevailing wage is $79k.
In the United States, the Department of Labor prevailing wage for Political Scientists is N/A.
| State | Prevailing Wage | Avg Offered | Premium | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | $94k | $151k | +61% | 3 |
| District of Columbia | $75k | $88k | +18% | 6 |
| New York | $69k | $78k | +13% | 5 |
The national average prevailing wage for Political Scientists (19-309400) is $79k, based on data across 3 states and 14 H-1B filings. Wages vary significantly by state and metro area.
The Department of Labor (DOL) determines prevailing wages using four skill levels — entry, qualified, experienced, and expert — based on the Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) wage survey data for a given occupation and geographic area.
Level I (entry) is set at the 17th percentile of wages, Level II (qualified) at the 34th percentile, Level III (experienced) at the 50th percentile, and Level IV (expert) at the 67th percentile of wages for the occupation and area.