Political Scientists H-1B Salaries (2026)
DOL occupation 19-3094 · common titles: Senior Fellow, Postdoctoral Fellow, Research Manager, Senior Research Associate
Short answer
The median H-1B salary for political scientists is $102,000 in FY2026 so far, across 53 certified filings. The middle half earn $87,194 – $128,437, and pay is up 12% since FY2024.
Median
$102,000
FY2026 so far
Filings
53
0.0% of all H-1B filings
Top 10%
$153,462+
90th percentile
Change since FY2024
+12%
$91,168 → $102,000
FY2026 so far · number of filings by salary
Salary distribution
Darker bars hold the middle 50% of filings. Bars are $20k wide; the first and last bars include everything below and above.
DOL prevailing-wage level
Median pay by experience level
Median salary and number of filings at each wage level.
FY2026 so far
By state
| State | Filings | Median |
|---|---|---|
| New York | 13 | $102,000 |
| District of Columbia | 12 | $124,218 |
| California | 11 | $108,000 |
FY2026 so far
Top employers for this job
| Employer | Filings | Median |
|---|---|---|
| The Leland Stanford, Jr University | 4 | $140,000 |
| GoElite, Inc. | 3 | $102,720 |
| Johns Hopkins University | 3 | $100,838 |
| Carnegie Endowment for International Peace | 2 | $141,875 |
| The Independent Institute | 2 | $108,000 |
| The Washington Institute for Near East Policy | 2 | $135,013 |
| Partnership for Strong Communities, Inc. | 2 | $87,194 |
| Vanderbilt University | 2 | $95,092 |
| New York University | 2 | $131,625 |
| Trustees Of The University Of Pennsylvania | 1 | $75,000 |
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Political Scientists H-1B salary questions
What is the average H-1B salary for political scientists?
The median is $102,000 across 53 certified H-1B filings in FY2026 so far. The middle half earn $87,194 to $128,437, and the top 10% earn $153,462 or more.
Which state pays H-1B political scientists the most?
Among the 10 states with the most filings, District of Columbia has the highest median at $124,218 (12 filings).
Which company sponsors the most H-1B political scientists?
The Leland Stanford, Jr University, with 4 certified filings in FY2026 so far at a median of $140,000.
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification LCA disclosure data, decisions through Jun 30, 2026. Salaries are annualized base wages from the filing and exclude bonus and stock. A certified LCA is not an approved H-1B petition. Updated Oct 4, 2026.