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Policy Analyst

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The following article discusses the career of Policy Analyst highlighting what they do, the work environment, how to become, training and certification, education, job and salary outlook.

What We Do

As a policy analyst, you will work with both qualitative and quantitative data, which you will gather and analyze before providing a report. From this, you will come up with new policy reports that display evidence to the benefit of constituents. Additionally, you will look at legislation and policies and find out what their effects are, and also their benefits and flaws. Finally, you will work together with relevant stakeholders in order to find out what are the current needs, viewpoints and concerns.

Work Environment

Generally speaking, you will work very irregular and long hours as a policy analyst. Additionally, you will work both in the field and in offices. Hence, frequent travel is common.

How to Become

Becoming a policy analyst starts with formal education on public policy or political science. You will usually have to work for a number of years before networking yourself to higher positions.

Training & Certification Requirements

A bachelor’s degree in a field such as public policy or political science is required. Additional training in specific special interest areas may also be beneficial. Finally, you must develop a strong network in order to be able to grow into the position of policy analyst.

Education Requirements

Bachelor’s

Job Outlook

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has estimated that there will be a 2% decline in demand for all political scientists between 2014 and 2024, which is well below the national average.

National Salary

The national average salary estimate for Policy Analyst was $68,790. This number is estimated from over 2,103 employees, users past and present job advertisements from Indeed.com. This equates to an hourly salary of $35.83 and monthly of $5,733.

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$17,000

$153,000

Salary Distribution

Salary by State

The following section lists Policy Analyst salaries in each state around the country. The figures are based on the total number of job postings through Indeed.com. For example, DC had the largest quoted salary of $90,325 while Nebraska had the smallest quoted salary of $27,667.

Alaska – $47,000Rank: 49th

The average salary ranks 49th among states in the country. There were no current job openings from employers in this state.

Alabama – $64,000Rank: 14th

The average salary ranks 14th among states in the country. There were no current job openings from employers in this state.

Arkansas – $50,827 (▼26% Below national average)Rank: 11th

The average salary ranks 11th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like University of Arkansas.

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$25,000

$77,000

Salary Distribution
Arizona – $57,217 (▼17% Below national average)Rank: 45th

The average salary ranks 45th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Maricopa County and State of Arizona.

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$19,000

$115,000

Salary Distribution
California – $68,670 (●Meets national average)Rank: 8th

The average salary ranks 8th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like San Francisco Unified School District, University of California-Riverside, California State University, Monterey Bay, and The University of California.

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$24,000

$136,000

Salary Distribution
Colorado – $70,392 (▲9% Above national average)Rank: 36th

The average salary ranks 36th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Colorado Department of Human Services, Colorado Department of Personnel and Administration, State of Colorado, and MHP Salud.

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$2,000

$12,000

Salary Distribution
Connecticut – $73,000Rank: 4th

The average salary ranks 4th among states in the country. There were no current job openings from employers in this state.

DC – $90,325 (▲31% Above national average)Rank: 1st

The average salary ranks 1st among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Department of Labor, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Department of Homeland Security, and Department of Energy.

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$25,000

$195,000

Salary Distribution
Delaware – $56,000Rank: 37th

The average salary ranks 37th among states in the country. There were no current job openings from employers in this state.

Florida – $55,610 (▼19% Below national average)Rank: 30th

The average salary ranks 30th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like MHP Salud.

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$20,000

$108,000

Salary Distribution
Georgia – $56,000 (▼19% Below national average)Rank: 5th

The average salary ranks 5th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Office of Planning and Budget.

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$16,000

$120,000

Salary Distribution
Hawaii – $39,000Rank: 52nd

The average salary ranks 52nd among states in the country. There were no current job openings from employers in this state.

Iowa – $62,000Rank: 20th

The average salary ranks 20th among states in the country. There were no current job openings from employers in this state.

Idaho – $42,000Rank: 51st

The average salary ranks 51st among states in the country. There were no current job openings from employers in this state.

Illinois – $57,555 (▼16% Below national average)Rank: 6th

The average salary ranks 6th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like HSBC.

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$17,000

$120,000

Salary Distribution
Indiana – $41,159 (▼40% Below national average)Rank: 25th

The average salary ranks 25th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like State of Indiana.

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$14,000

$82,000

Salary Distribution
Kansas – $58,000Rank: 32nd

The average salary ranks 32nd among states in the country. There were no current job openings from employers in this state.

Kentucky – $55,000Rank: 41st

The average salary ranks 41st among states in the country. There were no current job openings from employers in this state.

Louisiana – $38,003 (▼45% Below national average)Rank: 34th

The average salary ranks 34th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like ResCare Workforce Services.

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$14,000

$101,000

Salary Distribution
Massachusetts – $71,512 (●Meets national average)Rank: 3rd

The average salary ranks 3rd among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Office of the Secretary of Transportation, Department of Transportation, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and Huxley Associates.

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$20,000

$152,000

Salary Distribution
Maryland – $79,068 (▲15% Above national average)Rank: 12th

The average salary ranks 12th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like CyberCoders, State of Maryland, Ripple Effect Communications, Inc., and Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.

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$26,000

$159,000

Salary Distribution
Maine – $56,000Rank: 38th

The average salary ranks 38th among states in the country. There were no current job openings from employers in this state.

Michigan – $64,000Rank: 15th

The average salary ranks 15th among states in the country. There were no current job openings from employers in this state.

Minnesota – $59,010 (▼14% Below national average)Rank: 39th

The average salary ranks 39th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like MINNESOTA PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION, MN Public Utilities Commission, Minnesota Department of Human Services, and State of Minnesota.

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$24,000

$109,000

Salary Distribution
Missouri – $62,000Rank: 21st

The average salary ranks 21st among states in the country. There were no current job openings from employers in this state.

Mississippi – $66,000Rank: 10th

The average salary ranks 10th among states in the country. There were no current job openings from employers in this state.

Montana – $53,000Rank: 43rd

The average salary ranks 43rd among states in the country. There were no current job openings from employers in this state.

North Carolina – $61,000Rank: 26th

The average salary ranks 26th among states in the country. There were no current job openings from employers in this state.

North Dakota – $56,000Rank: 40th

The average salary ranks 40th among states in the country. There were no current job openings from employers in this state.

Nebraska – $27,667 (▼40% Below national average)Rank: 50th

The average salary ranks 50th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Mutual of Omaha.

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$7.25

$21.65

Salary Distribution
New Hampshire – $63,000Rank: 18th

The average salary ranks 18th among states in the country. There were no current job openings from employers in this state.

New Jersey – $69,000Rank: 7th

The average salary ranks 7th among states in the country. There were no current job openings from employers in this state.

New Mexico – $55,000Rank: 42nd

The average salary ranks 42nd among states in the country. There were no current job openings from employers in this state.

Nevada – $48,000Rank: 48th

The average salary ranks 48th among states in the country. There were no current job openings from employers in this state.

New York – $61,760 (▼10% Below national average)Rank: 2nd

The average salary ranks 2nd among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Department of Mental Health and Hygiene, Department of Finance, NYC OFFICE OF THE COMPTROLLER, and Office of the Comptroller.

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$20,000

$124,000

Salary Distribution
Ohio – $61,000Rank: 22nd

The average salary ranks 22nd among states in the country. There were no current job openings from employers in this state.

Oklahoma – $59,000Rank: 28th

The average salary ranks 28th among states in the country. There were no current job openings from employers in this state.

Oregon – $66,432 (●Meets national average)Rank: 23rd

The average salary ranks 23rd among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like State of Oregon.

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$2,300

$10,000

Salary Distribution
Pennsylvania – $61,000Rank: 24th

The average salary ranks 24th among states in the country. There were no current job openings from employers in this state.

Rhode Island – $69,572 (●Meets national average)Rank: 31st

The average salary ranks 31st among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like The State of Rhode Island.

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$32,000

$121,000

Salary Distribution
South Carolina – $63,000Rank: 16th

The average salary ranks 16th among states in the country. There were no current job openings from employers in this state.

South Dakota – $36,096 (▼22% Below national average)Rank: 47th

The average salary ranks 47th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like South Dakota State Government.

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$9.45

$28.45

Salary Distribution
Tennessee – $59,000Rank: 29th

The average salary ranks 29th among states in the country. There were no current job openings from employers in this state.

Texas – $51,107 (▼26% Below national average)Rank: 19th

The average salary ranks 19th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like MHP Salud, Health & Human Services Comm, Randstad, and Express Employment Professionals.

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$14,000

$115,000

Salary Distribution
Utah – $49,000Rank: 46th

The average salary ranks 46th among states in the country. There were no current job openings from employers in this state.

Virginia – $70,346 (●Meets national average)Rank: 13th

The average salary ranks 13th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Design Staffing, LLC, Dynamis, Dept of Housing and Comm Dev, and City of Norfolk, VA.

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$17,000

$160,000

Salary Distribution
Vermont – $44,428 (●Meets national average)Rank: 35th

The average salary ranks 35th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like State of Vermont.

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$11.60

$34.90

Salary Distribution
Washington – $63,757 (▼7% Below national average)Rank: 9th

The average salary ranks 9th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like State of Washington and City of Seattle.

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$27,000

$115,000

Salary Distribution
Wisconsin – $60,915 (▼12% Below national average)Rank: 33rd

The average salary ranks 33rd among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Wisconsin Department of Health Services, Blueline Consulting, LLC, and University of Wisconsin–Madison.

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$27,000

$107,000

Salary Distribution
West Virginia – $60,000Rank: 27th

The average salary ranks 27th among states in the country. There were no current job openings from employers in this state.

Wyoming – $55,368 (▼14% Below national average)Rank: 44th

The average salary ranks 44th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like State of Wyoming.

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$2,300

$7,000

Salary Distribution

Top 20 National Employers

According to Indeed.com, the following states had employers looking to hire a Policy Analyst. The quoted salary figure represents the average salary from all job postings by this employer.

Employer NameLocationAverage Salary
USAJOBS$97,924
Office of the Secretary of TransportationMassachusetts$93,948
Design Staffing, LLCVirginia$91,320
CyberCodersMaryland$89,669
San Francisco Unified School DistrictCalifornia$84,919
University of California-RiversideCalifornia$80,926
HSBCIllinois$79,619
California State University, Monterey BayCalifornia$7,822
The State of Rhode IslandRhode Island$76,595
Wisconsin Department of Health ServicesWisconsin$73,673
Department of Mental Health and HygieneNew York$72,547
Department of FinanceNew York$72,243
NYC OFFICE OF THE COMPTROLLERNew York$71,168
The University of CaliforniaCalifornia$70,364
Blueline Consulting, LLCWisconsin$70,000
Office of the ComptrollerNew York$69,396
Acumen LLCCalifornia$68,783
University of California BerkeleyCalifornia$68,514
The SPHERE InstituteCalifornia$67,326
Department of TransportationMassachusetts$67,172

References

*Indicates number of job postings as of June, 2017.

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