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Job outlook for contract analysts in the United States
Contract analyst job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected contract analyst job growth rate is 9% from 2018-2028.
About 31,900 new jobs for contract analysts are projected over the next decade.
Contract analyst salaries have increased 9% for contract analysts in the last 5 years.
There are over 23,010 contract analysts currently employed in the United States.
There are 58,593 active contract analyst job openings in the US.
The average contract analyst salary is $54,544.
Are contract analyst jobs in demand?
Contract analyst job and salary trends over time
Contract analyst jobs over time
Contract analyst job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 23,010 | 0.01% |
| 2020 | 13,398 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 13,238 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 23,830 | 0.01% |
| 2017 | 22,626 | 0.01% |
Average contract analyst salary over time
Contract analyst salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $54,545 | $26.22 | +2.6% |
| 2024 | $53,148 | $25.55 | +1.7% |
| 2023 | $52,277 | $25.13 | +1.6% |
| 2022 | $51,447 | $24.73 | +3.1% |
| 2021 | $49,897 | $23.99 | +1.8% |
Contract analyst jobs by state
Most common states for contract analysts
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 448 | 65% |
| 2 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 1,414 | 17% |
| 3 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 930 | 14% |
| 4 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 855 | 14% |
| 5 | Delaware | 961,939 | 125 | 13% |
| 6 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 646 | 12% |
| 7 | Alaska | 739,795 | 88 | 12% |
| 8 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 754 | 10% |
| 9 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 560 | 10% |
| 10 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 74 | 10% |
| 11 | Vermont | 623,657 | 60 | 10% |
| 12 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 1,209 | 9% |
| 13 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 282 | 9% |
| 14 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 95 | 9% |
| 15 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 55 | 9% |
| 16 | California | 39,536,653 | 3,035 | 8% |
| 17 | New York | 19,849,399 | 1,655 | 8% |
| 18 | North Carolina | 10,273,419 | 806 | 8% |
| 19 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 327 | 8% |
| 20 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 290 | 8% |
Most common cities for contract analysts
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Frankfort | 6 | 22% | $53,026 |
| 2 | Annapolis | 6 | 15% | $57,697 |
| 3 | Hartford | 6 | 5% | $59,185 |
| 4 | Lansing | 6 | 5% | $51,785 |
| 5 | Springfield | 6 | 5% | $53,468 |
| 6 | Baton Rouge | 6 | 3% | $42,185 |
| 7 | Des Moines | 6 | 3% | $59,472 |
| 8 | Little Rock | 6 | 3% | $48,545 |
| 9 | Montgomery | 6 | 3% | $45,906 |
| 10 | Tallahassee | 6 | 3% | $41,608 |
| 11 | Washington | 11 | 2% | $62,002 |
| 12 | Atlanta | 10 | 2% | $58,362 |
| 13 | Boston | 9 | 1% | $63,626 |
| 14 | Denver | 7 | 1% | $57,684 |
| 15 | Indianapolis | 6 | 1% | $58,699 |
| 16 | Sacramento | 6 | 1% | $59,478 |
| 17 | Phoenix | 7 | 0% | $50,108 |
| 18 | San Diego | 7 | 0% | $53,460 |
Contract Analyst job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of contract analyst experts
UMass Lowell
Merrimack College
University of Cincinnati Clermont College
University of Washington
University of Southern Maine
Western Kentucky University
John Jay College of Criminal Justice of the City University of New York
University of California, Santa Cruz
University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Manhattan College
Coastal Carolina University
Drexel University
Molloy College
New Jersey Institute of Technology
University of New Mexico
Fairfield University
Wake Forest University
University of Akron
University of Oregon
Michael Ciuchta Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Program Coordinator, Masters of Science in EntrepreneurshipUMass Lowell
Department of Marketing, Entrepreneurship & Innovation
What will help Contract Analysts increase their earning potential?
Michael Ciuchta Ph.D.: If all you want is the highest potential starting salary, then you should aim for careers that offer them. But that is a shortsighted way to view things. For example, many careers that have tournament-like pay structures (think entertainment) often have very low starting salaries but the so-called winners enjoy outsized financial gains. If you are thinking about a more traditional career, I think it's important to make sure you are more valuable to your employer than they are to you. This means you have to market yourself, both to your current employer as well as to potential ones. Of course, this approach may not be for everyone and maximizing your salary potential is only one thing you should be considering when assessing job and career opportunities.
What general advice would you give to a Contract Analyst?
Melissa Zimdars: To remember that you're going to learn a lot on the job and that failure is part of the learning process. It's okay to ask questions and to not know things, but you must be willing to take feedback, adjust, and grow.
Fawen Zhang PhD
Professor of AudiologyUniversity of Cincinnati Clermont College
Communication Disorders Sciences And Services
What general advice would you give to a Contract Analyst?
Fawen Zhang PhD: This is perfect! Thank you so much. We will be sure to feature your response in the article and send a draft over for your review before we promote it.
What will help Contract Analysts increase their earning potential?
Victor Menaldo: Develop oral communication skills that allow you to speak in an articulate manner and organize your thoughts to signal your competence, knowledge, work ethic, and willingness to keep learning and improving.
Tove Rasmussen
LecturerUniversity of Southern Maine
Specialized Sales, Merchandising And Marketing Operations
What general advice would you give to a Contract Analyst?
Tove Rasmussen: Tove Rasmussen advises graduates beginning their career in the field to...
What Contract Analyst skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Tove Rasmussen: Tove Rasmussen believes that the skills that will become more important and prevalent in the field in the next 3-5 years are...
What Contract Analyst skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Timothy Rich PhD: Think about the types of jobs that interest you and the skills necessary for those jobs early. So many students start thinking about post-graduation life spring their senior year, when it should be an incremental process much earlier. Another pieces of advice would be to talk to faculty and alum about your interests, find internship or research opportunities when possible, and try to figure out early your strengths and weaknesses. It's easy for students, especially high performing ones, to not fully consider what their weaknesses are. I encourage students to jot down what they see as their skills too and to share them with others. It helps them to identify what's a common skill versus something that might make them stick out.
Professor Shonna Trinch Ph.D.
ProfessorJohn Jay College of Criminal Justice of the City University of New York
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, And Group Studies
What general advice would you give to a Contract Analyst?
Professor Shonna Trinch Ph.D.: Being able to negotiate a salary is also a skill that students need to learn and one that is rarely taught in college. Students need to be able to ask for more than they are offered, but also take jobs at entry levels, prove themselves and then ask for an increase in pay six months into the job after they have shown that they are doing the work and achieving their goals.
What will help Contract Analysts increase their earning potential?
Professor Shonna Trinch Ph.D.: My advice to anyone graduating in any field is to think about the skills they have acquired in college and to represent them well on their resume. If students have been trained in quantitative or qualitative research methods, they should be able to talk cogently about the types of analysis they can do for businesses, policymakers and the like. They should also be open to any field when they are first starting out. Today, businesses are interested in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, and because many of these programs are not perfect, well-trained students in Ethnic, Gender And Minority Studies--as well as related fields like Cultural Anthropology-- are well positioned to take entry level jobs and critically analyze programs and implement them in justice-oriented ways.
What Contract Analyst skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Stephanie Lain Ph.D.: I would advise graduates to be open to considering jobs in lots of different fields. The skills acquired through their major- such as problem-solving, critical thinking, and writing- are ones that transfer well to a variety of situations.
What general advice would you give to a Contract Analyst?
Dr. Paige Novak P.E. (Minnesota), BCEE: Ask questions, stay curious and open minded, take opportunities to learn and develop new skills.
What general advice would you give to a Contract Analyst?
Dr. Natalia Boliari PhD: First, learn everything about the company you just started working for - its historical path, management, the way it's dealt with crises, etc. Second, learn everything about the specific industry the company belongs to and see how the company has developed relative to the development of the industry domestically and internationally. Third, always be extremely alert to notice new opportunities and be prepared to take calculated risks. That is, actively look for opportunities to complete as many and diverse tasks as possible, and volunteer to complete any type of work regardless of whether it seems relevant to your assigned job or not. Opportunities to learn, grow, and improve and thus to maximize your income, will only come up if you are exposed to diverse situations.
What Contract Analyst skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Natalia Boliari PhD: Be open minded. Finance is the broad definition of an industry which provides opportunities for careers in financial consultancy, financial analysis, stock brokerage, foreign investment, modeling, exchange rate forecasts, and many more. While most of those careers are attributed to the banking industry, you can find those and others in other sectors of the economy, such as insurance, technology, health care/medical, government, and so on. So, be open and look beyond the banking sector, examine the current and predicted trends in the economy to hunt for exciting career options.
Mark Chandler
Director of Government Relations and Professor of PracticeCoastal Carolina University
Intelligence, Command Control And Information Operations
What Contract Analyst skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Mark Chandler: First, focus on being good at your job. Focus on learning your specific assigned area. Get the basics down – analytic skills, communication skills. Build a strong work ethic and professional foundation. If you can find a good mentor, link up with them. Be willing to go the “extra mile” in being a team player and doing things to help others on the team, and put in the hours. In intelligence, you will not always like what policy makers do or say. It’s not our job to agree or disagree with the policy, our job is to study the situation, present the facts and then present a fact-based analytic assessment. Keep opinion, bias, and politics out of our work. This will be a challenge, but it’s one you have to recognize in order to not succumb to it.
What will help Contract Analysts increase their earning potential?
Mark Chandler: If you go into the government, you will be limited to the standard government salary. If you go into the private sector, you will start on a lower pay scale (without experience), but have the potential to exceed the government pay structure a few years into you career. Higher education will provide assistance a few years after graduation (with a BA), but won’t result in significant salary bumps. The more experience you gain, the more marketable you become.
What Contract Analyst skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Mark Stehr PhD: At the start of your career, it's very important to land a role where you learn a lot and find good mentors. The additional skills will pay dividends as your career progresses.
What will help Contract Analysts increase their earning potential?
Michael Rosino PhD: One thing that I always emphasize to students is to confidently craft your story when applying for jobs and preparing materials. While it may feel uncomfortable to come off as confident, it is important not to downplay your skills and experience. So, my advice is to think deeply about why you would be a good fit for each job and to highlight the concrete skills and experiences you have gained - especially in terms of topical background, technical acumen with specific software or methodologies or research/writing skills. Secondly, I suggest looking at which fields are in high demand. While it is not always possible because people may have geographic constraints, considering as many wide opportunities in all kinds of places can also be beneficial. Two other pieces of advice which may be more relevant to those a bit further on would be to negotiate when you are offered a mid-level or professional job and to ask for benefits and salary and to consider going back to gain additional education such as a Master's degree to qualify for higher-paying and more prestigious jobs.
What will help Contract Analysts increase their earning potential?
Mary Rodena-Krasan Ph.D.: A degree in German Studies is extraordinarily flexible, giving you a skill set that makes you suitable to a variety of fields. Be open to every opportunity and never underestimate the skill sets learning a new language has afforded you - cross-cultural competence, interlinguistic technological adeptness, problem solving, information analysis, and critical thinking. Employers want someone they don't have to hand-hold. Studying a foreign language requires a lot of self-initiative - apply that to every assignment at the job and don't be afraid to suggest approaches! Your ability to undertake something new and be successful has already been proven by your German studies degree!
What general advice would you give to a Contract Analyst?
Michael Smullen: Make yourself uncomfortable. Early graduates find success later on by seeking out numerous challenges: how to respectfully ask questions in a business setting, how to cultivate personal and professional confidence, how to create or expand their professional network, how to chart a course for their career and personal aspirations, and how to maintain a healthy work-life balance. Each of these demands stepping beyond one's comfort zone and engaging in unfamiliar actions. It's not merely about setting intentions; it entails embracing novel experiences solely for the sake of growth. Whether it's attending a seminar on home-buying or participating in a networking event, reaching out to a manager for guidance on enhancing value, or reflecting deeply on personal fulfillment, pushing oneself through discomfort will foster mental agility and resilience. Recent graduates should pay close attention to the danger complacency may signify overlooking crucial opportunities that could lead to future regret.
Dr. Maggie Siebert Ph.D.
Epidemiologist, NMDOHUniversity of New Mexico
Health/Medical Preparatory Programs
What will help Contract Analysts increase their earning potential?
Dr. Maggie Siebert Ph.D.: Programming languages for reporting, querying, and optimizing/automating
What general advice would you give to a Contract Analyst?
John McDermott Ph.D.: To maximize your salary potential, keep learning, investing in your human capital, and expanding your capabilities. Learn as much as you can about your new position and industry, work with a variety of people at your firm, and seek opportunities outside your comfort zone. Your salary potential will increase as you are recognized as a capable and hard working colleague.
What Contract Analyst skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Mark Evans: Don't stop learning. Treat your first job like more graduate school. Learn everything you can.
What will help Contract Analysts increase their earning potential?
Eric Brisker Ph.D.: Focusing on developing skills in communication, networking, social skills, analytical skills, financial knowledge, and obtaining professional certifications can help maximize salary potential in the finance industry. Developing these skills and following the advice provided can lead to opportunities for higher salaries.
Z. Jay Wang
Department Head, Associate Professor of FinanceUniversity of Oregon
Finance And Financial Management Services
What will help Contract Analysts increase their earning potential?
Z. Jay Wang: Students who have a history of doing work in the field outside the classroom either through internships, industry projects, or school-sponsored clubs managing financial decisions are better poised to maximize starting salary potential. Starting early to secure internships with top companies will also position students well for higher earning potential. Most top banks and firms will post internships from April/May to August, and close by the end of September for the following summer. They are also rolling, so may fill the roles by as early as June of the sophomore year for the following summer after junior year. Finally, networking with industry and alumni professionals in the companies, firms, banks prior to applying for an internship or full-time position will have an impact. The candidate will learn more about the opportunity and company culture for their resume and potential interview, and most top companies in finance will have a referral program. If the candidate impresses the internal connection with excellent questions and strategic answers, they may get a referral that moves them up in the stacks of applicants.