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Policy advisor vs contractor/consultant

The differences between policy advisors and contractor/consultants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a policy advisor has an average salary of $98,220, which is higher than the $84,811 average annual salary of a contractor/consultant.

The top three skills for a policy advisor include public policy, policy issues and policy development. The most important skills for a contractor/consultant are healthcare, post implementation, and data analysis.

Policy advisor vs contractor/consultant overview

Policy AdvisorContractor/Consultant
Yearly salary$98,220$84,811
Hourly rate$47.22$40.77
Growth rate11%11%
Number of jobs39,65964,573
Job satisfaction-5
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 58%Bachelor's Degree, 64%
Average age4444
Years of experience--

What does a policy advisor do?

Policy advisors are professionals who are involved in activities related to policymaking while communicating with policy analysts about various issues. These advisors must assist policy analysts in creating policies and look at ways to implement them after they have been approved by upper management or government officials. They must analyze international and foreign policy issues so that they can devise effective advocacy and program strategies. Policy advisors must also attend congressional hearings to propose regulations and changes to existing regulations.

What does a contractor/consultant do?

A contractor is a self-employed businessperson who agrees to work for a fixed price. His/her job involves the evaluation of clients' needs and actual performance of work. On the other hand, a consultant is a skilled independent businessperson who provides expert teaching and training in a specific market by assisting existing staff for the improvement of operations, problem-solving, and development of strategies. His/her role is to assess clients' needs and provide expert advice and opinion. However, both individuals are not employees, since they came from outside of the organization to perform such services.

Policy advisor vs contractor/consultant salary

Policy advisors and contractor/consultants have different pay scales, as shown below.

Policy AdvisorContractor/Consultant
Average salary$98,220$84,811
Salary rangeBetween $67,000 And $141,000Between $58,000 And $123,000
Highest paying CityBoston, MABoston, MA
Highest paying stateMassachusettsNew Jersey
Best paying companyNAICCerner
Best paying industryGovernmentTechnology

Differences between policy advisor and contractor/consultant education

There are a few differences between a policy advisor and a contractor/consultant in terms of educational background:

Policy AdvisorContractor/Consultant
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 58%Bachelor's Degree, 64%
Most common majorPolitical ScienceBusiness
Most common collegeUniversity of Southern CaliforniaWestern Carolina University

Policy advisor vs contractor/consultant demographics

Here are the differences between policy advisors' and contractor/consultants' demographics:

Policy AdvisorContractor/Consultant
Average age4444
Gender ratioMale, 59.7% Female, 40.3%Male, 66.2% Female, 33.8%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 6.4% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.4% Asian, 8.8% White, 70.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%Black or African American, 6.4% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.4% Asian, 8.8% White, 70.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage11%11%

Differences between policy advisor and contractor/consultant duties and responsibilities

Policy advisor example responsibilities.

  • Manage all issues relate to high quality survey administration including training and approval/certification, performance oversight and data collection.
  • Work over the phone troubleshooting wireless devices, mobile and computers including windows and macs.
  • Facilitate and participate in departmental policy meetings concerning healthcare, Medicaid, social services, telemedicine, grant opportunities and budgeting.
  • Construct business system infrastructure providing the pathway to grow executive, mid-management, and customer facing staff for management consulting firm.
  • Serve as a principle author and key personnel on the successful $25 million DHS contract proposal.
  • Provide technical advice on Medicare including, payment and reimbursement models, and statutory requirements.

Contractor/consultant example responsibilities.

  • Manage design and development of cloud-base billing application for streamlining payroll and invoicing, as well as offering real-time business analytics.
  • Assist PMO in defining project scope, task and budget, collaborating closely with developers.
  • Bill and provide appropriate documentation to submit reimbursement for services to appropriate insurance to include Medicaid, Medicare, etc.
  • Motivate and ensure SME team member engagement in projects.
  • Provide Linux server setup, documentation, and internal support.
  • Develop and implement SQL store procedures and DTS packages to process client billing data.
  • Show more

Policy advisor vs contractor/consultant skills

Common policy advisor skills
  • Public Policy, 10%
  • Policy Issues, 8%
  • Policy Development, 8%
  • Policy Recommendations, 5%
  • Policy Analysis, 4%
  • Government Officials, 4%
Common contractor/consultant skills
  • Healthcare, 30%
  • Post Implementation, 25%
  • Data Analysis, 7%
  • Project Management, 5%
  • Financial Statements, 3%
  • Medicaid, 3%

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