Policy advisor vs economist

The differences between policy advisors and economists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an economist has an average salary of $109,102, which is higher than the $98,220 average annual salary of a policy advisor.

The top three skills for a policy advisor include public policy, policy issues and policy development. The most important skills for an economist are economic research, research findings, and economic analysis.

Policy advisor vs economist overview

	Policy Advisor	Economist
Yearly salary	$98,220	$109,102
Hourly rate	$47.22	$52.45
Growth rate	11%	6%
Number of jobs	39,659	1,029
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 58%	Bachelor's Degree, 58%
Average age	44	45
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 an economist do?

The primary role of economists is to study how society distributes resources, including raw materials, land, and labor, to create goods and services. They perform various tasks, including conducting research, monitoring economic trends, and devising forecasts on a wide range of issues such as inflation, interest rates, and employment. Additionally, they are responsible for preparing reports and presentations and advising individuals, businesses, and governments on economic issues. Economists are also responsible for designing policies or making recommendations for resolving economic problems.

Policy advisor vs economist salary

Policy advisors and economists have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Policy Advisor	Economist
Average salary	$98,220	$109,102
Salary range	Between $67,000 And $141,000	Between $73,000 And $162,000
Highest paying City	Boston, MA	Washington, DC
Highest paying state	Massachusetts	Montana
Best paying company	NAIC	Cornerstone Research
Best paying industry	Government	Professional

Differences between policy advisor and economist education

There are a few differences between a policy advisor and an economist in terms of educational background:

	Policy Advisor	Economist
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 58%	Bachelor's Degree, 58%
Most common major	Political Science	Economics
Most common college	University of Southern California	Harvard University

Policy advisor vs economist demographics

Here are the differences between policy advisors' and economists' demographics:

	Policy Advisor	Economist
Average age	44	45
Gender ratio	Male, 59.7% Female, 40.3%	Male, 59.2% Female, 40.8%
Race ratio	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%	Black or African American, 6.4% Unknown, 5.7% Hispanic or Latino, 12.1% Asian, 13.1% White, 62.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
LGBT Percentage	11%	8%

Differences between policy advisor and economist 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.

Economist example responsibilities.

Manage, utilize, and archive database for commodities in assign areas.
Lead the advanced receiver hardware prototyping and evaluate the receiver performance.
Formulate USDA policy positions and apprise decision makers on their implications.
Provide economic and financial analysis, particularly on treasury functions and natural resource taxation.
Ensure compliance with HIPAA and FDA.
Support FDA filing for azimilide.

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Policy advisor vs economist skills

Common policy advisor skills

Public Policy, 10%
Policy Issues, 8%
Policy Development, 8%
Policy Recommendations, 5%
Policy Analysis, 4%
Government Officials, 4%

Common economist skills

Economic Research, 9%
Research Findings, 7%
Economic Analysis, 6%
Research Projects, 4%
Econometrics, 4%
Project Management, 4%

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Updated January 8, 2025

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