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The differences between policy analysts and business analysts can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a policy analyst and a business analyst. Additionally, a business analyst has an average salary of $74,431, which is higher than the $66,359 average annual salary of a policy analyst.
The top three skills for a policy analyst include public policy, policy analysis and policy issues. The most important skills for a business analyst are project management, data analysis, and business analysis.
| Policy Analyst | Business Analyst | |
| Yearly salary | $66,359 | $74,431 |
| Hourly rate | $31.90 | $35.78 |
| Growth rate | 11% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 69,173 | 170,514 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Policy analysts are responsible for developing government policies and providing advice and briefing to senior management. These professionals work to influence both social and political decisions. They typically work in four key areas, including collecting information, analyzing policies, providing recommendations, and sharing information with government officials and the public. Additionally, they are also expected to consult with stakeholders to provide quantitative evidence supporting their policy. The rest of their time is spent on writing, reading, and analyzing information.
Business analysts are employees who are responsible for interpreting business data and coming up with business solutions. They are well-versed in whatever business the company is in, and they have strong business acumen. They collect data related to the business and then interpret and analyze the data. Business analysts should be able to conduct different levels of analyses and must also be able to create a sound study. Once the analysis is done, they provide recommendations or strategic direction to decision-makers that will help the business become sustainable and grow.
Policy analysts and business analysts have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Policy Analyst | Business Analyst | |
| Average salary | $66,359 | $74,431 |
| Salary range | Between $47,000 And $92,000 | Between $53,000 And $103,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | Mountain View, CA |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | Washington |
| Best paying company | Apple | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Insurance | Finance |
There are a few differences between a policy analyst and a business analyst in terms of educational background:
| Policy Analyst | Business Analyst | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Most common major | Political Science | Business |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between policy analysts' and business analysts' demographics:
| Policy Analyst | Business Analyst | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 46.1% Female, 53.9% | Male, 53.9% Female, 46.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.4% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 9.1% Asian, 12.1% White, 65.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 8.8% Asian, 12.0% White, 67.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 11% |