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The differences between policy analysts and lawyers 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 lawyer. Additionally, a lawyer has an average salary of $115,808, 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 lawyer are litigation, law firm, and legal issues.
| Policy Analyst | Lawyer | |
| Yearly salary | $66,359 | $115,808 |
| Hourly rate | $31.90 | $55.68 |
| Growth rate | 11% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 69,173 | 2,897 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 51% |
| Average age | 44 | 46 |
| 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.
A lawyer is a legal practitioner who specializes in understanding and interpreting laws and other legal matters. Their responsibilities revolve around providing legal counseling and advice, representing clients in different kinds of court proceedings, conducting research, collecting evidence, and coordinating with various experts. A lawyer must also manage and oversee the performance of assistants, paralegals, and other team members. Furthermore, there are instances when a lawyer must draft or manage documents such as contracts, trusts, deeds, and wills, assisting clients as needed.
Policy analysts and lawyers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Policy Analyst | Lawyer | |
| Average salary | $66,359 | $115,808 |
| Salary range | Between $47,000 And $92,000 | Between $64,000 And $208,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | New York |
| Best paying company | Apple | Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough |
| Best paying industry | Insurance | - |
There are a few differences between a policy analyst and a lawyer in terms of educational background:
| Policy Analyst | Lawyer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 51% |
| Most common major | Political Science | Law |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between policy analysts' and lawyers' demographics:
| Policy Analyst | Lawyer | |
| Average age | 44 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 46.1% Female, 53.9% | Male, 48.5% Female, 51.5% |
| 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, 5.4% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 7.7% Asian, 6.3% White, 76.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 10% |