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The differences between policy analysts and staff 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 staff analyst. Additionally, a staff analyst has an average salary of $99,158, 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 staff analyst are project management, process improvement, and technical support.
| Policy Analyst | Staff Analyst | |
| Yearly salary | $66,359 | $99,158 |
| Hourly rate | $31.90 | $47.67 |
| Growth rate | 11% | 11% |
| Number of jobs | 69,173 | 174,178 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| 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.
Staff Analysts are employees who oversee the activities related to the employees. They monitor the performance of the employees and assess whether particular employees suit the role they have. They also assess the current roles in the company to see if those roles are really needed. Staff Analysts ensure that the manpower allocation in the company is efficient. They analyze staff-related data to check whether there are more areas for improvement. Staff Analysts may also be assigned to come up with projects related to improving productivity.
Policy analysts and staff analysts have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Policy Analyst | Staff Analyst | |
| Average salary | $66,359 | $99,158 |
| Salary range | Between $47,000 And $92,000 | Between $71,000 And $136,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Apple | Bayer |
| Best paying industry | Insurance | Technology |
There are a few differences between a policy analyst and a staff analyst in terms of educational background:
| Policy Analyst | Staff Analyst | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Most common major | Political Science | Business |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between policy analysts' and staff analysts' demographics:
| Policy Analyst | Staff Analyst | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 46.1% Female, 53.9% | Male, 47.6% Female, 52.4% |
| 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, 8.0% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 8.9% Asian, 12.1% White, 66.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 12% |