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Senior policy analyst salary
Average senior policy analyst salary
$68,774
Understanding the Senior Policy Analyst Salary
The average salary for a Senior Policy Analyst in the United States is approximately $68,774 annually. This figure can vary based on several factors including geographic location, years of experience, and the specific industry of employment. For example, analysts working in technology or healthcare often earn higher salaries compared to those in education or nonprofit sectors.
In terms of geographic disparities, states like California and New York consistently offer some of the highest salaries for this position, reflecting the cost of living and demand for skilled analysts in urban areas. Additionally, senior policy analysts typically possess advanced degrees and significant experience, which further enhances their earning potential.
To gain insight into specific salary ranges, it's essential to consider the industry context. Analysts focused on governmental policy may see different compensation packages compared to those in private consulting or corporate environments. Understanding these dynamics can help job seekers make informed career decisions and target their job applications effectively.
Job Opportunities
As a Senior Policy Analyst, you can explore positions in various sectors, including federal and state government agencies, think tanks, and private consulting firms. Each offers unique challenges and opportunities for growth.
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Where can a Senior Policy Analyst earn more?
Senior policy analyst salary estimates from across the web
Average senior policy analyst salary by state
The highest-paying states for senior policy analysts are New Jersey, Virginia, and Illinois. The lowest average senior policy analyst salary states are New Mexico, Utah, and South Carolina.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for senior policy analysts
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Virginia | $89,772 | $43.16 |
| 2 | Illinois | $88,173 | $42.39 |
| 3 | District of Columbia | $94,241 | $45.31 |
| 4 | Texas | $87,727 | $42.18 |
| 5 | New Jersey | $92,646 | $44.54 |
| 6 | Connecticut | $81,966 | $39.41 |
| 7 | Delaware | $80,070 | $38.50 |
| 8 | Maryland | $82,462 | $39.65 |
| 9 | Arizona | $77,230 | $37.13 |
| 10 | Oregon | $82,369 | $39.60 |
| 11 | Washington | $81,402 | $39.14 |
| 12 | Massachusetts | $82,209 | $39.52 |
| 13 | Rhode Island | $80,199 | $38.56 |
| 14 | Alaska | $76,309 | $36.69 |
| 15 | New York | $81,963 | $39.41 |
| 16 | Alabama | $70,443 | $33.87 |
| 17 | Wisconsin | $72,716 | $34.96 |
| 18 | California | $78,880 | $37.92 |
| 19 | Colorado | $71,460 | $34.36 |
| 20 | North Carolina | $72,229 | $34.73 |
| 21 | Vermont | $70,662 | $33.97 |
| 22 | Minnesota | $72,344 | $34.78 |
| 23 | Pennsylvania | $69,820 | $33.57 |
| 24 | New Hampshire | $70,834 | $34.05 |
| 25 | Florida | $67,496 | $32.45 |
| 26 | South Dakota | $68,445 | $32.91 |
| 27 | Maine | $69,389 | $33.36 |
| 28 | Iowa | $67,974 | $32.68 |
| 29 | Kentucky | $63,988 | $30.76 |
| 30 | Georgia | $64,373 | $30.95 |
| 31 | Louisiana | $66,527 | $31.98 |
| 32 | West Virginia | $63,044 | $30.31 |
| 33 | Hawaii | $63,944 | $30.74 |
| 34 | Idaho | $64,259 | $30.89 |
| 35 | Nevada | $64,724 | $31.12 |
| 36 | Michigan | $62,808 | $30.20 |
| 37 | Wyoming | $58,651 | $28.20 |
| 38 | Missouri | $62,526 | $30.06 |
| 39 | Montana | $62,132 | $29.87 |
| 40 | Ohio | $59,993 | $28.84 |
| 41 | Nebraska | $60,643 | $29.16 |
| 42 | Kansas | $57,867 | $27.82 |
| 43 | Mississippi | $58,596 | $28.17 |
| 44 | Utah | $54,893 | $26.39 |
| 45 | Tennessee | $54,532 | $26.22 |
| 46 | Oklahoma | $56,062 | $26.95 |
| 47 | North Dakota | $56,362 | $27.10 |
| 48 | Indiana | $52,658 | $25.32 |
| 49 | New Mexico | $55,372 | $26.62 |
| 50 | South Carolina | $54,560 | $26.23 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $46,137 | $22.18 |
Highest paying cities for senior policy analysts
The highest-paying cities for senior policy analysts are Washington, DC, Arlington, VA, and Northbrook, IL.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington, DC | $94,259 | $45.32 |
| 2 | Arlington, VA | $90,662 | $43.59 |
| 3 | Northbrook, IL | $88,731 | $42.66 |
| 4 | Austin, TX | $88,156 | $42.38 |
| 5 | San Francisco, CA | $84,817 | $40.78 |
| 6 | Baltimore, MD | $82,725 | $39.77 |
| 7 | Salem, OR | $82,408 | $39.62 |
| 8 | Boston, MA | $82,386 | $39.61 |
| 9 | Albany, NY | $82,269 | $39.55 |
| 10 | Olympia, WA | $81,761 | $39.31 |
| 11 | Wilmington, DE | $80,198 | $38.56 |
| 12 | Durham, NC | $73,447 | $35.31 |
| 13 | Saint Paul, MN | $72,372 | $34.79 |
| 14 | Colorado Springs, CO | $71,638 | $34.44 |
| 15 | Philadelphia, PA | $70,259 | $33.78 |
| 16 | Des Moines, IA | $67,655 | $32.53 |
| 17 | Atlanta, GA | $64,417 | $30.97 |
| 18 | Jefferson City, MO | $62,525 | $30.06 |
| 19 | Jackson, MS | $59,043 | $28.39 |
| 20 | Cincinnati, OH | $58,093 | $27.93 |
Senior policy analyst salary details
A senior policy analyst's salary ranges from $49,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $95,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a senior policy analyst's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $95,000 | $7,917 | $46 |
| 75th Percentile | $81,000 | $6,750 | $39 |
| Average | $68,774 | $5,731 | $33 |
| 25th Percentile | $57,000 | $4,750 | $27 |
| 10th Percentile | $49,000 | $4,083 | $24 |
Highest paying senior policy analyst jobs
The highest paying types of senior policy analysts are senior technical business analyst, subject matter expert, and senior consultant.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Subject Matter Expert | $103,749 | $8,646 | $49.88 | 58,235 |
| Business Consultant | $87,214 | $7,268 | $41.93 | 128,033 |
| Consultant | $78,912 | $6,576 | $37.94 | 171,733 |
| Management Consultant | $99,360 | $8,280 | $47.77 | 153,045 |
| Data Analyst | $74,342 | $6,195 | $35.74 | 167,520 |
| Analyst | $73,007 | $6,084 | $35.10 | 253,138 |
Top companies hiring senior policy analysts now:
Which companies pay senior policy analysts the most?
Senior policy analyst salaries at Google and First Republic Bank are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average senior policy analyst salary at companies like NAIC and National Governors Association are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $115,987 | $55.76 | |
| 2 | First Republic Bank | $100,731 | $48.43 |
| 3 | NAIC | $95,419 | $45.87 |
| 4 | National Governors Association | $91,720 | $44.10 |
| 5 | Amazon | $88,325 | $42.46 |
| 6 | Citi | $86,359 | $41.52 |
| 7 | Booz Allen Hamilton | $85,547 | $41.13 |
| 8 | Child Trends | $84,494 | $40.62 |
| 9 | Silicon Valley Bank | $83,076 | $39.94 |
| 10 | Fifth Third Bank | $82,310 | $39.57 |
| 11 | Community Health Center | $80,816 | $38.85 |
| 12 | International Flavors & Fragrances | $80,452 | $38.68 |
| 13 | RTI International Metals | $80,398 | $38.65 |
| 14 | CalOptima | $80,317 | $38.61 |
| 15 | KeyBank | $80,243 | $38.58 |
| 16 | York | $79,978 | $38.45 |
| 17 | University of Maryland, Baltimore | $79,899 | $38.41 |
| 18 | Oscar | $79,819 | $38.37 |
| 19 | Environmental Defense Fund | $79,530 | $38.24 |
| 20 | Global Atlantic Financial Group Limited | $78,347 | $37.67 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Senior Policy Analyst salary by industry
The average senior policy analyst salary varies across industries:
- The average senior policy analyst salary in the finance industry is $81,928, the highest of any industry.
- The average senior policy analyst salary in the finance industry is $74,658.
- Senior policy analysts in the education industry earn an average salary of $62,502, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for senior policy analysts
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Finance | $81,928 | $39.39 |
| 2 | Government | $74,658 | $35.89 |
| 3 | Professional | $73,339 | $35.26 |
| 4 | Non Profits | $69,623 | $33.47 |
| 5 | Education | $62,502 | $30.05 |
High paying senior policy analyst jobs
Senior policy analyst salary trends
The average senior policy analyst salary has risen by $7,194 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average senior policy analyst earned $61,580 annually, but today, they earn $68,774 a year. That works out to a 8% change in pay for senior policy analysts over the last decade.
Compare senior policy analyst salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average senior policy analyst salary over time
Compare senior policy analyst salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Senior policy analyst salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $68,800 | $33.06 | +2.7% |
| 2025 | $66,900 | $32.16 | +1.9% |
| 2024 | $65,600 | $31.54 | +1.4% |
| 2023 | $64,700 | $31.10 | +1.4% |
| 2022 | $63,800 | $30.68 | +0.0% |
Recently added senior policy analyst salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Booz Allen Hamilton Inc. | Cyberspace Policy Analyst, Senior | Fort Meade, MD | 06/27/2025 | $86,900 |
| Cognizant Technology Solutions | SR. Duck Creek Policy Configurator | Charlotte, NC | 06/27/2025 | $66,896 |
| The Education Trust | Senior Analyst, P-12 Policy | Nashville, TN | 06/27/2025 | $69,336 |
| The Education Trust | Senior Analyst, Higher Education Policy | Washington, DC | 06/27/2025 | $69,336 |
| The Education Trust | Senior Policy Analyst (Higher Education) | Oakland, CA | 06/26/2025 | $77,660 |
| Cathexis | Senior Policy/Administrative Analyst | Washington, DC | 06/25/2025 | $110,000 |
| New York City Housing Development | Senior Policy Analyst | New York, NY | 06/24/2025 | $80,000 |
| Altamed | Senior Analyst, Regulatory Policy | Commerce, CA | 06/22/2025 | $80,641 |
| WSP USA | Senior Fare Policy Analyst | Boston, MA | 06/20/2025 | $130,500 |
| WSP USA | Senior Fare Policy Analyst | Chicago, IL | 06/20/2025 | $130,500 |
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