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Best states for a senior policy analyst
Quoted expert
Dr. Jennapher Lunde Seefeldt Ph.D.
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Are you thinking of becoming a senior policy analyst and really want to work at Science Applications International? Turns out, your chances to become a senior policy analyst are better in some states than others.Our research found that Virginia is the best state for senior policy analysts, while New Jersey and Virginia are ranked highest in terms of median salary. Virginia has a median salary of $89,772 and New Jersey has the highest median salary among all 50 states for senior policy analysts.
The median salary for senior policy analysts in Virginia is $89,772. Compare that to the median salary in Arkansas of $46,137, which ranked worst for senior policy analysts, and you can see how your location is important for your career.We found that the Midwest is best for senior policy analysts, and the Northeast is the worst. Washington, DC is the best city in the country for senior policy analyst jobs, where as Virginia is the best state in the country.
10 best states for senior policy analysts in 2025
1. Virginia
Total senior policy analyst jobs: 1,300 Average annual salary: $89,772 Lowest 10 percent earn: $64,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $125,000 Location Quotient: 3.29
2. Illinois
Total senior policy analyst jobs: 868 Average annual salary: $88,173 Lowest 10 percent earn: $64,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $120,000 Location Quotient: 1.74
3. District of Columbia
Total senior policy analyst jobs: 516 Average annual salary: $94,241 Lowest 10 percent earn: $67,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $131,000 Location Quotient: 7.34
4. Texas
Total senior policy analyst jobs: 1,205 Average annual salary: $87,727 Lowest 10 percent earn: $62,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $122,000 Location Quotient: 1.42
5. New Jersey
Total senior policy analyst jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $92,646 Lowest 10 percent earn: $66,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $128,000 Location Quotient: 0
6. Connecticut
Total senior policy analyst jobs: 206 Average annual salary: $81,966 Lowest 10 percent earn: $59,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $113,000 Location Quotient: 1.48
7. Delaware
Total senior policy analyst jobs: 123 Average annual salary: $80,070 Lowest 10 percent earn: $57,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $111,000 Location Quotient: 2.34
8. Maryland
Total senior policy analyst jobs: 805 Average annual salary: $82,462 Lowest 10 percent earn: $59,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $115,000 Location Quotient: 3.03
9. Arizona
Total senior policy analyst jobs: 410 Average annual salary: $77,230 Lowest 10 percent earn: $55,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $106,000 Location Quotient: 1.67
10. Oregon
Total senior policy analyst jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $82,369 Lowest 10 percent earn: $59,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $114,000 Location Quotient: 0
Senior policy analyst jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a senior policy analyst
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a senior policy analyst
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Virginia | $89,772 | $64,000 | 8,470,020 | 1,300 |
| 2 | Illinois | $88,173 | $64,000 | 12,802,023 | 868 |
| 3 | District of Columbia | $94,241 | $67,000 | 693,972 | 516 |
| 4 | Texas | $87,727 | $62,000 | 28,304,596 | 1,205 |
| 5 | New Jersey | $92,646 | $66,000 | 9,005,644 | 0 |
| 6 | Connecticut | $81,966 | $59,000 | 3,588,184 | 206 |
| 7 | Delaware | $80,070 | $57,000 | 961,939 | 123 |
| 8 | Maryland | $82,462 | $59,000 | 6,052,177 | 805 |
| 9 | Arizona | $77,230 | $55,000 | 7,016,270 | 410 |
| 10 | Oregon | $82,369 | $59,000 | 4,142,776 | 0 |
| 11 | Washington | $81,402 | $58,000 | 7,405,743 | 377 |
| 12 | Massachusetts | $82,209 | $59,000 | 6,859,819 | 0 |
| 13 | Rhode Island | $80,199 | $58,000 | 1,059,639 | 0 |
| 14 | Alaska | $76,309 | $63,000 | 739,795 | 58 |
| 15 | New York | $81,963 | $59,000 | 19,849,399 | 0 |
| 16 | Alabama | $70,443 | $50,000 | 4,874,747 | 247 |
| 17 | Wisconsin | $72,716 | $53,000 | 5,795,483 | 224 |
| 18 | California | $78,880 | $55,000 | 39,536,653 | 1,848 |
| 19 | Colorado | $71,460 | $51,000 | 5,607,154 | 446 |
| 20 | North Carolina | $72,229 | $51,000 | 10,273,419 | 0 |
| 21 | Vermont | $70,662 | $51,000 | 623,657 | 36 |
| 22 | Minnesota | $72,344 | $53,000 | 5,576,606 | 0 |
| 23 | Pennsylvania | $69,820 | $50,000 | 12,805,537 | 0 |
| 24 | New Hampshire | $70,834 | $51,000 | 1,342,795 | 0 |
| 25 | Florida | $67,496 | $45,000 | 20,984,400 | 931 |
| 26 | South Dakota | $68,445 | $50,000 | 869,666 | 0 |
| 27 | Maine | $69,389 | $50,000 | 1,335,907 | 50 |
| 28 | Iowa | $67,974 | $49,000 | 3,145,711 | 134 |
| 29 | Kentucky | $63,988 | $46,000 | 4,454,189 | 169 |
| 30 | Georgia | $64,373 | $45,000 | 10,429,379 | 637 |
| 31 | Louisiana | $66,527 | $47,000 | 4,684,333 | 113 |
| 32 | West Virginia | $63,044 | $45,000 | 1,815,857 | 48 |
| 33 | Hawaii | $63,944 | $49,000 | 1,427,538 | 98 |
| 34 | Idaho | $64,259 | $45,000 | 1,716,943 | 67 |
| 35 | Nevada | $64,724 | $45,000 | 2,998,039 | 0 |
| 36 | Michigan | $62,808 | $45,000 | 9,962,311 | 0 |
| 37 | Wyoming | $58,651 | $42,000 | 579,315 | 42 |
| 38 | Missouri | $62,526 | $45,000 | 6,113,532 | 0 |
| 39 | Montana | $62,132 | $45,000 | 1,050,493 | 0 |
| 40 | Ohio | $59,993 | $43,000 | 11,658,609 | 0 |
| 41 | Nebraska | $60,643 | $44,000 | 1,920,076 | 0 |
| 42 | Kansas | $57,867 | $41,000 | 2,913,123 | 152 |
| 43 | Mississippi | $58,596 | $41,000 | 2,984,100 | 0 |
| 44 | Utah | $54,893 | $39,000 | 3,101,833 | 185 |
| 45 | Tennessee | $54,532 | $39,000 | 6,715,984 | 257 |
| 46 | Oklahoma | $56,062 | $40,000 | 3,930,864 | 0 |
| 47 | North Dakota | $56,362 | $41,000 | 755,393 | 0 |
| 48 | Indiana | $52,658 | $38,000 | 6,666,818 | 296 |
| 49 | New Mexico | $55,372 | $39,000 | 2,088,070 | 0 |
| 50 | South Carolina | $54,560 | $38,000 | 5,024,369 | 0 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $46,137 | $33,000 | 3,004,279 | 113 |
Highest paying states for senior policy analysts
| Rank | State | Avg. Senior Policy Analyst Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Virginia | $89,772 |
| 2 | Illinois | $88,173 |
| 3 | District of Columbia | $94,241 |
| 4 | Texas | $87,727 |
| 5 | New Jersey | $92,646 |
| 6 | Connecticut | $81,966 |
| 7 | Delaware | $80,070 |
| 8 | Maryland | $82,462 |
| 9 | Arizona | $77,230 |
| 10 | Oregon | $82,369 |
| 11 | Washington | $81,402 |
| 12 | Massachusetts | $82,209 |
| 13 | Rhode Island | $80,199 |
| 14 | Alaska | $76,309 |
| 15 | New York | $81,963 |
| 16 | Alabama | $70,443 |
| 17 | Wisconsin | $72,716 |
| 18 | California | $78,880 |
| 19 | Colorado | $71,460 |
| 20 | North Carolina | $72,229 |
| 21 | Vermont | $70,662 |
| 22 | Minnesota | $72,344 |
| 23 | Pennsylvania | $69,820 |
| 24 | New Hampshire | $70,834 |
| 25 | Florida | $67,496 |
| 26 | South Dakota | $68,445 |
| 27 | Maine | $69,389 |
| 28 | Iowa | $67,974 |
| 29 | Kentucky | $63,988 |
| 30 | Georgia | $64,373 |
| 31 | Louisiana | $66,527 |
| 32 | West Virginia | $63,044 |
| 33 | Hawaii | $63,944 |
| 34 | Idaho | $64,259 |
| 35 | Nevada | $64,724 |
| 36 | Michigan | $62,808 |
| 37 | Wyoming | $58,651 |
| 38 | Missouri | $62,526 |
| 39 | Montana | $62,132 |
| 40 | Ohio | $59,993 |
| 41 | Nebraska | $60,643 |
| 42 | Kansas | $57,867 |
| 43 | Mississippi | $58,596 |
| 44 | Utah | $54,893 |
| 45 | Tennessee | $54,532 |
| 46 | Oklahoma | $56,062 |
| 47 | North Dakota | $56,362 |
| 48 | Indiana | $52,658 |
| 49 | New Mexico | $55,372 |
| 50 | South Carolina | $54,560 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $46,137 |
Expert opinions on the best states for senior policy analysts
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for senior policy analysts to find work opportunities?
Dr. Jennapher Lunde Seefeldt Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Government/International Affairs, Augustana University
Most of our political science graduates still want to enter the workforce to change the world somehow, and the pandemic has not limited this. While some government offices and departments are scaling back, many are growing at the federal, state, and local levels. And, while some private employers may be hesitant to expand their businesses, many are seizing this moment to adapt and revolutionize the way they conduct business. These employers become emerging leaders in their industries and can grab up fresh graduates looking for stable work. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates a 6% growth rate for jobs related to political science over the next decade, which is faster than average industries and fields. While DC is the apparent location holding positions for those with political science degrees, rural and urban areas can be hotspots for candidate campaigns and issue organizations searching for an energetic workforce. It will undoubtedly be a different experience entering the workforce in the time of the coronavirus pandemic. Still, employers are adapting and figuring out how to carry on with business, and need our recent graduates to do so.
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Updated January 8, 2025