Policy Analysts

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) does not provide an employment outlook for the general career field of policy analyst, but it does provide employment predictions for specialized workers—such as economists and political scientists—who conduct public policy–related research as part of their jobs. It reports that employment for political scientists is expected to grow 5 percent from 2018 to 2028, or as fast as the average. According to the DOL, “political scientists should face strong competition for most jobs. The small number of positions, combined with the popularity of political science programs in colleges and universities, means that there will likely be many qualified candidates for relatively few positions.” Job opportunities will be better for economists, with growth of 8 percent (faster than the average) expected during this same time span. The DOL reports that “demand for economists should come from the increasing complexity of the global economy, additional financial regulations, and a more competitive business environment.”