Health Policy Analysts: How to Become One
If you were to ask a group of health policy analysts about how they arrived at their current job, there's a good chance you would get several different answers about the paths and steps that each person took.
That said, there are still ways that you can develop a baseline understanding of the preparation that is necessary to become one.
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has gathered data to provide you with insight into the type of education that's commonly required for health policy analysts to land a job. This page contains information, sourced from real job postings, that describes the experience levels and specific skills that employers of health policy analysts expect candidates to have. In the end, this information will help you create an education or professional development plan that aligns with your career aspirations.
Keep reading to learn more about career steps for health policy analysts.
What Education & Experience is Needed for Health Policy Analysts?
Do health policy analysts need a degree? What kind of experience do health policy analysts typically need? Thanks to data sourced from Lightcast™ from real job postings, we can get some clarity on those questions, as well as the level of education that is commonly required for health policy analysts to secure jobs.
Education Level Required in Job Postings for Health Policy Analysts
Jobs Postings for Health Policy Analysts By Education
- Bachelor's degree: 6,120 (45%)
- Master's degree: 3,591 (26%)
- No Education Listed: 2,337 (17%)
- Ph.D. or professional degree: 1,162 (8%)
- High School or GED: 526 (4%)
A bachelor's degree is the level of education sought the most by employers of health policy analysts. According to job data, a bachelor's degree was required for 45% of positions. In 26% of job listings a master's degree was required and in 17% of postings no education level was listed.
Experience Level Required in Job Postings for Health Policy Analysts
Jobs Postings for Health Policy Analysts By Experience
- 0-1 Years: 983 (15%)
- 2-3 Years: 1,937 (29%)
- 4-6 Years: 2,334 (35%)
- 7-9 Years: 781 (12%)
- 10+ Years: 727 (11%)
While the amount of required experience will vary based on the responsibility and seniority of the position, an aggregate view of job posting data can help paint a picture of the experience level sought for most job openings for health policy analysts. In 35% of job postings for Health Policy Analysts, employers were looking for candidates with 4-6 years of experience. In 29% of listings employers were looking for candidates with 2-3 years of experience, while 0-1 years of experience was sought in 15% of job postings for health policy analysts.
What Kind of Degree Do Health Policy Analysts Need?
So far this page has provided detail into the level of education and the amount of experience required in job openings for health policy analysts, but what type of education or degree will help prepare you for a career in the field?
According to occupational data obtained through Lightcast,™ there are 28 key academic programs that can help prepare prospective health policy analysts, and in 2021 a total of 138,144 of those programs were completed at institutions in the United States.
Check out the information below to learn more about the specific programs that should be considered by prospective health policy analysts.
Top Degree Programs for Health Policy Analysts
Top 5 Degree Programs for Health Policy Analysts (2021)
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Political Science and Government, General. | 47,413 |
| History, General. | 31,345 |
| Social Sciences, General. | 18,699 |
| International Relations and Affairs. | 13,111 |
| International/Globalization Studies. | 7,362 |
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Political Science and Government, General. | 47,413 |
| History, General. | 31,345 |
| Social Sciences, General. | 18,699 |
| International Relations and Affairs. | 13,111 |
| International/Globalization Studies. | 7,362 |
| Public Policy Analysis, General. | 5,667 |
| Women's Studies. | 2,868 |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies, Other. | 2,142 |
| American/United States Studies/Civilization. | 1,419 |
| African-American/Black Studies. | 1,196 |
| Political Science and Government, Other. | 1,010 |
| Hispanic-American, Puerto Rican, and Mexican-American/Chicano Studies. | 883 |
| Ethnic Studies. | 673 |
| National Security Policy Studies. | 659 |
| International Relations and National Security Studies, Other. | 530 |
| American Indian/Native American Studies. | 527 |
| Intercultural/Multicultural and Diversity Studies. | 482 |
| American Government and Politics (United States). | 365 |
| Political Economy. | 358 |
| Disability Studies. | 348 |
| Deaf Studies. | 297 |
| International Policy Analysis. | 245 |
| Asian-American Studies. | 139 |
| Public Policy Analysis, Other. | 114 |
| Philosophy, Politics, and Economics. | 97 |
| Gay/Lesbian Studies. | 85 |
| History and Political Science. | 66 |
| Folklore Studies. | 44 |
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Degree Options for Health Policy Analysts
Learn the real-world management skills needed to be a leader in government and nonprofit organizations.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Cost Per Credit: $398
Identify opportunities to improve the quality of life for people with a customizable major intended to help you achieve your career goals.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Cost Per Credit: $398
Earn your master's degree online and earn real-world skills to advance your career within public service.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Months To Complete: 14
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
- Class Type: 100% online
- Months To Complete: 14
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
Earn a 14-month online Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree with a Specialization in Healthcare and gain interdisciplinary communication and decision-making skills alongside specialized knowledge on healthcare policies, operations and analytics.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Months To Complete: 14
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
Earn your Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree with a Specialization in Human Resources and build the leadership skills to advance a government or public service agency alongside an emphasis on strategic HR best practices.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Months To Complete: 14
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
- Class Type: 100% online
- Months To Complete: 14
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
What Skills Do Health Policy Analysts Need?
Education and experience have been covered, so what are the specific skills and traits needed by health policy analysts to secure a job?
A good way to understand this is to examine actual job postings for skills commonly sought by employers. Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for health policy analysts, as well as common skills that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Health Policy Analysts
Based on 9,872 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Health Policy Analysts
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Policy Analysis | 4,199 | 43% |
| Public Policies | 2,556 | 26% |
| Project Management | 2,121 | 21% |
| Policy Development | 1,672 | 17% |
| Public Administration | 1,313 | 13% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Health Policy Analysts
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communications | 5,611 | 57% |
| Research | 5,281 | 53% |
| Writing | 4,426 | 45% |
| Management | 4,332 | 44% |
| Leadership | 3,351 | 34% |
Based on 9,872 job postings related to health policy analysts, policy analysis was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 43% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for public policies, project management, policy development, public administration and economics were also highly sought.
As for common skills, communications was the most desired skill found in job postings for health policy analysts, followed by research, writing, management, leadership and planning.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Policy Analysis | 4,199 | 43% |
| Public Policies | 2,556 | 26% |
| Project Management | 2,121 | 21% |
| Policy Development | 1,672 | 17% |
| Public Administration | 1,313 | 13% |
| Economics | 1,312 | 13% |
| Data Analysis | 1,263 | 13% |
| Finance | 1,174 | 12% |
| Political Sciences | 1,110 | 11% |
| Policy Research | 958 | 10% |
| Lobbying | 911 | 9% |
| Legislation | 872 | 9% |
| Legal Hearings | 833 | 8% |
| Accounting | 709 | 7% |
| Legislative Procedures | 709 | 7% |
| Public Health | 680 | 7% |
| Auditing | 679 | 7% |
| Medicaid | 677 | 7% |
| Data Collection | 513 | 5% |
| Health Policies | 496 | 5% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communications | 5,611 | 57% |
| Research | 5,281 | 53% |
| Writing | 4,426 | 45% |
| Management | 4,332 | 44% |
| Leadership | 3,351 | 34% |
| Planning | 2,949 | 30% |
| Operations | 2,860 | 29% |
| Coordinating | 2,813 | 28% |
| Presentations | 2,500 | 25% |
| Advocacy | 2,040 | 21% |
| Detail Oriented | 1,905 | 19% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 1,602 | 16% |
| Problem Solving | 1,585 | 16% |
| Verbal Communication Skills | 1,584 | 16% |
| Microsoft Excel | 1,567 | 16% |
| Microsoft Office | 1,377 | 14% |
| Microsoft PowerPoint | 1,292 | 13% |
| Strategic Planning | 1,270 | 13% |
| Organizational Skills | 1,110 | 11% |
| Decision Making | 1,055 | 11% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information about health policy analysts? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for health policy analysts.
What do health policy analysts do?
How much do health policy analysts make?
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