Policy Specialists: How to Become One
If you were to ask a group of policy specialists 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 policy specialists to land a job. This page contains information, sourced from real job postings, that describes the experience levels and specific skills that employers of policy specialists 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 policy specialists.
What Education & Experience is Needed for Policy Specialists?
Do policy specialists need a degree? What kind of experience do policy specialists 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 policy specialists to secure jobs.
Education Level Required in Job Postings for Policy Specialists
Jobs Postings for Policy Specialists By Education
- Bachelor's degree: 5,730 (42%)
- Master's degree: 3,822 (28%)
- No Education Listed: 2,258 (16%)
- Ph.D. or professional degree: 1,338 (10%)
- High School or GED: 582 (4%)
A bachelor's degree is the level of education sought the most by employers of policy specialists. According to job data, a bachelor's degree was required for 42% of positions. In 28% of job listings a master's degree was required and in 16% of postings no education level was listed.
Experience Level Required in Job Postings for Policy Specialists
Jobs Postings for Policy Specialists By Experience
- 0-1 Years: 708 (12%)
- 2-3 Years: 1,854 (30%)
- 4-6 Years: 2,046 (33%)
- 7-9 Years: 714 (12%)
- 10+ Years: 811 (13%)
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 policy specialists. In 33% of job postings for Policy Specialists, employers were looking for candidates with 4-6 years of experience. In 30% of listings employers were looking for candidates with 2-3 years of experience, while 10+ years of experience was sought in 13% of job postings for policy specialists.
What Kind of Degree Do Policy Specialists Need?
So far this page has provided detail into the level of education and the amount of experience required in job openings for policy specialists, 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 policy specialists, and in 2023 a total of 129,807 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 policy specialists.
Top Degree Programs for Policy Specialists
Top 5 Degree Programs for Policy Specialists (2023)
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Political Science and Government, General. | 44,606 |
| History, General. | 29,780 |
| Social Sciences, General. | 15,927 |
| International Relations and Affairs. | 12,742 |
| International/Globalization Studies. | 6,447 |
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Political Science and Government, General. | 44,606 |
| History, General. | 29,780 |
| Social Sciences, General. | 15,927 |
| International Relations and Affairs. | 12,742 |
| International/Globalization Studies. | 6,447 |
| Public Policy Analysis, General. | 5,838 |
| Women's Studies. | 2,783 |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies, Other. | 2,381 |
| American/United States Studies/Civilization. | 1,225 |
| Political Science and Government, Other. | 1,054 |
| African-American/Black Studies. | 918 |
| Hispanic-American, Puerto Rican, and Mexican-American/Chicano Studies. | 760 |
| National Security Policy Studies. | 721 |
| International Relations and National Security Studies, Other. | 616 |
| Intercultural/Multicultural and Diversity Studies. | 584 |
| American Indian/Native American Studies. | 547 |
| Ethnic Studies. | 539 |
| Disability Studies. | 427 |
| American Government and Politics (United States). | 353 |
| Deaf Studies. | 337 |
| Political Economy. | 309 |
| International Policy Analysis. | 252 |
| Philosophy, Politics, and Economics. | 153 |
| Asian-American Studies. | 149 |
| Public Policy Analysis, Other. | 143 |
| Gay/Lesbian Studies. | 82 |
| History and Political Science. | 68 |
| Folklore Studies. | 66 |
Top Online College For Working Adults
Franklin University is a top choice for adults who need to balance school with busy lives. Founded in 1902 in Columbus, Ohio, Franklin's main focus has been serving adult students and tailoring education to fit their needs. Nonprofit and accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org/800.621.7440), Franklin offers more than 50 affordable bachelor's, master's, and doctoral programs — all available 100% online.
Degree Options for Policy Specialists
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 Policy Specialists Need?
Education and experience have been covered, so what are the specific skills and traits needed by policy specialists 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 policy specialists, as well as common skills that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Policy Specialists
Based on 9,651 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Policy Specialists
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Policy Analysis | 3,125 | 32% |
| Public Policies | 2,892 | 30% |
| Economics | 1,975 | 20% |
| Project Management | 1,698 | 18% |
| Policy Development | 1,672 | 17% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Policy Specialists
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Research | 5,678 | 59% |
| Communication | 5,053 | 52% |
| Writing | 4,172 | 43% |
| Management | 3,417 | 35% |
| Leadership | 2,648 | 27% |
Based on 9,651 job postings related to policy specialists, policy analysis was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 32% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for public policies, economics, project management, policy development and data analysis were also highly sought.
As for common skills, research was the most desired skill found in job postings for policy specialists, followed by communication, writing, management, leadership and coordinating.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Policy Analysis | 3,125 | 32% |
| Public Policies | 2,892 | 30% |
| Economics | 1,975 | 20% |
| Project Management | 1,698 | 18% |
| Policy Development | 1,672 | 17% |
| Data Analysis | 1,417 | 15% |
| Political Sciences | 1,132 | 12% |
| Finance | 1,021 | 11% |
| Policy Research | 988 | 10% |
| Public Administration | 912 | 9% |
| Auditing | 880 | 9% |
| Public Health | 729 | 8% |
| Statistics | 714 | 7% |
| Cyber Security | 704 | 7% |
| Legal Hearings | 701 | 7% |
| Medicaid | 649 | 7% |
| Health Policies | 635 | 7% |
| Lobbying | 623 | 6% |
| Legislation | 607 | 6% |
| Data Collection | 539 | 6% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Research | 5,678 | 59% |
| Communication | 5,053 | 52% |
| Writing | 4,172 | 43% |
| Management | 3,417 | 35% |
| Leadership | 2,648 | 27% |
| Coordinating | 2,529 | 26% |
| Presentations | 2,376 | 25% |
| Planning | 2,361 | 24% |
| Operations | 2,009 | 21% |
| Advocacy | 1,923 | 20% |
| Detail Oriented | 1,871 | 19% |
| Microsoft Excel | 1,641 | 17% |
| Verbal Communication Skills | 1,641 | 17% |
| Microsoft Office | 1,414 | 15% |
| Microsoft PowerPoint | 1,408 | 15% |
| Problem Solving | 1,395 | 14% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 1,217 | 13% |
| Innovation | 1,172 | 12% |
| Organizational Skills | 995 | 10% |
| Memos | 956 | 10% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information about policy specialists? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for policy specialists.
What do policy specialists do?
How much do policy specialists make?
All Occupations
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has compiled data for dozens of in-demand jobs. Explore our full catalog of occupation data by visiting the link below.