What Do Legislative Analysts Do?
Wondering what the job is really like for legislative analysts?
You've come to the right place.
Keep reading to find detailed information about what legislative analysts do, including the type of work they are tasked with on a daily basis, industries in which they work, and the specific skills needed for a successful career.
Legislative Analysts Overview & Description
Let's get started with the basics about legislative analysts by taking a look at a simple description and popular job titles.
Legislative Analysts study the origin, development, and operation of political systems. May study topics, such as public opinion, political decisionmaking, and ideology. May analyze the structure and operation of governments, as well as various political entities. May conduct public opinion surveys, analyze election results, or analyze public documents.
Popular Job Titles For Legislative Analysts
Sample of Reported Job Titles
- Policy Analysts
- Deputy Directors
- Policy Advisors
- Project Policy Analysts
- Legislative Analysts
- Health Policy Analysts
- Cybersecurity Policy Analysts
- Budget/Policy Analysts
- Legislative Policy Analysts
- Legislative Liaisons
- Data and Policy Analysts
- Medical Policy Analysts
Read on for insight into the industries where the highest concentration of jobs for legislative analysts can be found.
Best Industries for Legislative Analysts
Legislative Analysts Jobs By Industry
- Federal Government, Civilian: 65.5%
- Scientific Research and Development Services: 11.9%
- Social Advocacy Organizations: 5.4%
- Federal Government, Military: 3.1%
- State Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals: 2.5%
- Local Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals: 2.3%
- Other: 9.3%
When it comes to jobs in the United States, the largest single category of legislative analysts can be found working in the Federal Government, Civilian sector. In 2022, about 65.5% of all jobs for legislative analysts were found there.
Other top industries by percentage include Scientific Research and Development Services (11.9%), Social Advocacy Organizations (5.4%), Federal Government, Military (3.1%), State Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals (2.5%) and Local Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals (2.3%).
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Identify opportunities to improve the quality of life for people with a customizable major intended to help you achieve your career goals.
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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
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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 Do Legislative Analysts Do on a Daily Basis?
So you have a high-level understanding of what legislative analysts do and the types of industries in which they work - but what do they really do each day?
A great way to understand the type of work legislative analysts do is to examine actual job postings and focus on the specific skills that employers are seeking. That will help paint a clearer picture of the tasks that legislative analysts tackle each day.
Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for legislative analysts, as well as common skills - interpersonal qualities and attributes - that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Legislative Analysts
Based on 9,872 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Legislative 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 Legislative 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 legislative 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 legislative 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% |
Most In-Demand Jobs for Legislative Analysts
Top 5 Posted Job Titles
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Policy Analysts | 4,205 | 32.4% |
| Deputy Directors | 2,280 | 17.6% |
| Policy Advisors | 1,020 | 7.9% |
| Project Policy Analysts | 725 | 5.6% |
| Legislative Analysts | 486 | 3.7% |
According to job postings that were published between September 2021 and August 2022, the top job sought by employers was policy analysts, with 1,868 unique job postings. Deputy directors were second, with 584 postings, followed by policy advisors, project policy analysts and legislative analysts.
Expand the section below to see unique job postings for all occupations related to legislative analysts.
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Policy Analysts | 4,205 | 32.4% |
| Deputy Directors | 2,280 | 17.6% |
| Policy Advisors | 1,020 | 7.9% |
| Project Policy Analysts | 725 | 5.6% |
| Legislative Analysts | 486 | 3.7% |
| Health Policy Analysts | 631 | 4.9% |
| Cybersecurity Policy Analysts | 395 | 3% |
| Budget/Policy Analysts | 287 | 2.2% |
| Legislative Policy Analysts | 380 | 2.9% |
| Legislative Liaisons | 265 | 2% |
| Data and Policy Analysts | 324 | 2.5% |
| Medical Policy Analysts | 258 | 2% |
| Legislative Affairs Interns | 257 | 2% |
| Legislative Affairs Specialists | 325 | 2.5% |
| Directors of Legislative Affairs | 195 | 1.5% |
| Research and Policy Analysts | 240 | 1.9% |
| Legislative Directors | 167 | 1.3% |
| Public Policy Analysts | 156 | 1.2% |
| Legislative Coordinators | 191 | 1.5% |
| Policy and Procedure Analysts | 176 | 1.4% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information for legislative analysts? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for legislative analysts.
How much do legislative analysts make?
Legislative Analysts: How do you become one?
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