Climate Change Policy Analysts: Career Profile
Research and analyze policy developments related to climate change. Make climate-related recommendations for actions such as legislation, awareness campaigns, or fundraising approaches.
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The Daily Work of Climate Change Policy Analysts Do?
The day-to-day responsibilities of climate change policy analysts span:
- Provide analytical support for policy briefs related to renewable energy, energy efficiency, or climate change.
- Propose new or modified policies involving use of traditional and alternative fuels, transportation of goods, and other factors relating to climate and climate change.
- Prepare study reports, memoranda, briefs, testimonies, or other written materials to inform government or environmental groups on environmental issues, such as climate change.
- Analyze and distill climate-related research findings to inform legislators, regulatory agencies, or other stakeholders.
- Make legislative recommendations related to climate change or environmental management, based on climate change policies, principles, programs, practices, and processes.
- Present climate-related information at public interest, governmental, or other meetings.
- Gather and review climate-related studies from government agencies, research laboratories, and other organizations.
- Review existing policies or legislation to identify environmental impacts.
What Climate Change Policy Analysts Need to Know
Top climate change policy analysts combine a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Most Important Skills
The abilities that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Related Job Titles
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- Clean Energy Policy Analyst
- Climate Advisor
- Climate Analyst
- Climate Change Analyst
- Climate Change Risk Assessor
- Climate Change Specialist
- Climate Economist
- Climate and Energy Program Associate
How Many Climate Change Policy Analysts Are There?
The U.S. employs around 162,039 climate change policy analysts working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to grow by +7.1% over the projection horizon.
Climate Change Policy Analysts Pay
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $46,198 |
| Hourly median | $22.21 |
| 10th percentile | $31,348 |
| 25th percentile | $38,773 |
| 75th percentile | $53,623 |
| 90th percentile | $61,048 |
Pay can vary substantially based on experience, location, and industry.
How Much Do Climate Change Policy Analysts Make in Different U.S. States?
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $122,440 |
| California | $97,520 |
| Massachusetts | $96,330 |
| Oregon | $93,560 |
| Rhode Island | $90,460 |
| Illinois | $89,010 |
| Washington | $88,670 |
| Minnesota | $87,210 |
| Alaska | $87,060 |
| Colorado | $86,720 |
| Maryland | $82,100 |
| Georgia | $82,030 |
| Utah | $81,480 |
| Connecticut | $81,370 |
| North Dakota | $81,260 |
| Ohio | $80,640 |
| Nevada | $80,480 |
| New York | $80,240 |
| New Jersey | $79,920 |
| New Mexico | $79,250 |
| New Hampshire | $79,230 |
| Arizona | $78,870 |
| Texas | $78,560 |
| Montana | $78,510 |
| Virginia | $78,140 |
| West Virginia | $77,980 |
| Indiana | $77,380 |
| Tennessee | $76,900 |
| Michigan | $76,670 |
| Arkansas | $75,620 |
| Hawaii | $75,050 |
| Alabama | $74,660 |
| Wyoming | $74,060 |
| Iowa | $74,060 |
| Kansas | $73,300 |
| Pennsylvania | $73,040 |
| South Dakota | $71,510 |
| Vermont | $69,330 |
| Kentucky | $68,990 |
| Wisconsin | $68,980 |
| Oklahoma | $67,530 |
| Louisiana | $67,260 |
| Missouri | $67,190 |
| Idaho | $66,710 |
| South Carolina | $65,960 |
| North Carolina | $65,800 |
| Delaware | $62,780 |
| Guam | $62,170 |
| Nebraska | $61,260 |
| Maine | $60,880 |
| Florida | $59,510 |
| Virgin Islands | $56,400 |
| Mississippi | $55,110 |
| Puerto Rico | $47,250 |
Where Climate Change Policy Analysts Earn the Most
Compensation for climate change policy analysts shift depending on where you work. The following regions pay the most:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $93,938 | 24.2% | 1.59 |
| New England | $87,163 | 6.2% | 1.41 |
| Middle Atlantic | $83,442 | 14.8% | 1.29 |
| Rocky Mountains | $81,100 | 5.9% | 1.58 |
| Great Lakes | $78,970 | 10.1% | 0.80 |
| Southwest | $78,042 | 8.5% | 0.92 |
| Plains States | $77,498 | 5.5% | 0.91 |
| Southeast | $68,239 | 24.1% | 1.11 |
Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Climate Change Policy Analysts
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $110,240 | 1,630 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | DC | $109,520 | 2,780 |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | WA | $108,310 | 330 |
| Monroe, MI | MI | $107,990 | 60 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | CA | $102,420 | 3,390 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | CA | $101,540 | 2,530 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $99,750 | 450 |
| Worcester, MA | MA | $99,280 | 210 |
Top Industries Employing Climate Change Policy Analysts
The largest employers of climate change policy analysts are found across these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 32,170 | $77,920 |
| Educational Services | 2,640 | $82,360 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 2,610 | $74,910 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 1,910 | $101,330 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 1,690 | $74,670 |
| Manufacturing | 1,220 | $107,990 |
| Utilities | 1,160 | $108,480 |
| Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction | 690 | $73,180 |
Climate Change Policy Analysts work in the following industries:
Software Climate Change Policy Analysts Use
- Object or component oriented development software: C++ (hot technology)
- Geographic information system: ESRI ArcGIS software (hot technology)
- Operating system software: Linux (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Object or component oriented development software: Perl (hot technology)
- Object or component oriented development software: Python (hot technology)
- Object or component oriented development software: R (hot technology)
- Analytical or scientific software: SAS (hot technology)
- Analytical or scientific software: The MathWorks MATLAB (hot technology)
What the Workplace Is Like
The on-the-job environment of climate change policy analysts is shaped by the following characteristics:
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Telephone Conversations
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
Getting Started in This Career
Most climate change policy analysts positions require a doctoral or professional degree as the typical entry-level education. This occupation sits in Extensive Preparation Needed (Job Zone 5), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Water Resource Specialists (Supplemental)
- Brownfield Redevelopment Specialists and Site Managers (Primary-Long)
- Environmental Compliance Inspectors (Supplemental)
- Sustainability Specialists (Primary-Short)
- Financial Risk Specialists (Supplemental)
- Environmental Engineers (Primary-Long)
- Conservation Scientists (Primary-Long)
- Atmospheric and Space Scientists (Supplemental)
Degree Programs
Future climate change policy analysts often complete programs in:
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
4 programs across 4 majors
Biological and Biomedical Sciences
3 programs across 1 majors
Natural Resources and Conservation
2 programs across 1 majors
Health Professions and Related Programs
1 programs across 1 majors
Physical Sciences
1 programs across 1 majors
About the Data
Statistics shown above are sourced from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 19-2041.01 (Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health).
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