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International Policy Analysis

Types of Degrees International Policy Analysis Majors Are Earning

People majoring in International Policy Analysis may pursue degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Bachelor’s Degree	138
Master’s Degree	134
Doctor’s Degree	4

What International Policy Analysis Majors Need to Know

Coursework for International Policy Analysis build a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that International Policy Analysis graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

According to O*NET, a major in International Policy Analysis emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• English Language — Importance 4.6 / 5; level 5.5 / 7.
• Law and Government — Importance 4.3 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 5.6 / 7.
• History and Archeology — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Sociology and Anthropology — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

Skills developed in a International Policy Analysis program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Speaking — Importance 4.5 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Active Learning — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.

Abilities

Abilities most relevant to International Policy Analysis careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.3 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Oral Expression — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Inductive Reasoning — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, International Policy Analysis graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Analyzing Data or Information	4.6 / 7
Getting Information	4.6 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.5 / 7
Training and Teaching Others	4.3 / 7
Working with Computers	4.2 / 7
Processing Information	4.2 / 7
Thinking Creatively	4.2 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.1 / 7
Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others	3.9 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	3.8 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by International Policy Analysis professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	✓
R	Object or component oriented development software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Word processing software	Word processing software	—
WinBUGS	Analytical or scientific software	—
Email software	Electronic mail software	—
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Course management system software	Computer based training software	—
Moodle	Computer based training software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for International Policy Analysis graduates include:

• Government Teacher
• Political Science Adjunct Instructor
• Geopolitics Teacher
• Political Science Professor
• Adjunct Professor
• Political Theory Professor
• Political Science Adjunct Professor
• Government Professor
• International Relations Professor
• Associate Professor
• Instructor
• Adjunct Political Science Instructor
• Adjunct Political Science Professor
• Faculty Member
• Professor

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to International Policy Analysis graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Doctoral degree	87.9%
Master’s degree	6.6%
Bachelor’s degree	4.3%
Some college courses	0.7%
Post-doctoral training	0.4%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	0.1%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in International Policy Analysis?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly female, with women earning 67.4% of International Policy Analysis degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	186	67.4%
Men	90	32.6%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of International Policy Analysis graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	127	46.0%
Asian	23	8.3%
Hispanic or Latino	46	16.7%
Black or African American	26	9.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native	1	0.4%
Two or More Races	9	3.3%
Race Unknown	12	4.3%
International Students	32	11.6%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do International Policy Analysis Graduates Earn?

College Scorecard reports median earnings of International Policy Analysis graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$60,429
4 years	$83,181
5 years	$95,174

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $95,174 — roughly 57% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Online International Policy Analysis Programs

Distance learning is reported by IPEDS for International Policy Analysis. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Master’s	2	0

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in International Policy Analysis Worth It?

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, International Policy Analysis graduates earn a median of $83,181 four years after completion — roughly 119% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	CIP Code
Public Policy Analysis	44.05
Education Policy Analysis	44.0502
Health Policy Analysis	44.0503
Public Policy Analysis, General	44.0501
Public Policy Analysis, Other	44.0599
Reserved	44.0580

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.