Also called: Director of Policy, Chief Policy Officer
Leads the policy agenda for a governor, mayor, agency, or advocacy organization.
A governor's policy director turns campaign promises into actual proposals, coordinates agency heads, and decides what goes in the State of the State speech. They manage teams of analysts and juggle many issues at once.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Master's degree, about 10 years after high school. Master's in public policy or a JD, plus years of experience.
Ways in: 4-year college, Graduate school, Professional school. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Public Policy, Political Science, Economics, Law (JD).
Growing about average.
Low risk for 10 years. AI drafts memos and tracks bills; negotiating with agencies, legislators and the boss's politics stays human.
Classes: AP Government, Debate team, AP English Language.
Official data: O*NET occupation 11-9199.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.