Also called: Senior Fellow, Resident Scholar
A recognized expert at a think tank who researches big policy questions and tries to influence lawmakers.
Senior fellows at places like Brookings, RAND, Heritage, or the Council on Foreign Relations write reports, testify before Congress, and appear on TV. Some have served as ambassadors or cabinet officials. Their ideas can become laws.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Doctorate (PhD), about 12 years after high school. PhD, JD, or long government experience in a policy area.
Ways in: 4-year college, Graduate school, Professional school. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Economics, International Relations, Political Science, Public Policy.
Growing about average.
Low risk for 10 years. AI drafts briefs and pulls data; a named expert's credibility, testimony and relationships with lawmakers stay human.
Classes: AP Government, AP English Language, A foreign language.
Official data: O*NET occupation 19-3099.
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.