Government, Law & Policy

Welcome to Government, Law, and Policy industries!

This section is for those interested in the broad career pathways that often provide services to the public at the local, state, federal, and international levels.

The UCLA Career Center is committed to providing information and resources for you to make informed decisions about your career path. Below, you will find the following about various fields within the industry:

Details about career pathways
Key transferable skills relevant to entry-level positions in each industry
Average compensation
Entry-level job titles to begin your search

You will also see details about majors that are most directly related to the industry. However, contrary to the idea that your major defines your career, your major is only one of the many components that will contribute to your post-graduate aspirations. Your UCLA degree is designed to train you with transferrable skills that will make you marketable in various industries and careers.

Government
Government as an industry covers employment by local, state, or federal government agencies. There is a wide range of opportunities in all areas of government including but not limited to: serving with a government official, planning for Parks & Recreation departments, and/or Investigating or inspecting government property to ensure compliance with contract agreements and government regulations.

Valuable transferrable skills for the government industry:
- Critical Thinking — Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
- Communication – Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and outside constituents by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
- Decision making – Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Compensation averages (According to the US Dept. of Labor, 2022)
- In the United States, entry-level professionals earn on average $71,690, 10% earn $41,050 or less, 10% earn $118,060 or more. In California, entry-level professionals earn on average $80,220, 10% earn $49,490 or less, 10% earn $130,210 or more.***Looking for entry-level job titles in Government? Find more details about being an Environmental Compliance Inspector Occupational Health and Safety Specialist Equal Opportunity Representatives and Officer, Intelligence Analyst , and more on the US Department of Labor’s O*Net Database of Government industry jobs.
Law & Policy

Professionals working in law and policy are often involved in the creation, interpretation, enforcement, analysis, and advocacy of laws and regulations that affect specific groups and the general public

Critical Thinking – Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.

Problem Solving – Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

Communication – Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and outside constituents by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.

In the United States, entry-level professionals earn on average $88,900, 10% earn $56,120 or less, 10% earn $137,020 or more. In California, entry-level professionals earn on average $89,840, 10% earn $49,880 or less, 10% earn $130,210 or more

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Looking for entry level job titles in Law & Policy? Find more details about being a Logistics Engineer, Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers, or an Urban and Regional Planner and more on the US Department of Labor’s O*Net Database