Budget analysts salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $62,250 | $29.93 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $91,640 | $44.06 |
| Mean (average) | $96,370 | $46.33 |
| 90th percentile | $136,660 | $65.70 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Budget analysts pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 54 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $99,490 | $61,050 | $142,670 | 870 | 1.36 |
| Alaska | $94,740 | $74,340 | $130,270 | 220 | 2.21 |
| Arizona | $84,810 | $60,500 | $123,300 | 730 | 0.74 |
| Arkansas | $71,800 | $46,750 | $106,330 | 320 | 0.81 |
| California | $99,520 | $69,170 | $149,650 | 4,160 | 0.75 |
| Colorado | $97,100 | $70,660 | $130,180 | 1,290 | 1.48 |
| Connecticut | $95,440 | $70,720 | $131,160 | 970 | 1.88 |
| Delaware | $82,000 | $65,980 | $122,260 | 260 | 1.8 |
| District of Columbia | $124,590 | $82,060 | $156,750 | 1,490 | 7.02 |
| Florida | $84,170 | $56,660 | $123,710 | 3,150 | 1.05 |
| Georgia | $91,870 | $55,050 | $133,090 | 1,900 | 1.28 |
| Guam | $67,200 | $49,730 | $104,690 | 70 | 3.55 |
| Hawaii | $92,380 | $63,790 | $120,270 | 210 | 1.1 |
| Idaho | $83,220 | $63,290 | $126,220 | 190 | 0.73 |
| Illinois | $94,880 | $59,300 | $132,380 | 750 | 0.4 |
| Indiana | $82,080 | $60,390 | $106,330 | 390 | 0.4 |
| Iowa | $86,550 | $63,650 | $134,440 | 390 | 0.82 |
| Kansas | $80,140 | $59,240 | $117,810 | 270 | 0.62 |
| Kentucky | $76,860 | $59,960 | $112,400 | 630 | 1.03 |
| Louisiana | $80,530 | $53,560 | $122,660 | 330 | 0.56 |
| Maine | $88,130 | $61,110 | $118,040 | 200 | 1.03 |
| Maryland | $106,020 | $65,680 | $156,750 | 2,490 | 2.97 |
| Massachusetts | $92,260 | $67,860 | $131,770 | 1,280 | 1.16 |
| Michigan | $96,430 | $65,390 | $142,380 | 1,020 | 0.76 |
| Minnesota | $85,970 | $65,160 | $134,040 | 450 | 0.5 |
| Mississippi | $78,850 | $46,690 | $103,380 | 390 | 1.11 |
| Missouri | $81,980 | $60,920 | $128,110 | 520 | 0.59 |
| Montana | $79,700 | $62,260 | $103,530 | 360 | 2.33 |
| Nebraska | $83,010 | $61,100 | $122,530 | 200 | 0.63 |
| Nevada | $81,600 | $64,500 | $114,250 | 440 | 0.94 |
| New Hampshire | $92,600 | $68,080 | $130,480 | 80 | 0.37 |
| New Jersey | $96,250 | $67,590 | $140,730 | 840 | 0.65 |
| New Mexico | $87,360 | $58,360 | $129,470 | 740 | 2.81 |
| New York | $88,540 | $64,990 | $135,190 | 2,760 | 0.94 |
| North Carolina | $82,350 | $59,050 | $128,560 | 1,830 | 1.22 |
| North Dakota | $77,400 | $61,350 | $100,420 | 150 | 1.17 |
| Ohio | $89,840 | $60,570 | $135,370 | 800 | 0.47 |
| Oklahoma | $80,990 | $55,620 | $118,360 | 670 | 1.29 |
| Oregon | $95,250 | $64,360 | $124,900 | 1,090 | 1.82 |
| Pennsylvania | $84,240 | $55,220 | $124,590 | 1,490 | 0.81 |
| Puerto Rico | $50,560 | $38,470 | $88,710 | 370 | 1.3 |
| Rhode Island | $92,790 | $65,680 | $130,480 | 90 | 0.6 |
| South Carolina | $86,260 | $62,870 | $125,860 | 470 | 0.68 |
| South Dakota | $79,180 | $56,910 | $116,000 | 120 | 0.88 |
| Tennessee | $86,570 | $63,920 | $133,280 | 1,140 | 1.15 |
| Texas | $82,970 | $60,840 | $126,200 | 3,340 | 0.78 |
| Utah | $88,610 | $63,570 | $133,630 | 280 | 0.54 |
| Vermont | $93,430 | $68,580 | $105,310 | 90 | 1.02 |
| Virgin Islands | $64,990 | $54,990 | $88,710 | 50 | 5.54 |
| Virginia | $105,470 | $70,610 | $156,750 | 2,730 | 2.19 |
| Washington | $96,640 | $61,240 | $147,640 | 1,510 | 1.4 |
| West Virginia | $78,850 | $51,200 | $119,430 | 180 | 0.87 |
| Wisconsin | $82,180 | $59,960 | $112,610 | 820 | 0.92 |
| Wyoming | $81,100 | $63,480 | $106,330 | 80 | 0.9 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for budget analysts
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 2,900. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 0.8%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for budget analysts
- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- None
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Accounting CIP 52.0301
- Accounting and Finance CIP 52.0304
- Finance, General CIP 52.0801
- Public Finance CIP 52.0808
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Analyze monthly department budgeting and accounting reports to maintain expenditure controls.
- Provide advice and technical assistance with cost analysis, fiscal allocation, and budget preparation.
- Review operating budgets to analyze trends affecting budget needs.
- Compile and analyze accounting records and other data to determine the financial resources required to implement a program.
- Examine budget estimates for completeness, accuracy, and conformance with procedures and regulations.
- Summarize budgets and submit recommendations for the approval or disapproval of funds requests.
- Consult with managers to ensure that budget adjustments are made in accordance with program changes.
- Direct the preparation of regular and special budget reports.
Technology skills
- Microsoft Access (in demand)
- Microsoft Excel (in demand)
- Microsoft Office software (in demand)
- Microsoft Outlook (in demand)
- Microsoft Power BI (in demand)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (in demand)
- Microsoft Word (in demand)
- SAP software (in demand)
- Microsoft SharePoint (hot technology)
- Microsoft Visual Basic (hot technology)
- Structured query language SQL (hot technology)
- Adaptive Planning
- Budget monitoring systems
- Budgeting, forecasting, and planning software
- Business Objects Data Integrator
- Business performance management BPM software
Transferable skills for career changers: Complex Problem Solving, Judgment and Decision Making, Management of Financial Resources, Systems Analysis, Social Perceptiveness, Systems Evaluation.
Common job titles: Budget Analyst, Budget and Policy Analyst, Budget Coordinator, Budget Officer, Budget Planning Analyst, Cost Analyst, Financial Services Officer, Fiscal Analyst, Fiscal Budget Analyst.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do budget analysts make?
The national median annual wage for budget analysts was $91,640 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $62,250 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $136,660. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do budget analysts need?
BLS lists bachelor's degree as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and none on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is budget analysts a growing career?
BLS projects employment of budget analysts to change +1.9% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 2,900 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay budget analysts the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were District of Columbia ($124,590), Maryland ($106,020), Virginia ($105,470). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.