Budget Analysts: Job Description
Examine budget estimates for completeness, accuracy, and conformance with procedures and regulations. Analyze budgeting and accounting reports.
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What Tasks Do Budget Analysts Perform?
The day-to-day responsibilities of budget analysts include:
- 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.
Key Skills and Knowledge
Effective budget analysts rely on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Key Skills
These are the skills most central to this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Top Knowledge Areas
Types of Budget Analysts Jobs
This career also goes by job titles like:
- Budget Administrator (Budget Admin)
- Budget Analyst
- Budget Coordinator
- Budget Engineer
- Budget Examiner
- Budget Management Analyst
- Budget Officer
- Budget Planning Analyst
How Many Budget Analysts Are There?
The U.S. employs around 523,417 budget analysts working in the United States today. Employment is projected to decline by -2.6% over the projection horizon.
Budget Analysts Pay
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $80,859 |
| Hourly median | $38.87 |
| 10th percentile | $54,973 |
| 25th percentile | $67,916 |
| 75th percentile | $93,803 |
| 90th percentile | $106,746 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
Budget Analysts Salary by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $117,960 |
| Virginia | $108,740 |
| California | $103,900 |
| Maryland | $101,420 |
| New Mexico | $99,590 |
| Alabama | $98,080 |
| Colorado | $96,680 |
| Oregon | $94,640 |
| Connecticut | $93,070 |
| New Jersey | $92,980 |
| Alaska | $92,870 |
| Michigan | $91,830 |
| Illinois | $91,140 |
| Hawaii | $90,750 |
| Rhode Island | $90,150 |
| Georgia | $89,810 |
| Vermont | $88,550 |
| Washington | $88,400 |
| Massachusetts | $88,270 |
| New Hampshire | $87,110 |
| Ohio | $86,460 |
| New York | $86,310 |
| Arizona | $85,880 |
| Tennessee | $83,740 |
| Iowa | $83,210 |
| Indiana | $83,090 |
| Nebraska | $83,010 |
| Maine | $82,830 |
| South Carolina | $82,080 |
| Minnesota | $81,900 |
| Kansas | $81,060 |
| Delaware | $80,670 |
| Pennsylvania | $80,580 |
| Utah | $80,420 |
| Florida | $79,880 |
| Texas | $79,450 |
| North Carolina | $79,210 |
| Wisconsin | $79,100 |
| Missouri | $78,790 |
| North Dakota | $77,940 |
| Nevada | $77,790 |
| Louisiana | $77,380 |
| Idaho | $76,990 |
| Oklahoma | $76,840 |
| West Virginia | $75,540 |
| Montana | $74,960 |
| Wyoming | $74,960 |
| Mississippi | $74,960 |
| South Dakota | $74,960 |
| Kentucky | $74,160 |
| Arkansas | $64,320 |
| Virgin Islands | $62,050 |
| Puerto Rico | $48,380 |
Where Budget Analysts Earn the Most
Earnings for budget analysts shift depending on where you work. The following regions pay the most:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $97,011 | 14.7% | 1.05 |
| Middle Atlantic | $96,607 | 19.6% | 2.93 |
| New England | $89,359 | 5.5% | 1.23 |
| Rocky Mountains | $88,958 | 5.1% | 1.44 |
| Southeast | $87,857 | 29.9% | 1.38 |
| Great Lakes | $86,289 | 7.5% | 0.60 |
| Southwest | $82,559 | 12.4% | 1.13 |
| Plains States | $80,968 | 4.3% | 0.67 |
Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Budget Analysts
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $141,590 | 350 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $125,170 | 510 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | DC | $121,890 | 4,830 |
| Huntsville, AL | AL | $109,050 | 580 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | CA | $108,630 | 80 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | CA | $106,670 | 30 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | CA | $104,970 | 950 |
| Boulder, CO | CO | $104,550 | 110 |
Industry Breakdown
The bulk of budget analysts work in these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Educational Services | 6,500 | $77,460 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 4,920 | $98,390 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 2,640 | $91,170 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 2,080 | $83,550 |
| Manufacturing | 2,050 | $93,160 |
| Finance and Insurance | 1,230 | $85,440 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 1,140 | $85,470 |
| Information | 570 | $84,380 |
Below are examples of industries where budget analysts work:
Software Budget Analysts Use
- Data base user interface and query software: Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Business intelligence and data analysis software: Microsoft Power BI (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Document management software: Microsoft SharePoint (hot technology)
- Development environment software: Microsoft Visual Basic (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software: SAP software (hot technology)
- Data base user interface and query software: Structured query language SQL (hot technology)
Work Environment
The work environment for budget analysts tends to involve the following characteristics:
- Spend Time Sitting
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
- Telephone Conversations
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
Education and Training
Entry-level budget analysts positions require a bachelor’s degree as the typical entry-level education. The role falls in Considerable Preparation Needed (Job Zone 4), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Financial Managers (Primary-Short)
- Treasurers and Controllers (Primary-Short)
- Investment Fund Managers (Supplemental)
- Compensation and Benefits Managers (Primary-Long)
- Project Management Specialists (Supplemental)
- Management Analysts (Supplemental)
- Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists (Primary-Long)
- Accountants and Auditors (Primary-Short)
Degree Programs
Aspiring budget analysts commonly pursue programs in:
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services
4 programs across 2 majors
References
Statistics shown above are sourced from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 13-2031.00 (Budget Analysts).
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