How to Become a Budget Analyst
Build and police the budgets that keep organizations solvent, checking estimates for accuracy and compliance. It typically requires a bachelor's degree, with a median salary of $91,640 per year and slower than average projected job growth.
Median pay
$91,640/yr
Middle half
$75,320 to $114,220
Job growth
Slower than average
Openings / yr
3,100
Majors that lead here
Key skills
- Budgeting
- Forecasting
- Mathematics
- Attention to Detail
- Communication
Helpful certifications
- CGFM (Certified Government Financial Manager)
- CDFM
Is this career a fit?
Remote-friendly
66/100
Work-life balance
64/100
Stress level
54/100
Related careers
- Financial Manager$166,570 median
- Actuary$130,000 median
- Financial Risk Specialist$117,330 median
- Personal Financial Advisor$105,070 median
- Financial Analyst$102,740 median
- Management Consultant$101,860 median
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Budget Analyst make?
The median pay for a Budget Analyst is $91,640 a year, and the middle half of workers earn between $75,320 and $114,220 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025). That covers everyone in the job, not only people starting out, so newer workers sit toward the lower end.
What degree do you need to become a Budget Analyst?
The usual entry point is a bachelor's degree. Common majors are Finance, Accounting, Economics, and Public Administration.
Is Budget Analyst a growing field?
Projected job growth for this role from 2024 to 2034 is slower than average (BLS projections via O*NET), with roughly 3,100 U.S. openings a year.
What skills does a Budget Analyst use most?
Common skills for this role are Budgeting, Forecasting, Mathematics, Attention to Detail, and Communication.
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Take the major quizWhere these pay figures come from
Career pay is the annual wage of everyone working in that occupation, not only recent graduates, so it includes people who have done the job for decades. The middle half is the 25th to the 75th percentile. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET OnLine (median and percentile annual wages May 2025; employment projections 2024-2034).
All figures are national. What you earn depends on where you work, who you work for, and how far you take the degree.
Job-growth figures: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET OnLine (median and percentile annual wages May 2025; employment projections 2024-2034).