Budget Analysts
Also called: Budget Administrator (Budget Admin), Budget Analyst, Budget and Policy Analyst, Budget Coordinator, Budget Engineer, Budget Examiner, Budget Management Analyst, Budget Officer
Examine budget estimates for completeness, accuracy, and conformance with procedures and regulations.
What budget analysts do
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.
- Interpret budget directives and establish policies for carrying out directives.
- Perform cost-benefit analyses to compare operating programs, review financial requests, or explore alternative financing methods.
- Match appropriations for specific programs with appropriations for broader programs, including items for emergency funds.
- Seek new ways to improve efficiency and increase profits.
Typical path into the job (BLS)
Budget Analysts salary
The median annual wage for budget analysts is $91,640 (BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, national). The lowest 10 percent earn less than $62,250 and the highest 10 percent earn more than $136,660. The mean annual wage is $96,370.
The mean hourly wage of $46.00 is 6.3× the federal minimum wage of $7.25. State minimums are higher in most large states. Minimum wage by state →
How does your pay compare with people your age?
Your numbers are not sent or stored. The comparison uses this occupation's BLS wage percentiles, adjusted for age with BLS median weekly earnings by age group (Q3 2026).
Pay by percentile
Annual wage percentiles from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Percentiles are a good proxy for pay by experience.
Projected pay for Budget Analysts (3, 5 and 10 years)est.
Today $91,640 → in 3 years $97,100 → in 5 years $100,900 → in 10 years $111,000 (10-year range $95,500–$128,900). The model assumes pay growth of +1.9% per year.
What drives the annual growth rate
Projected pay = current pay × (1 + annual growth)^years. The annual growth rate starts from a base wage-growth rate and adds or subtracts labor demand (BLS projected employment growth), wage momentum and AI replacement risk for each occupation. Projections are not guarantees. How it is calculated →
Outlook score for Budget Analysts
Each component is a percentile rank among all occupations in the same country (0–100). Weights: labor demand 25, wage momentum / openings 15, pay level 15, AI resistance 25, aging workforce 10 (Japan only), entry barrier 10.
Will AI replace Budget Analysts? AI replacement risk
How AI is changing this job
A written analysis for this occupation is being prepared.
AI replacement risk compares the parts of a job that are easy to hand to AI or software (processing information, documentation, repetitive computer work) with the parts that are hard to automate (physical work, working closely with people, judgment in unpredictable settings), using O*NET work activities, work context, skills and knowledge. The result is a relative position among all occupations in the country, scaled to 0–100%. Methodology →
Labor demand for Budget Analysts
Employment projections are from the BLS Employment Projections program (2025–35). Annual openings include both new jobs and replacement of workers who leave the occupation.
Skills, education and requirements for Budget Analysts
Key skills
O*NET skill level ratings (0–7).
Key knowledge areas
What the work involves
Important abilities
Education of workers
Training before entry
Related work experience
Job Zone 4 — considerable preparation needed (O*NET)
Difficulty of entry: ★★★☆☆ Moderate (from education, training, experience and Job Zone)
How to become budget analysts
A step-by-step guide for this occupation is being prepared. The education, training and experience data above show the typical path.
Career path and how to earn more as budget analysts
Career-path guidance is being prepared. Pay by percentile is shown in the Pay section.