Explore national salary, projected growth, education requirements, and career opportunities across the United States.
A concise view of this occupation’s national scale, compensation, and projected demand.
National median annual wage for this occupation.
Estimated jobs currently supported nationwide.
Projected employment change through 2034.
Estimated openings created each year.
The typical education, prior experience, and on-the-job training associated with entry into this career.
Bachelor's degree
None
None
These are the highest-rated capabilities associated with success in this occupation. Scores are derived from occupational skill analysis and are measured on a 100-point scale.
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Explore the states and metropolitan areas offering the strongest combination of salary, employment, demand, and long-term opportunity.
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Budget analysts focus on planning, tracking, and evaluating how money is used within organizations. This role combines quantitative analysis with careful review of written information and policies. The national median annual salary is $87,930, with about 50,000 people employed across the country. Projected employment growth of 1.0% and 3,000 annual openings suggest a steady flow of opportunities over time. The work rewards strong mathematics skills, critical and analytical thinking, and a high level of attention to detail. Professionals in this field also rely on problem solving and decision making, writing and reading, and effective speaking and listening. Competence with computers and information technology and the ability to manage projects and adapt to changing circumstances are important. For people who enjoy working with numbers, budgets, and structured analysis, budget analyst roles can offer a stable path with opportunities in many regions and a range of related options in fields such as accounting, financial analysis, and planning-focused roles.
Budget analysts earn a national median annual salary of $87,930, reflecting solid earning potential for professionals with the right education and skills. Earnings differ by location, with several states and metro areas offering higher median salaries. Among states, California stands out at $99,520, followed by Colorado at $97,100, Washington at $96,640, Massachusetts at $92,260, and New York at $88,540. At the metro level, some areas show notably higher salaries, including San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $131,730, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV at $125,050, and San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA at $117,360. These metro medians significantly exceed the national median. New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ reports a median of $96,340, and Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH reports $98,330. Overall, salary outcomes vary meaningfully by region, giving candidates room to weigh compensation against location preferences.
Budget analysts have national employment of about 50,000 and projected employment growth of 1.0%. This projected growth, combined with 3,000 annual openings, points to continued demand for new entrants as positions open due to growth and turnover. The consistent 1.0% growth rate reported for the top states and metro areas reinforces a broadly steady outlook across key regions. States such as California, Massachusetts, New York, Colorado, and Washington, as well as major metros like San Jose, New York-Newark-Jersey City, San Francisco, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, and Boston, all share this same projected growth percentage. For students and career changers, this suggests a field with ongoing hiring needs rather than sharp expansion or contraction. Individuals can use the combination of projected growth, annual openings, and local opportunity scores to evaluate where the labor market may offer the best alignment with their location and salary goals.
Location plays a significant role in both opportunity and pay for budget analysts. At the state level, California has the highest CareerGPS opportunity score at 67.38, with a median salary of $99,520 and employment of 4,160. Massachusetts and New York follow closely with opportunity scores of 65.87 and 65.78, and median salaries of $92,260 and $88,540, respectively. Colorado and Washington also offer strong opportunities with scores above 56 and median salaries around or above $96,000. At the metro level, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA leads with an opportunity score of 77.42 and a median salary of $131,730, indicating a particularly strong combination of pay and opportunity. New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ also ranks highly with a 77.27 opportunity score and median salary of $96,340. San Francisco, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, and Boston metros provide additional high-opportunity options, each combining solid employment levels with elevated median pay compared with the national figure.
The typical education requirement for budget analysts is a bachelor’s degree, which provides the foundation for the analytical and quantitative demands of the role. Success in this field is strongly tied to key skills. Mathematics underpins much of the work, while problem solving and decision making support sound budget recommendations. Project management skills help coordinate tasks and timelines, and competence with computers and information technology is important for handling data and digital tools. Critical and analytical thinking, along with being detail oriented, are central to reviewing figures and documents. Writing and reading skills support clear reports and thorough review of budget materials, and effective speaking and listening enable productive discussions with colleagues and stakeholders. Adaptability and customer service round out the profile, helping analysts respond to changing needs and work effectively with those who rely on their budget insights.
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