Financial Analyst
Analyze financial data to guide business and investment decisions.
- $102,740
- 4 years
Business & Office career
Budget Analyst
Also called: Budget Officer · Budget Specialist · Fiscal Analyst · Financial Planning Analyst
What budget analysts do, what they earn, how long training takes and how to get started, with official BLS pay data and practical, job-level detail.
What does a budget analyst do?
Budget analysts help public and private institutions organize their finances, prepare budget reports and monitor spending. The median pay is $91,640 per year (BLS, May 2025), most people train for about Entry-level with a degree, and employment is projected to grow +1.9% from 2025–35.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
- Median pay$91,640$44.06/hour · May 2025
- Job growth+1.9%2025–35, slower than average
- Openings per year2,900Average, 2025–35
- Typical entry educationBachelor's degreeBLS classification
- Time to trainEntry-level with a degreeTypical program length
- U.S. jobs50,400Employment, 2025
What budget analysts do
Budget analysts plan and track spending. They help departments build budget requests, analyze costs, check that spending follows the budget, forecast future needs and explain budgets to leaders. Many work for federal, state and local governments, universities and large companies.
Most have a bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, economics or public administration.
Typical duties
- Prepare budget reports
- Review department requests
- Monitor spending
- Forecast future needs
- Analyze program costs
- Explain budgets to leaders
- Ensure spending follows rules
Work environment and schedule
Budget analysts work in offices, especially in government.
Schedule: Full time, with long hours during budget season.
A day in the life
- Review monthly spending reports.
- Meet a department about its request.
- Analyze overtime costs.
- Update the revenue forecast.
See a full day in the life of a budget analyst →
Budget Analyst salary
Half of budget analysts earned more than $91,640 and half earned less in May 2025. Pay ranged from about $62,250 for the lowest 10% to $136,660 for the top 10%.
Full budget analyst pay scale and hourly rates →
How to become a budget analyst
- Earn a bachelor’s
- Learn Excel deeply
- Join a budget office
- Earn the CGFM
- Advance
A bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, economics or public administration is typical.
Step-by-step guide to becoming a budget analyst →
Skills and tools
Technical skills
- Budget preparation
- Financial analysis
- Forecasting
- Excel
- Government accounting
People skills
- Attention to detail
- Communication
- Integrity
- Analytical thinking
All budget analyst skills and tools →
Pros and cons
Pros
- Stable government jobs
- Good pay
- Influence on spending
- Office hours
Cons
- Slow growth
- Budget season crunch
- Political pressure
- Detail-heavy
Certifications and licenses
- CGFM: Certified Government Financial Manager.
- CPA: Optional.
- CMA: Management accountant.
- MPA: Master of Public Administration, optional.
Career path
- Budget Analyst: Entry.
- Senior Budget Analyst: Lead areas.
- Budget Manager: Lead teams.
- Budget Director: Lead budgets.
Learn the job before day one
Our Budget Analyst training (10 hours, $89.99) covers the role, 15+ key terms, step-by-step procedures such as review a department budget request and track spending against the budget, safety and how to land your first job.
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Compare: Budget Analyst vs. Financial Analyst · Budget Analyst vs. Accountant · Budget Analyst vs. Financial Manager · Budget Analyst vs. Management Analyst
Budget Analyst FAQ
Where do budget analysts work?
Often in government, universities and large companies.
What is the CGFM?
A government finance credential.
Is the job growing?
BLS projects slow growth.
How much does a budget analyst make?
The median annual wage for budget analysts was $91,640 ($44.06 per hour) in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest 10% earned less than $62,250 and the highest 10% earned more than $136,660.
How long does it take to become a budget analyst?
Most people need about Entry-level with a degree of training. A bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, economics or public administration is typical.
Do you need a degree to be a budget analyst?
Usually, yes. BLS lists a bachelor's degree as the typical entry-level education, although skills, certifications and experience can sometimes substitute.
More budget analyst questions →
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025, SOC 13-2031 (Budget analysts).
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, BLS Employment Projections, Table 1.2 (2025–35).
- O*NET OnLine summary for Budget analysts (U.S. Department of Labor).
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook.
Reviewed by the Career Education Institute Curriculum Team. Pay figures are national estimates; local pay varies. See our editorial policy.