Budget Analyst Job Description

Salary Range

$75,320 - $114,220

Experience

Entry-level to senior

Work Environment

Government, campus or corporate office

What Does a Budget Analyst Do?

Before leaders approve a new program, a new position or a pay raise, somebody has to tell them what it will cost. In government agencies, companies and universities, that answer usually comes from a budget analyst, who reviews department requests, builds revenue and spending forecasts and flags units heading for a deficit.

Also known as: Senior Budget Analyst, Associate Budget Analyst

Other Job Titles for This Work

Workers in this occupation report titles such as Budget and Policy Analyst, Budget Coordinator, Budget Officer, Budget Planning Analyst, Cost Analyst, Financial Services Officer, Fiscal Analyst, Fiscal Budget Analyst.

Budget Analyst Duties and Responsibilities

The primary responsibilities of a budget analyst include:

• Review department budget requests and check each line against past spending and stated priorities.
• Build revenue and expense forecasts in Excel or a budgeting system for the coming fiscal year.
• Track actual spending against the approved budget each month and flag units heading for a deficit.
• Write short memos explaining variances, risks and options for the budget director.
• Estimate the cost of proposed programs, positions or salary changes before leaders decide.
• Prepare budget books, board presentations and requests to trustees or the legislature.
• Process budget transfers and amendments, checking that each one follows fiscal policy.
• Meet with department managers to explain budget rules, deadlines and forms.
• Model the effect of tuition, enrollment or tax revenue changes on next year's plan.
• Maintain position control records that tie budgeted jobs to actual payroll costs.

Required Skills and Qualifications

To succeed as a budget analyst, you will need the following skills and qualifications:

• Advanced Excel modeling
• Planning systems such as Oracle Hyperion or Workday Adaptive Planning
• Governmental or fund accounting basics
• Clear writing for readers outside finance
• Forecasting and cost analysis
• Tact with managers competing for limited funds
• Accuracy under fiscal-year deadlines
• Bachelor's degree in finance, accounting, economics or public administration

Education and Training

Most budget analysts start with a bachelor's degree in finance, accounting, economics or public administration, the usual entry level in BLS data for the occupation. Strong Excel skill is assumed. You may become a senior analyst after several budget cycles and a budget director some years after that, often with a master's in public administration or business along the way.

Salary and Job Outlook

The median annual wage for budget analysts was about $92,000 in May 2025, according to BLS. BLS projects employment of budget analysts to grow about 2 percent from 2025 to 2035. That is slow growth for a small occupation, so the roughly 2,900 openings a year that BLS expects will mostly come from analysts who retire or move up.

Outlook source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, Budget analysts.

Budget Analyst Pay Range

Highest-Paying States for Budget Analysts

The states with the highest median pay for this occupation are District of Columbia ($124,590), Maryland ($106,020), Virginia ($105,470), California ($99,520), Alabama ($99,490). Pay is lowest in North Dakota ($77,400), Kentucky ($76,860), Arkansas ($71,800).

What the Work Is Like

O*NET surveys people who work as budget analysts about their daily conditions. Of those surveyed:

• 100% use email every day
• 99% spend more than half the workday sitting
• 88% say teamwork is very or extremely important in their job
• 66% work indoors in a climate-controlled space every day
• 66% use their hands on tools, objects or controls for more than half the day
• 64% are on the phone every day
• 45% work against deadlines every day

Education Workers Say the Job Needs

Tools and Software Budget Analysts Use

Tools and equipment

• Desktop computers
• Laser printers
• Notebook computers
• Personal computers

Software

• Microsoft Access
• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft Office software
• Microsoft Outlook
• Microsoft Power BI
• Microsoft PowerPoint
• Microsoft Word
• SAP software
• Microsoft SharePoint
• Microsoft Visual Basic
• Structured query language SQL
• Accounting software

Is This Job a Good Fit for You?

People who do well in this job tend to enjoy organized work with data, records and clear procedures as well as leading, persuading and making business decisions.

Skills O*NET rates most important: Mathematics, Critical Thinking, Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Speaking, Complex Problem Solving.

Knowledge areas used most: Economics and Accounting, Mathematics, English Language, Administration and Management, Administrative.

Preparation: O*NET places this occupation in Job Zone 4 of 5, which means considerable preparation.

Related Careers

These jobs use similar skills, according to O*NET's related-occupation data:

• Accountant job description
• Auditor job description
• Chief Financial Officer job description
• Bank Manager job description
• Accounting Manager job description
• Accounts Payable Manager job description
• Accounts Receivable Manager job description
• Budget Director job description

Applying for a Budget Analyst Job

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