Budget Analyst salary in the U.S.
Budget Analysts in the U.S. earn a median of $91,640 a year ($44.06 an hour), based on BLS data for 47,160 workers.
Pay ranges from $62,250 for the lowest-paid 10% to $136,660 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $96,370, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for budget analysts in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $62,250 | $29.93 |
| 25th percentile | $75,320 | $36.21 |
| Median | $91,640 | $44.06 |
| 75th percentile | $114,220 | $54.91 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $136,660 | $65.70 |
| Average (mean) | $96,370 | $46.33 |
Half of budget analysts earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $7,636.67 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $3,818.33 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $3,524.62 |
| Weekly | $1,762.31 |
| Hourly | $44.06 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Budget Analyst salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $124,590 | 1,490 |
| Maryland | $106,020 | 2,490 |
| Virginia | $105,470 | 2,730 |
| California | $99,520 | 4,160 |
| Alabama | $99,490 | 870 |
| Colorado | $97,100 | 1,290 |
| Washington | $96,640 | 1,510 |
| Michigan | $96,430 | 1,020 |
| New Jersey | $96,250 | 840 |
| Connecticut | $95,440 | 970 |
| Oregon | $95,250 | 1,090 |
| Illinois | $94,880 | 750 |
| Alaska | $94,740 | 220 |
| Vermont | $93,430 | 90 |
| Rhode Island | $92,790 | 90 |
| New Hampshire | $92,600 | 80 |
| Hawaii | $92,380 | 210 |
| Massachusetts | $92,260 | 1,280 |
| Georgia | $91,870 | 1,900 |
| Ohio | $89,840 | 800 |
| Utah | $88,610 | 280 |
| New York | $88,540 | 2,760 |
| Maine | $88,130 | 200 |
| New Mexico | $87,360 | 740 |
| Tennessee | $86,570 | 1,140 |
| Iowa | $86,550 | 390 |
| South Carolina | $86,260 | 470 |
| Minnesota | $85,970 | 450 |
| Arizona | $84,810 | 730 |
| Pennsylvania | $84,240 | 1,490 |
| Florida | $84,170 | 3,150 |
| Idaho | $83,220 | 190 |
| Nebraska | $83,010 | 200 |
| Texas | $82,970 | 3,340 |
| North Carolina | $82,350 | 1,830 |
| Wisconsin | $82,180 | 820 |
| Indiana | $82,080 | 390 |
| Delaware | $82,000 | 260 |
| Missouri | $81,980 | 520 |
| Nevada | $81,600 | 440 |
| Wyoming | $81,100 | 80 |
| Oklahoma | $80,990 | 670 |
| Louisiana | $80,530 | 330 |
| Kansas | $80,140 | 270 |
| Montana | $79,700 | 360 |
| South Dakota | $79,180 | 120 |
| Mississippi | $78,850 | 390 |
| West Virginia | $78,850 | 180 |
| North Dakota | $77,400 | 150 |
| Kentucky | $76,860 | 630 |
| Arkansas | $71,800 | 320 |
| Guam | $67,200 | 70 |
| Virgin Islands | $64,990 | 50 |
| Puerto Rico | $50,560 | 370 |
Best-paying metro areas for budget analysts
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Iowa City, IA | $134,850 | 40 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $131,730 | 340 |
| Ann Arbor, MI | $127,860 | 90 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $125,050 | 4,100 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $117,360 | 760 |
| Huntsville, AL | $113,400 | 520 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $110,470 | 80 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $107,010 | 290 |
| Gainesville, GA | $106,610 | 50 |
| Lexington Park, MD | $106,280 | 60 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $104,090 | 910 |
| Salinas, CA | $103,970 | 50 |
| Greeley, CO | $103,720 | 40 |
| Boulder, CO | $102,760 | 90 |
| Modesto, CA | $102,480 | 40 |
Metro areas with the most budget analysts
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 4,100 | $125,050 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 1,950 | $96,340 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 1,170 | $99,880 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | 1,150 | $96,150 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 1,070 | $96,870 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 930 | $98,330 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 910 | $104,090 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 810 | $82,790 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 760 | $86,610 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 760 | $117,360 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 740 | $100,720 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 700 | $93,600 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | 650 | $81,350 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | 620 | $81,720 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 620 | $98,330 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,680 | $40.23 |
| Financial and Investment Analysts | $102,740 | $49.40 |
| Loan Officer | $76,690 | $36.87 |
| Personal Financial Advisor | $105,070 | $50.51 |
| Financial Specialists, All Other | $81,100 | $38.99 |
| Insurance Underwriter | $81,370 | $39.12 |
| Tax Preparer | $54,920 | $26.40 |
| Financial Examiner | $94,160 | $45.27 |
| Credit Analyst | $83,510 | $40.15 |
| Financial Risk Specialist | $117,330 | $56.41 |
| Property Appraisers and Assessors | $67,960 | $32.67 |
| Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents | $62,370 | $29.98 |
| Credit Counselor | $52,230 | $25.11 |
| Business Operations Specialists, All Other | $83,050 | $39.93 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 13-2031. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a budget analyst make in the U.S.?
The median salary for budget analysts in the U.S. is $91,640 a year, or $44.06 an hour. Pay ranges from $62,250 for the lowest-paid 10% to $136,660 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid budget analysts make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of budget analysts in the U.S. earn at least $136,660 a year. The top 25% earn $114,220 or more.
What is the starting pay for budget analysts in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $62,250 a year, and a quarter of budget analysts earn $75,320 or less.
How many budget analysts work in the U.S.?
About 47,160 budget analysts are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.