Average Budget Analysts Salary in the United States
The national median salary for Budget Analysts is $91,640 per year. The middle 50% earn between $75,320 and $114,220, with 47,160 workers employed nationally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2025 estimates . Data covers 51 states and 174 metro areas.
Pay distribution
Here is how Budget Analysts pay is distributed across workers nationally. The 10th percentile typically reflects entry-level or early-career pay, the median is the midpoint, and the 90th percentile represents the top earners in the field.
- 10th
- $62,250
- 25th
- $75,320
- Median
- $91,640
- 75th
- $114,220
- 90th
- $136,660
All values are percentiles of annual wages.
Pay is well above the national median for all US workers. This is an upper-income occupation.
The spread between entry-level and top-end pay is typical for US occupations. Experience and specialization matter, but the range is not unusually wide.
Job outlook
BLS projects employment for budget analysts from 2024 to 2034. Growth is below the US average of roughly 4% across all occupations. The field is relatively stable but not expanding quickly.
- Projected growth
- +1.0%
- 500 net jobs over the projection period.
- Annual openings
- 3,100
- Includes growth plus replacements for workers who leave.
- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is the typical entry requirement for budget analysts.
Where Budget Analysts earn the most
Location matters a lot. The gap between top-paying and bottom-paying states is large, so where budget analysts work can reshape their total compensation. Right now, the top-paying state is District of Columbia at $124,590, about 36.0% above the national median. At the metro level, Iowa City, IA leads with a median of $134,850.
Top-paying states
| State | Median salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
Top-paying metros
| Metro area | Median salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
Compare two locations side by side
Pick two states or metros to see budget analysts pay in each, along with a cost-of-living adjusted view.
Salary trend and related occupations
Between 2019 and 2025, the national median salary for Budget Analysts rose from $76,540 to $91,640, a gain of +19.7% in nominal dollars.
Over the same period, US consumer prices rose by +25.9%. Just to keep pace with inflation, the 2019 median of $76,540 would need to be worth $96,385 in 2025 dollars.
The actual 2025 median of $91,640 is −$4,745 below that inflation-adjusted benchmark, a real change of -4.9% in purchasing power.
Adjusted for inflation, pay has lost ground. Nominal growth of 19.7% has not kept up with rising prices.
- Nominal change
- +19.7%
- 2019–2025
- Cumulative inflation
- +25.9%
- US CPI, 2019–2025
- Real change
- -4.9%
- After adjusting for inflation
Median salary over time
Budget Analysts median pay by year, going back through the available BLS releases.
- 2025
- $91,640
- 2024
- $87,930
- 2023
- $84,940
- 2022
- $82,260
- 2021
- $79,940
- 2020
- $78,970
- 2019
- $76,540
BLS did not publish a median for 2000–2018, so those years are omitted.
Related occupations
Other occupations in the same field, with median pay for comparison.
- Financial Examiners
- $94,160
- Accountants And Auditors
- $83,680
- Credit Analysts
- $83,510
- Insurance Underwriters
- $81,370
- Financial Specialists, All Other
- $81,100
- Financial And Investment Analysts
- $102,740
- Personal Financial Advisors
- $105,070
- Loan Officers
- $76,690
Common salary questions for Budget Analysts
What does the median salary mean? +
The median is the midpoint of all wages. Half of Budget Analysts workers earn more and half earn less. It is a better measure of typical pay than the average, which can be skewed by very high or very low earners.
Why does pay vary so much by location? +
Local labor markets, cost of living, industry concentration, and employer competition all affect wages. High-cost metros like San Francisco and New York often pay more in nominal terms, though some of that premium is offset by higher living costs.
How current is this salary data? +
This page uses the May 2025 BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics release. BLS publishes OEWS data once per year, typically in the spring for the previous May reference period.
What do the percentile ranges tell me? +
The 10th and 90th percentiles show the full pay band. The 25th to 75th percentile range, the middle 50%, is where most workers fall. A wide spread usually means experience, specialization, or location matter a lot for this occupation.