...the Web's Best Employment Resources

Budget Analysts and Administrators Job Overview

Budget analysts and administrators develop, analyze and execute budgets, which are required for allocating current resources and estimating future financial needs. Efficient distribution of limited financial resources is always an important challenge for all organizations and this task would be almost impossible without budget analysts and administrators. They usually work in private industries, non-profit organizations and in the public sector.

As limited funds have led to downsizing and reconstruction in recent years, the role of budget analysts has widened. Apart from managing an organization’s budget, they are often involved in program performance evaluations, policy analysis and drafting budget related legislation. They also perform training sessions concerning new budget procedures.

Budget Analysts and Administrators Schools and Degrees

Budget analysts and administrators are generally required to have a bachelor’s degree, but a master’s degree might also be required or preferred. A bachelor’s degree in finance, accounting, business, public administration, economics, statistics, political science or sociology are all accepted. Candidates with strong analytic and policy analysis backgrounds are often preferred.

The Certified Government Financial Manager designation is granted by the Association of Government Accountants to government budget analysts and administrators employed at the Federal, State or local level. Candidates must have a minimum of a bachelor’s degree, 24 hours of study in financial management and 2 years of experience in government. The candidates must also pass three exams.

Job Requirements

Organizations often look for candidates with a degree in business, since business courses stress both quantitative and analytical skills. Budget analysts and administrators should strictly abide by ethical laws. Integrity, objectivity and confidentiality are also crucial while dealing with financial information. Other important skills include mathematical skills, software handling skills and strong oral and written communication skills, among others. Working under strict time constraints is also commonly required.

Nature of Work

In the absence of effective budget analysis and feedback about budgetary problems, many private and public organizations would not be able to survive. Budget analysts and administrators find ways to most efficiently distribute funds and other resources among various departments and programs. Budget analysts and administrators work in comfortable offices. Some of them travel to acquire budget details and verify funding allocation. Deadline pressures and tight work schedules can be stressful.

Budget Analysts and Administrators Jobs and Outlook

According to research, budget analysts and administrators held about 62,000 jobs in the U.S. in 2006, which is expected to increase by 7 percent during the next ten years. Employment is the highest in the following industries:

• Colleges, universities, and professional schools
• Federal Government
• Local government
• Management of companies and enterprises
• State government

The mean hourly wage for budget analysts and administrators in the US is about $27.56, while the mean annual wages are around $57,330.

Job Numbers and Growth

Budget analysts and administrators in the US number about 62,000. Workers generally expect a very low unemployment rate. There were about 3% of employees without jobs in 2008.

Area Job Conditions

Where are jobs most numerous? Olympia (Washington), Fairbanks (Alaska), and Fort Walton Beach (Florida). Least common? Nassau (New York), Gary (Indiana), and Minneapolis (Minnesota).

Salaries vary across the country, from highest in San Jose (California), San Francisco (California), and Oakland (California) to lowest in Erie (Pennsylvania), Gainesville (Florida), and McAllen (Texas).

Training and Education

Obtaining a bachelor's degree will help job seekers. Employees with four or more years of college are 78% of the total. An estimated 18% of budget analysts and administrators attended college at some level but did not pursue a 4-year degree. High school was enough education for 4% of workers. Recommended schools are shown in the column to the right; request information from them to help you decide which if any could help you with this career.

Part-Time Work and Self-Employment

Whether by choice or necessity, 3% of budget analysts and administrators work part-time.

Budget Analysts And Administrators by Metropolitan Area (city and its surroundings)

In the table below, a Job Density near 0% means the area has an average number of people in this occupation, for its population. A higher or lower Job Density (e.g., +22% or -45%) tells you there are that many more or fewer workers of that type there than in the average US metro area. So, the higher the number, the more common the occupation.

Alabama

Alaska

Arizona

Arkansas

California

Colorado

Connecticut

Delaware

District of Columbia

Florida

Georgia

Hawaii

Idaho

Illinois

Indiana

Iowa

Kansas

Kentucky

Louisiana

Maryland

Massachusetts

Michigan

Minnesota

Mississippi

Missouri

Montana

Nebraska

Nevada

New Jersey

New Mexico

New York

North Carolina

Ohio

Oklahoma

Oregon

Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

South Carolina

South Dakota

Tennessee

Texas

Utah

Virginia

Washington

West Virginia

Wisconsin