How Much Does a Senior Budget Analyst Make? (2025)
Senior budget analysts are responsible for monitoring and analyzing accounting allocation and spending data to determine financial resources required to develop budgets. They track expenses, inventories, and budget balances. They help companies achieve objectives by formulating, processing, testing, implementing, and maintaining requirements for business policies, procedures, and systems.
Additionally, they measure actual performance against budget, conduct research and analyses, determine problems based on regular statistics and financial review, develop recommendations, and respond with solutions.
This salary guide will thoroughly discuss the overview of a senior budget analyst salary, as well as factors that affect the role's compensation, options to have higher pay, and some related frequently asked questions.
What is the Average Senior Budget Analyst's Salary?
As of October 16, 2025, the average senior budget analyst salary in the United States is $89,690 per year. The compensation usually ranges from $72,878 to $107,457, with most senior budget analysts earning around $80,890 to $98,990.
2025 Average Salary for Senior Budget Analysts: $89,690 per year ($43 per hour)
The average senior budget analyst salary per month is $7,474, while the average weekly rate is $1,725.
| Percentile | By Hour | By Week | By Month | By Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile | $35 | $1,402 | $6,073 | $72,878 |
| 25th Percentile | $39 | $1,556 | $6,741 | $80,890 |
| 50th Percentile (Median) | $43 | $1,725 | $7,474 | $89,690 |
| 75th Percentile | $48 | $1,904 | $8,249 | $98,990 |
| 90th Percentile | $52 | $2,066 | $8,955 | $107,457 |
Senior Budget Analyst Salaries State by State
Senior budget analyst salaries vary from state to state due to key factors, such as the cost of living, local economies, and industry presence.
The state with the highest average annual senior budget analyst pay is the District of Columbia, at $99,290, followed by California, at $98,890, and Massachusetts, at $97,590.
Meanwhile, the state with the lowest average annual salary is Mississippi at $79,990, followed by West Virginia at $80,790 and Arkansas at $80,990.
| States | Average Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Alaska | $97,090 |
| Alabama | $82,390 |
| Arkansas | $80,990 |
| Arizona | $87,390 |
| California | $98,890 |
| Colorado | $91,490 |
| Connecticut | $95,790 |
| District of Columbia | $99,290 |
| Delaware | $90,790 |
| Florida | $84,890 |
| Georgia | $86,490 |
| Hawaii | $93,690 |
| Iowa | $85,790 |
| Idaho | $83,690 |
| Illinois | $91,390 |
| Indiana | $86,090 |
| Kansas | $85,390 |
| Kentucky | $84,390 |
| Louisiana | $85,290 |
| Massachusetts | $97,590 |
| Maryland | $92,490 |
| Maine | $87,390 |
| Michigan | $88,290 |
| Minnesota | $91,790 |
| Missouri | $85,190 |
| Mississippi | $79,990 |
| Montana | $84,690 |
| North Carolina | $85,190 |
| North Dakota | $88,590 |
| Nebraska | $84,490 |
| New Hampshire | $90,690 |
| New Jersey | $97,190 |
| New Mexico | $83,090 |
| Nevada | $88,790 |
| New York | $95,290 |
| Ohio | $87,290 |
| Oklahoma | $82,890 |
| Oregon | $91,090 |
| Pennsylvania | $89,290 |
| Rhode Island | $92,990 |
| South Carolina | $83,990 |
| South Dakota | $81,490 |
| Tennessee | $83,790 |
| Texas | $87,490 |
| Utah | $85,890 |
| Virginia | $90,290 |
| Vermont | $87,990 |
| Washington | $97,190 |
| Wisconsin | $88,190 |
| West Virginia | $80,790 |
| Wyoming | $85,990 |
What are the Best-Paying Cities for Senior Budget Analysts?
The cities that provide the best salary for senior budget analysts are shown in the table below. With an average annual pay of $113,090, San Jose, California, is the best-paying city.
| Cities | Average Pay |
|---|---|
| San Jose, California | $113,090 ($54 per hour) |
| San Francisco, California | $111,990 ($54 per hour) |
| Oakland, California | $109,490 ($53 per hour) |
| New York, New York | $103,890 ($50 per hour) |
| Queens Village, New York | $103,290 ($50 per hour) |
| Paramus, New Jersey | $102,490 ($49 per hour) |
How Does Experience Affect Senior Budget Analyst Salaries?
Just like any profession, more experience will lead to higher pay when it comes to senior budget analyst salaries.
With less than a year of experience, an entry-level position will have an average starting salary of $85,750. An intermediate-level senior budget analyst with 1 to 2 years of experience gets $86,406.
A senior-level senior budget analyst with 2 to 4 years of experience will have $87,720, while a specialist with 5 to 8 years of experience usually gets $92,496 on average. The most experienced senior budget analyst is at the expert level with over 8 years of experience, earning $95,021.
| Levels | Salary |
|---|---|
| Entry Level Senior Budget Analyst | $85,750 |
| Intermediate Level Senior Budget Analyst | $86,406 |
| Senior Level Senior Budget Analyst | $87,720 |
| Specialist Level Senior Budget Analyst | $92,496 |
| Expert Level Senior Budget Analyst | $95,021 |
How to Increase Salary as a Senior Budget Analyst
The job title as senior budget analyst typically requires a bachelor's degree in accounting, business, social science, mathematics, or psychology, while courses related to economic or statistics help in developing numeracy and analytical skills. Work experience related to budget or finance can sometimes be a substitute for formal education.
Here are ways to increase the salary of senior budget analysts:
Senior Budget Analyst Advancements
-
Excel to management positions:
Given the skills and experience of senior budget analysts, they can become financial managers, supervisors, and other leadership roles in organizations. Senior candidates can also be part of strategic planning and risk management. -
Gain certification or continued learning:
Pursuing professional certifications, such as Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Certified Budget Analyst (CBA), or Certified Budget Specialist (CBS), helps senior budget analysts verify their expertise and gives them access to better earning potential. Other employers prefer those with a master's degree in economics, business, or related fields. -
Stay updated with latest trends:
Make use of seminars, conferences, and workshops to continue professional development and obtain a variety of skills that keep budget analysts competitive in today's market, such as advanced financial and budget analysis, data skills and technology proficiency, strategic planning, and accounting and financial reporting. It is also better to specialize in areas such as capital budgeting and financial modeling. -
Apply in high-paying sectors:
Salary for senior budget analysts depends on the nature of their work. Industries differ in compensation, so it is important to choose the high-paying ones. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, here are the top industries with high annual median salary for budget analysts:- Other information services: $100,520
- Software publishers: $100,000
- Other professional, scientific, and technical services: $99,900
- Semiconductor and other electronic component manufacturing: $99,160
- Pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing: $98,870
Senior Budget Analyst Skills
According to Salary.com's Real-time Job Posting Salary Data Report, process analysis gives the highest increase in salary at 8.95%, followed by skills in finance and accounting software products at 8.63% and cost control at 8.07%.
Other significant skills with high salary increases are financial planning (7.97%), trend analysis (7.93%), and financial modeling (7.50%).
| Skill | Demand | Salary Increase |
|---|---|---|
| Process Analysis | 10.60% | +8.95% |
| Finance and Accounting Software Products | 10.70% | +8.63% |
| Cost Control | 10.40% | +8.07% |
| Financial Planning | 10.30% | +7.97% |
| Trend Analysis | 10.80% | +7.93% |
| Financial Modeling | 10.20% | +7.50% |
What are the FAQs About Senior Budget Analyst Salaries?
Here are some common questions about the senior budget analyst compensation:
What is the senior budget analyst salary near Washington, DC?
The senior budget analyst pay near Washington, DC is $99,290 per year on average, with a range between $80,568 and $118,968. The monthly rate is $8,274, the weekly rate is $1,909, and the hourly rate is $48.
What is the highest salary of a budget analyst?
The highest salary of a budget analyst is $107,457, according to the latest data from Salary.com. This is influenced by various factors, such as location, industry presence, skills, education level, and experience level.
What is the typical compensation package for a senior budget analyst, including bonuses and benefits?
In addition to the salary of senior budget analyst, they also get bonuses and benefits in their compensation package. The individual component of their package, which offers financial security for senior budget analysts, include bonus ($19,400), social security ($8,345), 401K/403B ($4,582), disability ($2,182), healthcare ($8,352), pension ($5,891), and time off ($13,426). The total compensation a senior budget analyst can earn on average is $151,868.
