Budget and Policy Analysts

Median Salary: $66,700

Many budget and policy analysts across the country share a handful of key professional attributes. For example, analytical thinking, cooperation, and initiative can be vital for success in the industry, especially when blended with career training. Around 60,970 people were employed as budget and policy analysts nationwide in 2009. With that much workplace competition, it's essential to build on these traits and receive solid training, particularly if you're preparing to move forward in the field.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median annual income for budget and policy analysts in the U.S. was $66,700 in 2009, which works out to a median hourly wage of $32.10. Of course, income can vary with training and by location. Below, you'll find more data about budget and policy analysts, including wages and job density for areas all over the country.

Budget and policy analysts should be skilled in:

  • Oral Expression
  • Deductive Reasoning
  • Information Ordering
  • Inductive Reasoning
  • Selective Attention

Different people go into different careers; budget and policy analysts are typically:

  • Conventional
  • Enterprising
  • Investigative

Working as a budget or policy analyst requires knowledge in subjects like:

  • Economics and Accounting
  • Mathematics
  • Clerical
  • Customer and Personal Service
  • Law and Government

Related Occupations

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Below, you'll see links to more information on the top cities for this occupation (based on the number of people employed as budget and policy analysts). Note: "Job density" refers to the proportion of budget and policy analysts in each city as compared to the national average.

Alabama
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Birmingham 110 $52,800 $25.40 $68,400 $32.90 -52.2%
Huntsville 470 $72,500 $34.80 $88,600 $42.60 394.4%
Mobile 40 $60,000 $28.90 $65,800 $31.60 -55.9%
Montgomery 90 $61,600 $29.60 $74,400 $35.80 24.2%
Alaska
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Anchorage 130 $69,100 $33.20 $78,900 $37.90 67.2%
Fairbanks 80 $59,600 $28.60 $68,600 $33.00 387.2%
Arizona
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Phoenix 570 $63,500 $30.50 $76,500 $36.80 -30.8%
Tucson 160 $60,200 $28.90 $70,400 $33.90 -6%
Arkansas
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Fayetteville 30 $66,500 $32.00 $82,800 $39.80 -67%
Little Rock 280 $55,800 $26.80 $70,400 $33.90 81.2%
California
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Bakersfield 140 $70,300 $33.80 $83,500 $40.10 12.2%
Chico 30 $63,300 $30.40 $77,900 $37.50 -4.1%
El Centro NA $52,900 $25.40 $68,500 $32.90 NA
Fresno 210 $49,800 $23.90 $71,700 $34.50 39.6%
Los Angeles (Area) 4,020 $76,800 $36.90 $93,400 $44.90 50.1%
Modesto 90 $73,100 $35.20 $91,800 $44.10 17.1%
Oakland 840 $84,200 $40.50 $102,400 $49.20 80.5%
Oxnard 230 $60,100 $28.90 $83,800 $40.30 65.3%
Riverside 840 $60,400 $29.10 $77,000 $37.00 49.3%
Sacramento 880 $67,200 $32.30 $79,500 $38.20 120.8%
Salinas 50 $71,000 $34.10 $85,100 $40.90 -26.8%
San Diego 1,090 $73,000 $35.10 $85,100 $40.90 83.1%
San Francisco (Area) 1,800 $85,100 $40.90 $103,200 $49.60 95.1%
San Francisco (City) 960 $85,900 $41.30 $103,900 $50.00 109.9%
San Jose 1,430 $90,400 $43.50 $108,500 $52.20 245%
Santa Barbara 140 $70,400 $33.80 $84,900 $40.80 80.1%
Santa Cruz NA $65,600 $31.60 $86,700 $41.70 NA
Santa Rosa 70 $79,100 $38.00 $89,900 $43.20 -11.6%
Stockton 60 $66,000 $31.80 $85,300 $41.00 -41.8%
Vallejo 40 $73,900 $35.60 $90,300 $43.40 -24.8%
Visalia 60 $52,800 $25.40 $69,600 $33.50 -5.8%
Yuba City 30 $62,500 $30.00 $70,200 $33.80 73.9%
Colorado
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Boulder 50 $71,100 $34.20 $90,200 $43.30 -30.6%
Colorado Springs 200 $63,900 $30.70 $76,400 $36.70 74.3%
Denver 900 $66,700 $32.10 $83,000 $39.90 57.8%
Fort Collins 40 $74,900 $36.00 $79,700 $38.30 -25.5%
Connecticut
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Bridgeport 170 $67,500 $32.50 $86,500 $41.60 -15.4%
Hartford 730 $72,900 $35.00 $85,600 $41.10 176.7%
New Haven 120 $74,300 $35.70 $84,500 $40.60 -5.1%
Norwich 50 $61,500 $29.60 $73,100 $35.10 -21.6%
Delaware
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Dover 50 $53,000 $25.50 $59,600 $28.70 92.1%
District of Columbia
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Washington (Area) 5,120 $83,500 $40.10 $100,200 $48.20 227.6%
Florida
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Bradenton 70 $57,100 $27.50 $67,500 $32.40 -40%
Cape Coral 30 $57,000 $27.40 $65,700 $31.60 -67%
Deltona 40 $53,700 $25.80 $65,500 $31.50 -41.5%
Fort Walton Beach 170 $63,900 $30.70 $74,400 $35.80 377.1%
Gainesville 130 $47,000 $22.60 $58,000 $27.90 121.4%
Jacksonville 190 $56,400 $27.10 $71,600 $34.40 -28.7%
Lakeland 40 $59,300 $28.50 $66,700 $32.10 -58%
Miami (Area) 870 $61,500 $29.60 $77,900 $37.40 -16.9%
Orlando 240 $58,300 $28.10 $75,700 $36.40 -49%
Palm Bay 160 $59,800 $28.80 $69,600 $33.50 73%
Pensacola 30 $55,800 $26.80 $71,300 $34.30 -51.2%
Tallahassee 200 $46,700 $22.50 $60,300 $29.00 160.4%
Tampa 490 $61,600 $29.60 $76,400 $36.70 -7.1%
Georgia
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Atlanta 930 $68,900 $33.10 $86,800 $41.80 -13.3%
Augusta 90 $63,900 $30.70 $78,900 $37.90 -9.4%
Columbus 90 $59,100 $28.40 $70,300 $33.80 67.7%
Macon 30 $50,300 $24.20 $63,000 $30.30 -27.6%
Savannah 60 $56,300 $27.10 $66,300 $31.90 -16.5%
Warner Robins 50 $74,400 $35.80 $83,400 $40.10 95.3%
Hawaii
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Honolulu 350 $66,100 $31.80 $77,200 $37.10 71.9%
Idaho
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Boise City 90 $58,300 $28.00 $70,400 $33.90 -26.6%
Illinois
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Chicago (Area) 1,170 $66,600 $32.00 $80,700 $38.80 -38.3%
Springfield 60 $52,200 $25.10 $67,600 $32.50 16.9%
Indiana
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Evansville 40 $64,600 $31.10 $81,500 $39.20 -43.5%
Fort Wayne 60 $66,800 $32.10 $79,300 $38.10 -34.3%
Indianapolis 340 $63,200 $30.40 $76,900 $37.00 -15.8%
Lafayette 40 $61,500 $29.60 $71,000 $34.10 9.2%
Iowa
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Davenport 100 $71,100 $34.20 $85,700 $41.20 11.3%
Des Moines 130 $66,900 $32.20 $78,200 $37.60 -14.8%
Kansas
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Topeka 40 $64,600 $31.00 $78,900 $37.90 -19.3%
Wichita NA $63,800 $30.70 $75,000 $36.00 NA
Kentucky
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Lexington 70 $62,700 $30.20 $76,700 $36.90 -34.3%
Louisville 270 $54,400 $26.10 $65,700 $31.60 -4.1%
Louisiana
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Alexandria 30 $46,400 $22.30 $62,200 $29.90 9.4%
Baton Rouge 190 $51,200 $24.60 $77,100 $37.10 11.1%
New Orleans 140 $54,500 $26.20 $68,300 $32.80 -40.5%
Shreveport 50 $54,400 $26.20 $65,800 $31.60 -40.7%
Maine
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Portland 30 $64,100 $30.80 $74,000 $35.60 -63.4%
Maryland
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Baltimore 1,110 $64,700 $31.10 $82,800 $39.80 88.2%
Massachusetts
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Boston (Area) 1,030 $70,300 $33.80 $88,900 $42.70 10.9%
Springfield 80 $67,300 $32.30 $78,800 $37.90 -42.6%
Worcester 80 $61,200 $29.40 $79,100 $38.00 -31.7%
Michigan
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Ann Arbor 80 $60,200 $29.00 $69,200 $33.30 -11.1%
Detroit (Area) 760 NA NA NA NA 2.6%
Grand Rapids 60 $52,800 $25.40 $67,400 $32.40 -63.2%
Lansing 730 $65,900 $31.70 $70,600 $33.90 678.2%
Minnesota
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Minneapolis 210 $67,900 $32.70 $79,900 $38.40 -74.5%
Mississippi
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Gulfport 60 $56,700 $27.30 $71,500 $34.40 34.3%
Jackson 90 $47,100 $22.70 $63,900 $30.70 -19.3%
Missouri
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Jefferson City 70 $48,100 $23.10 $56,200 $27.00 74.3%
Kansas City 630 $59,800 $28.80 $73,300 $35.30 36.2%
Springfield 30 $55,200 $26.60 $61,900 $29.80 -63%
St. Louis 990 $65,800 $31.60 $81,100 $39.00 62.7%
Montana
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Billings 30 $60,200 $28.90 $71,500 $34.40 -12%
Nebraska
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Lincoln 80 $50,900 $24.50 $62,100 $29.80 1.7%
Omaha 150 $59,600 $28.60 $75,400 $36.30 -29.3%
Nevada
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Las Vegas 190 $68,400 $32.90 $83,900 $40.30 -52%
Reno 90 $69,800 $33.60 $81,100 $39.00 -5.1%
New Jersey
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Trenton 190 $72,600 $34.90 $87,100 $41.90 89.1%
New Mexico
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Albuquerque 350 $63,600 $30.60 $74,400 $35.80 94.2%
Santa Fe 100 $78,900 $37.90 $89,500 $43.10 241.5%
New York
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Albany 550 $59,800 $28.80 $73,800 $35.50 171.7%
Buffalo 80 $61,600 $29.60 $72,600 $34.90 -67.2%
New York (Area) 1,980 $69,500 $33.40 $85,300 $41.00 -43.5%
Poughkeepsie 100 $67,000 $32.20 $80,300 $38.60 -14.3%
Rochester 70 $57,100 $27.50 $68,600 $33.00 -70.9%
Syracuse 60 $57,100 $27.40 $70,200 $33.70 -55.2%
North Carolina
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Asheville 50 $50,500 $24.30 $61,400 $29.50 -42.2%
Charlotte 260 $70,400 $33.90 $82,800 $39.80 -34.7%
Durham 60 $64,700 $31.10 $82,000 $39.40 -52.5%
Fayetteville 200 $65,900 $31.70 $74,300 $35.70 247.1%
Greensboro 40 $67,900 $32.70 $77,000 $37.00 -74.9%
Raleigh 140 $69,400 $33.40 $82,900 $39.90 -40.3%
Wilmington 60 $46,900 $22.60 $56,900 $27.40 -2.4%
Ohio
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Akron 50 $58,700 $28.20 $75,800 $36.40 -68.3%
Cincinnati 190 $69,900 $33.60 $83,600 $40.20 -59.3%
Cleveland 260 $68,200 $32.80 $86,000 $41.30 -44.8%
Dayton 240 $75,700 $36.40 $89,500 $43.00 40.5%
Toledo 50 $55,400 $26.60 $61,000 $29.30 -66.4%
Oklahoma
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Lawton 70 $58,300 $28.00 $69,900 $33.60 282.2%
Oklahoma City 360 $56,400 $27.10 $69,900 $33.60 35.3%
Tulsa 110 $49,200 $23.70 $67,700 $32.60 -46.7%
Oregon
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Eugene 40 $61,500 $29.60 $73,200 $35.20 -36.6%
Portland 330 $65,200 $31.40 $77,100 $37.10 -29.1%
Salem 210 $58,800 $28.30 $68,800 $33.10 208.1%
Pennsylvania
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Allentown 110 $61,400 $29.50 $81,800 $39.30 -31%
Erie 30 $35,200 $16.90 $53,000 $25.50 -47.1%
Harrisburg 310 $60,900 $29.30 $75,300 $36.20 116.5%
Philadelphia (Area) 970 $66,400 $31.90 $78,700 $37.80 -34.9%
Pittsburgh 320 $61,900 $29.80 $76,800 $36.90 -39.2%
Scranton 50 $57,000 $27.40 $72,100 $34.70 -57%
York NA $78,000 $37.50 $87,500 $42.10 NA
Rhode Island
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Providence 210 $71,700 $34.50 $85,700 $41.20 -16.7%
South Carolina
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Charleston 130 $56,400 $27.10 $66,300 $31.90 -1.9%
Columbia 120 $60,100 $28.90 $70,300 $33.80 -22.7%
Greenville 90 $59,900 $28.80 $69,200 $33.30 -35.8%
South Dakota
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Sioux Falls 30 $53,100 $25.50 $61,400 $29.50 -49.7%
Tennessee
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Chattanooga 50 $54,100 $26.00 $81,600 $39.30 -48.2%
Knoxville 110 $66,000 $31.80 $82,600 $39.70 -29.3%
Memphis 120 $54,400 $26.20 $71,600 $34.40 -55.9%
Nashville 260 $60,900 $29.30 $73,600 $35.40 -21.6%
Texas
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Amarillo 80 $73,200 $35.20 $87,000 $41.80 61.2%
Austin 570 $55,400 $26.60 $65,800 $31.60 57.8%
Beaumont 60 $55,200 $26.50 $64,700 $31.10 -13.3%
College Station 30 $53,700 $25.80 $68,000 $32.70 -28.5%
Dallas (Area) 1,130 $65,400 $31.40 $79,800 $38.40 -16.9%
El Paso 140 $60,200 $28.90 $71,500 $34.40 8.1%
Houston 1,020 $71,700 $34.50 $93,500 $45.00 -14.6%
Killeen 100 $58,300 $28.00 $71,200 $34.20 72.4%
Lubbock 80 $44,400 $21.30 $51,400 $24.70 45.2%
San Antonio 550 $62,100 $29.80 $76,900 $37.00 40.3%
Waco 30 $62,300 $30.00 $84,600 $40.70 -28.3%
Wichita Falls 40 $60,600 $29.20 $69,800 $33.60 40.3%
Utah
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Ogden 180 $69,900 $33.60 $78,900 $37.90 95.5%
Provo 70 $59,800 $28.70 $66,200 $31.90 -10.3%
Salt Lake City 250 $64,200 $30.90 $76,200 $36.60 -13.3%
Virginia
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Charlottesville 60 $62,900 $30.20 $71,800 $34.50 39.8%
Harrisonburg NA $65,100 $31.30 $78,900 $37.90 NA
Richmond 310 $63,300 $30.40 $74,500 $35.80 11.1%
Roanoke 60 $56,700 $27.30 $66,900 $32.20 -16.1%
Virginia Beach 540 $63,700 $30.60 $77,900 $37.40 57.2%
Washington
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Bremerton 40 $69,000 $33.20 $75,600 $36.40 17.6%
Kennewick 40 $80,400 $38.70 $98,600 $47.40 -9%
Olympia 540 $49,300 $23.70 $63,300 $30.40 1104.1%
Seattle (Area) 2,130 $67,300 $32.30 $79,600 $38.30 116.5%
Spokane 70 $58,300 $28.00 $67,800 $32.60 -23.6%
West Virginia
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Morgantown 40 $45,700 $22.00 $67,900 $32.60 55.2%
Wisconsin
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Madison 210 $61,900 $29.70 $70,700 $34.00 36.6%
Milwaukee 130 $65,200 $31.30 $79,700 $38.30 -66.8%
Sheboygan NA $62,500 $30.10 $74,800 $36.00 NA
Wyoming
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Cheyenne 50 $83,100 $40.00 $94,400 $45.40 145.6%