How To Become a Budget Analyst

What degree do you need

One of the most common questions that we always get is what major or degree do I need to become Budget Analysts or what courses do I need to take.

We also asked Budget Analysts what did they major in college or university and here are the top 5 most popular majors that came up.

Employers generally require budget analysts to have at least a bachelor’s degree. However, some employers may require candidates to have a master’s degree. Because developing a budget requires strong numerical and analytical skills, courses in statistics or accounting are helpful.

How hard is it

You will need a considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge or experience to be a Budget Analyst. For example, an accountant must complete 4 years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.

Careers in this difficulty category will usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training. These careers usually involve coordinating, supervising, managing, or training others. Similar careers include sales managers, database administrators, chemists, and art directors.

License and certifications

Government budget analysts may earn the Certified Government Financial Manager credential from the Association of Government Accountants. To earn this certification, candidates must have a minimum of a bachelor’s degree, 24 credit hours of study in financial management, 2 years of professional-level experience in governmental financial management, and they must pass a series of exams. To keep the certification, budget analysts must take 80 hours of continuing education every 2 years.

Skills required

We asked other Budget Analysts if they could only have 5 skills, what would they be. Here is what they said.

Knowledge required

Just like any other job, you will need certain know-hows to excel at your job. Budget Analysts are generally very knowledgeable in these 5 key areas.

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