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Job outlook for budget accountants in the United States
Are budget accountant jobs in demand?
Budget accountant job and salary trends over time
Budget accountant jobs over time
Budget accountant job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 578 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 558 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 561 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 552 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 544 | 0.00% |
Average budget accountant salary over time
Budget accountant salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $59,192 | $28.46 | +2.8% |
| 2024 | $57,575 | $27.68 | +1.5% |
| 2023 | $56,730 | $27.27 | +1.7% |
| 2022 | $55,805 | $26.83 | +1.8% |
| 2021 | $54,839 | $26.36 | +1.4% |
Budget accountant jobs by state
Most common states for budget accountants
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 167 | 24% |
| 2 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 488 | 7% |
| 3 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 401 | 7% |
| 4 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 371 | 7% |
| 5 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 76 | 7% |
| 6 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 489 | 6% |
| 7 | Delaware | 961,939 | 56 | 6% |
| 8 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 680 | 5% |
| 9 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 299 | 5% |
| 10 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 168 | 5% |
| 11 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 69 | 5% |
| 12 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 49 | 5% |
| 13 | California | 39,536,653 | 1,619 | 4% |
| 14 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 450 | 4% |
| 15 | Georgia | 10,429,379 | 399 | 4% |
| 16 | Missouri | 6,113,532 | 223 | 4% |
| 17 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 170 | 4% |
| 18 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 160 | 4% |
| 19 | Nevada | 2,998,039 | 120 | 4% |
| 20 | Alaska | 739,795 | 27 | 4% |
Most common cities for budget accountants
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Houston | 1 | 0% | $56,643 |
Budget Accountant job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of budget accountant experts
Washington and Lee University
Loyola University Chicago
Virginia Commonwealth University
Western Kentucky University
Oakland University
Muhlenberg College
Eastern Oregon University
University of California, Riverside
Misericordia University
University of Maine Orono
Florida Atlantic University
Case Western Reserve University
Rochester Institute of Technology
DePaul University
Fairfield University
What will help Budget Accountants increase their earning potential?
Dr. Dina El Mahdy Ph.D., CFE: Surprisingly, the important and most prevalent skills in the field over the next 3-5 years are soft skills such as an analytical mindset, communication (both orally and in writing), skepticism, independence, ethics, and integrity. Furthermore, familiarity with data analytics tools and software not only improves your work productivity but also helps you build expertise in the field. All these qualities can make a great accountant who can significantly impact the capital market by helping to protect investors and enhancing the usefulness of accounting information for various stakeholders.
Colin Reid
Associate Professor of AccountingWashington and Lee University
Accounting And Related Services
What Budget Accountant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Colin Reid: Communication and critical thinking have always been important in accounting, but I believe the importance of these skills will increase. Professionals in accounting spend more time working in groups and with other people than many realize. Currently AI can assist with technical tasks and other repetitive work. I believe there will always be a role for accountants in terms of building relationships with clients, team members, and others with whom they work. Many problems that professionals face will involve multifaceted decisions that can be informed by data analysis but often will still need to be communicated clearly through a relationship built on trust. I believe that balancing a technical accounting education with the traditional liberal arts (e.g. humanities and social sciences) is critically important to help develop these critical thinking and communication skills.
Dr. KC Rakow Ph.D., CPA
Associate Professor of AccountingLoyola University Chicago
Business/Managerial Economics
What Budget Accountant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. KC Rakow Ph.D., CPA: To maximize salary potential when starting a career in Accounting, individuals should focus on obtaining relevant certifications, gaining practical experience through internships or entry-level positions, negotiating their salary based on market research, and continuously improving their skills and knowledge.
Prof James Holland
Professor of AccountingVirginia Commonwealth University
Accounting And Related Services
What Budget Accountant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Prof James Holland: Communication, Excel, and problem solving skills.
What will help Budget Accountants increase their earning potential?
Prof James Holland: Listen and learn all you can, focus on improving with a goal toward excellence. Always be willing to help others.
What will help Budget Accountants increase their earning potential?
James Lawson: The ability to leverage AI (artificial intelligence). There is a lot of discussion regarding the impact of AI on society, but AI is another tool that accountants can use to complete their tasks and add value to their client relationships.
What will help Budget Accountants increase their earning potential?
Kirsten Cook:
Ten years ago, I would've said "soft skills" like verbal and written communication. Five years ago, data analytics was all the rage. I don't believe these skills have become any less important; rather, we must continue to layer on new skills to match the changing professional environment. Today, I encourage students to be technologically agile. For example, if you learned to use Alteryx in a class, but your new employer uses PowerBI, recognize the similarities between these programs and build on your existing knowledge to master the new tool. Also, stay abreast of developments in accounting by not only reading the business press but also by connecting with experts on social media like LinkedIn.
What will help Budget Accountants increase their earning potential?
Abbie Daly PhD, CPA: Accounting has long been an excellent field to enter for those interested in any aspect of business - understanding a business requires speaking the language. However, now is an especially excellent time to enter the profession, as opportunities are plentiful with more accounting positions available than there are accountants. Further, rapid technological development is affecting the role of the accountant, with routine accounting tasks being automated as platforms such as artificial intelligence and blockchain become more widespread. This will increase accountants' efficiency so that accountants can spend their time on more value-added advisory and analytical tasks. Those entering the accounting profession with these skills will have boundless opportunities available to them. At UW-Whitewater, students acquire these skills by taking classes on accounting analytics, artificial intelligence, and blockchain.
What general advice would you give to a Budget Accountant?
Abbie Daly PhD, CPA: Accounting is often referred to as the "language of business" because accountants communicate financial information. So communication is an integral part of an accountant's day. For example, auditors and tax preparers meet with their clients to understand their financial information, and accountants at organizations prepare and communicate financial information to guide strategic decisions. To facilitate these communications, accountants analyze and interpret many data points. For example, in auditing the revenue recognized by a company, an auditor would examine the underlying transactions, contracts, and supporting documentation.
Stacy Bibelhauser Ph.D.
Associate ProfessorWestern Kentucky University
Accounting And Related Services
What Budget Accountant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Stacy Bibelhauser Ph.D.: Do your very best on every task you are asked to do and do not act as if a task is beneath you. You do not know who is watching, and your attitude and work ethic on each and every job will be noticed by those who are around you.
Liang Fu Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Accounting, ChairOakland University
Finance And Financial Management Services
What will help Budget Accountants increase their earning potential?
Liang Fu Ph.D.: Dislike: accounting is not for everyone, degree requirements/licensing requirements can be challenging. And sometimes, long work hours are required.
What general advice would you give to a Budget Accountant?
Ermira Mazziotta MBA, CPA, CFE: Understand what is one skill that is needed, example cyber security, understanding and utilizing Ai and invest on learning that skill. Become the person with the answers that helps your team reach their goals.
What general advice would you give to a Budget Accountant?
Ermira Mazziotta: Understand and know how to utilize technology. Learn as much as possible.
Dr. Mohamed Abualhaija
Associate Professor of AccountingEastern Oregon University
Business/Commerce
What general advice would you give to a Budget Accountant?
Dr. Mohamed Abualhaija: In the corporate world, soft skills are critical, particularly for those starting careers in accounting, business, or similar fields. These skills help people deal with diverse situations at work and communicate with others more effectively. Communication, teamwork, problem-solving, leadership, flexibility, and emotional intelligence are all examples of essential soft skills.
Eric Allen
Assistant ProfessorUniversity of California, Riverside
Accounting And Related Services
What Budget Accountant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Eric Allen: Busy seasons can be rough, with certain times of the year where you just have to put your head down and put in long hours, which can be tough for a lot of people. However, if you can handle that, it's a great profession. You constantly have the opportunity to learn new things and interact with all kinds of individuals and companies. The skills you learn are also highly transferable, and every industry you can think of needs an accountant or someone with accounting skills. The skills learned as an accountant can open a lot of doors for those interested in business-related careers.
Charles Makar
Instructor of BusinessMisericordia University
Business Department
What soft skills should all Budget Accountants possess?
Charles Makar: Communications skills (oral and written).
Dr. Henri Akono Ph.D.
Associate Professor of AccountingUniversity of Maine Orono
Maine Business School
What hard/technical skills are most important for Budget Accountants?
Dr. Henri Akono Ph.D.: -In today's environment, with greater usage of data big and small by companies, accountants are expected to have a better understanding of accounting analytics and a greater ability to analyze and identify patterns in data. Therefore, accounting analytics is a very important skill for accountants today.
-Just knowing excel is not enough. Being able to use software like excel QuickBooks for accounting/controllership/audit/tax-related decisions is a plus.
-In addition, being able to use visualization software like Tableau or Power BI is also a plus.
-Some type of analytics certification (Excel, general analytics, etc.) is a plus.
-However, this does not substitute for accounting-related knowledge and understanding.
What skills stand out on Budget Accountant resumes?
Dr. George Young: Skills pertaining to software, especially software used to analyze data for reasonableness, classification non-conformity, other errors, and fraud, will always be eye-catching to employers. Students should also not overlook participation in activities that represent a contribution to the greater good. Activities like Habitat for Humanity and the local Helping Hands organizations not only convey the willingness to benefit others but also conveys the skill of getting along with others while working on a common goal.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Budget Accountants?
Dr. George Young: Besides becoming fluent in accounting, which is the language of business, students should take every opportunity to learn more about spreadsheet software such as Excel and increase their skills in using Tableau. These types of software enable accountants to analyze, summarize, and communicate their results in an understandable manner.
Thomas King
Department Chair, Director, Master of Accountancy Program, Professor, AccountancyCase Western Reserve University
Accountancy Department
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for Budget Accountants in the next 3-5 years?
Thomas King: I believe critical thinking will be more important than knowledge of any particular technology. Critical thinking means forming defensible conclusions with limited data. As jobs evolve with increasing automation and off-shoring levels, the importance of critical thinking in entry-level employment will rise.
How would you rate the starting salaries for Budget Accountants, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Thomas King: Starting salaries vary with accounting graduates, from $50k to six figures. It depends on the particular employer and job. Those students who demonstrate a strong work ethic, networkability, and good communication skills earn attractive salaries.
What general advice would you give to a Budget Accountant?
Thomas King: Be dependable. Reputations form quickly after people join organizations. A newly hired professional who demonstrates the ability to get things done rapidly and accurately will soon become a "go-to" person when new opportunities arise. Such exposure early in a career is invaluable.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Budget Accountant job market given the pandemic?
Qian Song Ph.D.: The pandemic has accelerated the immersion of technology in our work and life. People work remotely, study remotely, shop online from grocery to furniture, tour the museums and consult a doctor virtually. Increased closures of brick and mortar stores and online business play a role in the surge of technology stocks. Thus, the pandemic has changed the way companies use technology to conduct business. Ultimately, accounting and other professionals are expected to be proficient in the use of technology in their work. The Big Four and other public accounting firms are increasing their investments in technology such as data analytics and robotic process automation. Entry-level accounting or structured, repetitive, and rule-based tasks are increasingly being automated. Such automation in business processes also occurs in other industries. It is only a matter of time before we see robots and machines (and they do not get COVID) taking over a large number of accounting and other jobs that can be automated. Advances in data analytics will speed up this process and change the nature of the accounting function. For example, instead of a traditional audit sampling, data analytics tools can be used to examine the entire dataset. The accounting firms are expected to hire more data science professionals rather than traditional accountants.
Accounting graduates will face challenges and also opportunities in today's advanced technological environment. Other than the basic accounting knowledge, accounting students can acquire data analytics and technological skills. Although accounting jobs are predicted to increase in the future, the increase is likely to be for the newly transformed accounting jobs that utilize technology
What type of skills will young Budget Accountants need?
Delvin Grant: The ability to problem solve, which requires an understanding of the problem and a structured approach towards the solution. The ability to apply concepts learned in one discipline to another. Quite often, students are unable to see how a concept translates from one domain to another, and this stifles innovation.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Budget Accountants to find work opportunities?
Delvin Grant: It is not about the geographic area but more about the skills they possess. Many MIS/IT-related jobs could be done remotely, if you wanted to pin down areas that will include areas of the USA where technology is heavily used (NY, IL, CA, MA, Huntsville AL, Parts of the Midwest, and the south, with vibrant health care and manufacturing industries. Any where industries require a healthy dose of technology are good locations.
How do you envision technology impacting Budget Accountants in the next 5 years?
Delvin Grant: It is always difficult to predict the future impact of tech. However, one area that will increase is the ability to analyze and interpret data. Then use the info to impact strategic and operational decision making. COVID-19 will change how people work. It will not be business as usual, and this requires the ability to work remotely. Therefore, those who master the use of remote technology, and find ways to use it innovatively, will outperform others. This is true for companies and individuals.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Budget Accountant job market given the pandemic?
Kathi Mettler: The trend that we are seeing at Fairfield is that more people are pursuing graduate degrees (either going back to school or continuing after undergrad). The trend that I am seeing from the public accounting firms is that they are right-sizing and pushing out start dates into 2021 or early 2022. The accounting profession requires continuing professional education (CPE), so the pandemic has forced those CPE and other conferences and seminars to be online and virtual. I do believe folks will gravitate back to in-person learning and meetings once it is safe to do so, but some of these will remain online. Travel to visit clients has also stopped, so I believe that the amount of travel will be reduced going forward.
What skills stand out on Budget Accountant resumes?
Kathi Mettler: Completion of the CPA Exam (passing all four parts before starting to work) is a significant competitive advantage. Analytics is really important now, which is why our Master of Science in Accounting (MSA) Program allows students to tailor their experience by choosing a specialization in either assurance, business analytics, or taxation. Additionally, a student may pursue a Master of Science in Business Analytics (MSBA) with an accounting or taxation specialization. An accounting or taxation specialization is offered in our MBA and MSF programs as well. Another skill important for success is being an effective communicator. In this day and age, accountants no longer hide in the office and crunch numbers; they are at the clients' site and must possess strong people and interpersonal skills. The importance of effective communication (written and verbal) and soft skills is why we have created a new graduate course, "Effective Communication for Accounting Professionals".
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Budget Accountants to find work opportunities?
Kathi Mettler: I believe the Northeast will always be a great place to work, although with the recent success of online and remote work, where people choose to live may no longer be within one-hour driving distance to their employer.