Budget analyst vs accountant

The differences between budget analysts and accountants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a budget analyst and an accountant. Additionally, a budget analyst has an average salary of $56,598, which is higher than the $54,890 average annual salary of an accountant.

The top three skills for a budget analyst include financial management, budget analysis and financial reports. The most important skills for an accountant are reconciliations, general ledger accounts, and account reconciliations.

Budget analyst vs accountant overview

	Budget Analyst	Accountant
Yearly salary	$56,598	$54,890
Hourly rate	$27.21	$26.39
Growth rate	3%	6%
Number of jobs	50,081	60,073
Job satisfaction	-	3
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 70%	Bachelor's Degree, 71%
Average age	47	44
Years of experience	4	4

What does a budget analyst do?

A budget analyst supports organizations and businesses by organizing their financial resources to develop and execute budgets for them. A budget analyst is also responsible for evaluating budget proposals, analyzing data, extra funds redistribution, recommending spending cuts, preparing reports annually, and estimating spending requirements in the future. A budget analyst explores alternative funding methods and uses cost-benefit analyses. In addition, budget analysts also look at past budgets and research any financial developments that could affect income and expenditures.

What does an accountant do?

An accountant is an individual whose primary task is to prepare, keep, examine, and interpret financial records. Most accountants are in charge of a wide scope of finance-related tasks, either for private individuals or for large-scale businesses and organizations they are employed with. They make sure that financial statements and records are accurate and comply with laws and regulations. They also compute for taxes, prepare tax returns, and ensure being paid properly and on time. As they keep track and record the flow of money, they can offer guidance on how to reduce costs, enhance revenue, and help in profit maximization.

Budget analyst vs accountant salary

Budget analysts and accountants have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Budget Analyst	Accountant
Average salary	$56,598	$54,890
Salary range	Between $42,000 And $76,000	Between $41,000 And $72,000
Highest paying City	Washington, DC	Washington, DC
Highest paying state	Virginia	New York
Best paying company	Shenzhen Capital Group	Meta
Best paying industry	Government	Technology

Differences between budget analyst and accountant education

There are a few differences between a budget analyst and an accountant in terms of educational background:

	Budget Analyst	Accountant
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 70%	Bachelor's Degree, 71%
Most common major	Business	Accounting
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

Budget analyst vs accountant demographics

Here are the differences between budget analysts' and accountants' demographics:

	Budget Analyst	Accountant
Average age	47	44
Gender ratio	Male, 45.7% Female, 54.3%	Male, 38.2% Female, 61.8%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 12.4% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 15.3% Asian, 8.9% White, 57.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%	Black or African American, 8.6% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 10.9% Asian, 15.0% White, 61.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage	13%	7%

Differences between budget analyst and accountant duties and responsibilities

Budget analyst example responsibilities.

Write and document SAS, SPSS and SQL programs to automate standard processes.
Manage accounting data of expenditures in ledgers; ensure all transactions are re-serve for obligation.
Manage virtual war room database and prepare advanced PowerPoint presentations for high-level briefings.
Manage credit card revenue reporting and reconciliations for multiple credit card merchant accounts which include recommending and implementing process improvements.
Provide corporate financial support services for multiple contracts and various contract types (FFP, CPFF, CPAF, etc . )
Prepare and present EAC projections, customer financial reports, and documents for program reviews.

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Accountant example responsibilities.

Manage preparation of the statutory financial statements and financial aggregates in compliance with IFRS and local applicable norms.
Manage personnel financial matters including salaries, taxation procedures and other relate issues.
Manage and monitor accounting procedures for compliance with Sarbanes-Oxley and coordinate and facilitate external audit requirements.
Reconstruct and improve many balance sheet account reconciliations for easier reading and interpretation by senior level management.
Perform complex general accounting functions, including preparation of journal entries, account analysis and balance sheet reconciliations.
Maintain general ledgers and preparation of monthly and other periodic financial reports in accordance with GAAP and international accounting standards.

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Budget analyst vs accountant skills

Common budget analyst skills

Financial Management, 8%
Budget Analysis, 6%
Financial Reports, 5%
Financial Data, 4%
PowerPoint, 4%
Budget Estimates, 3%

Common accountant skills

Reconciliations, 14%
General Ledger Accounts, 6%
Account Reconciliations, 6%
GAAP, 5%
Payroll Tax Returns, 5%
Customer Service, 5%

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Updated January 8, 2025

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