Budget Analysts Salary
In Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, budget analysts earn $88,460 at the median, or about $42.53 an hour. The range runs from $57K at the entry level to $134K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.59), that's roughly $85,394 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,781/month, about 31.9% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $88K get you in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Chicago-Naperville-Elgin’s Regional Price Parity (103.59). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About budget analysts
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What this looks like in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin
Budget analysts pay in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin tracks closely to the national median, $88K locally vs. $92K nationwide, a 3% difference. Rent runs $1,781/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 32.3% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 103.59) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for budget analysts in metros near Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| St. Louis | $97K | $102K |
| Madison | $86K | $89K |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood | $87K | $91K |
| Kansas City | $85K | $92K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
Entry-level budget analysts (10th percentile) start around $57K. Mid-career wages sit at $88K. Top earners bring in $134K or more, a $76K spread from bottom to top.
Budget Analysts pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Budget Analysts salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $125K | +36% | 1,490 |
| Maryland | $106K | +16% | 2,490 |
| Virginia | $105K | +15% | 2,730 |
| California | $100K | +9% | 4,160 |
| Alabama | $99K | +9% | 870 |
| Colorado | $97K | +6% | 1,290 |
| Washington | $97K | +5% | 1,510 |
| Michigan | $96K | +5% | 1,020 |
| New Jersey | $96K | +5% | 840 |
| Connecticut | $95K | +4% | 970 |
| Oregon | $95K | +4% | 1,090 |
| Illinois | $95K | +4% | 750 |
| Alaska | $95K | +3% | 220 |
| Vermont | $93K | +2% | 90 |
| Rhode Island | $93K | +1% | 90 |
| New Hampshire | $93K | +1% | 80 |
| Hawaii | $92K | +1% | 210 |
| Massachusetts | $92K | +1% | 1,280 |
| Georgia | $92K | +0% | 1,900 |
| Ohio | $90K | -2% | 800 |
| Utah | $89K | -3% | 280 |
| New York | $89K | -3% | 2,760 |
| Maine | $88K | -4% | 200 |
| New Mexico | $87K | -5% | 740 |
| Tennessee | $87K | -6% | 1,140 |
| Iowa | $87K | -6% | 390 |
| South Carolina | $86K | -6% | 470 |
| Minnesota | $86K | -6% | 450 |
| Arizona | $85K | -7% | 730 |
| Pennsylvania | $84K | -8% | 1,490 |
| Florida | $84K | -8% | 3,150 |
| Idaho | $83K | -9% | 190 |
| Nebraska | $83K | -9% | 200 |
| Texas | $83K | -9% | 3,340 |
| North Carolina | $82K | -10% | 1,830 |
| Wisconsin | $82K | -10% | 820 |
| Indiana | $82K | -10% | 390 |
| Delaware | $82K | -11% | 260 |
| Missouri | $82K | -11% | 520 |
| Nevada | $82K | -11% | 440 |
| Wyoming | $81K | -12% | 80 |
| Oklahoma | $81K | -12% | 670 |
| Louisiana | $81K | -12% | 330 |
| Kansas | $80K | -13% | 270 |
| Montana | $80K | -13% | 360 |
| South Dakota | $79K | -14% | 120 |
| West Virginia | $79K | -14% | 180 |
| Mississippi | $79K | -14% | 390 |
| North Dakota | $77K | -16% | 150 |
| Kentucky | $77K | -16% | 630 |
| Arkansas | $72K | -22% | 320 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track budget analysts salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a budget analyst afford a 2BR apartment alone in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $88K, rent takes 32.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,781/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,700/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for budget analysts in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new budget analysts typically earn — is $57K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,449/month. At HUD’s $1,781/month FMR, rent would take 52% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is budget analyst a high-paying job in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $88K locally vs. $92K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does Chicago-Naperville-Elgin compare to the national average for budget analysts?
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin pays $88K median vs. the U.S. average of $92K — that’s -3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.59), the purchasing-power equivalent is $85K — below the national median.
How much do budget analysts make in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN?
The median is $88,460 a year, that works out to about $43 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $57,490, and experienced budget analysts can clear $133,820. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $88K enough to live in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,520/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,781/month, which eats 32.3% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a budget analysts salary go in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin has a Regional Price Parity of 103.59 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median budget analysts salary is worth about $85,394 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do budget analysts get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.