Budget Analysts Salary
In Kentucky, budget analysts earn $76,860 at the median, or about $36.95 an hour. The range runs from $60K at the entry level to $112K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 90.23), which stretches that salary to about $85,182 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,110/month, or 22% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Kentucky. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $77K get you in Kentucky?
About budget analysts
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What this looks like in Kentucky
Pay for budget analysts in Kentucky runs about 16% below the U.S. median of $92K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,110/month, 22.4% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 90.23 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Kentucky can be a reasonable trade-off for budget analystss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Kentucky
Entry-level budget analysts (10th percentile) start around $60K. Mid-career wages sit at $77K. Top earners bring in $112K or more, a $52K spread from bottom to top.
Budget Analysts salary by metro in Kentucky
3 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elizabethtown | $92K | +19% | 80 |
| Louisville/Jefferson County | $88K | +14% | 100 |
| Lexington-Fayette | $83K | +8% | 80 |
Compare to other states
Track budget analysts salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Kentucky numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a budget analyst afford a 2BR apartment alone in Kentucky?
Yes — at the median salary of $77K, rent takes 22.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,110/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for budget analysts in Kentucky?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new budget analysts typically earn — is $60K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,598/month. At HUD’s $1,110/month FMR, rent would take 31% 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 Kentucky?
Local pay runs 16% below the national median — $77K here vs. $92K nationally. Cost of living is 10% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Kentucky compare to the national average for budget analysts?
Kentucky pays $77K median vs. the U.S. average of $92K — that’s -16%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 90.23), the purchasing-power equivalent is $85K — below the national median.
How much do budget analysts make in Kentucky?
The median is $76,860 a year, that works out to about $37 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $59,960, and experienced budget analysts can clear $112,400. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $77K enough to live in Kentucky?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,949/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,110/month, which eats 22.4% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a budget analysts salary go in Kentucky?
Kentucky has a Regional Price Parity of 90.23 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median budget analysts salary is worth about $85,182 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.