Budget Analysts Salary
In Madison, WI, budget analysts earn $86,340 at the median, or about $41.51 an hour. The range runs from $74K at the entry level to $115K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.29), that's roughly $88,745 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,168/month, or 21.4% of estimated take-home pay.
Where the paycheck goes
What $86K actually covers in Madison, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Madison’s Regional Price Parity (97.29). 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 Madison
Budget analysts pay in Madison tracks closely to the national median, $86K locally vs. $92K nationwide, a 6% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,168/month, 21.4% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 97.29) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for budget analysts in metros near Madison, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee-Waukesha | $82K | $85K |
| Green Bay | $76K | $82K |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn | $102K | $102K |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $88K | $85K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Madison, WI
Entry-level budget analysts (10th percentile) start around $74K. Mid-career wages sit at $86K. Top earners bring in $115K or more, a $41K 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)
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a budget analyst afford a 2BR apartment alone in Madison?
Yes — at the median salary of $86K, rent takes 21.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,168/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for budget analysts in Madison?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new budget analysts typically earn — is $74K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,793/month. At HUD’s $1,168/month FMR, rent would take 24% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is budget analyst a high-paying job in Madison?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $86K locally vs. $92K nationally, a 6% difference.
How does Madison compare to the national average for budget analysts?
Madison pays $86K median vs. the U.S. average of $92K — that’s -6%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.29), the purchasing-power equivalent is $89K — below the national median.
How much do budget analysts make in Madison, WI?
The median is $86,340 a year, that works out to about $42 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $73,920, and experienced budget analysts can clear $114,820. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $86K enough to live in Madison?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,466/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,168/month, which eats 21.4% 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 Madison?
Madison has a Regional Price Parity of 97.29 (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 $88,745 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.