Budget Analyst
Comprehensive Sites
American Institute of CPAs: Student Career SiteBecause a budget analyst will have a strong accounting background, you may want to visit this site, also known as “Start There, Go Places,” intended as a CPA’s career portal, with tabs at the top of the page that link you to the CPA skillset, colleges and scholarships, jobs and internships, and an area for student members. If you delve further into the skillset information, you’ll find a personality quiz to find out if this career is right for you, as well as information on the CPA exam.
Budget Analysis as a CareerInformation and opinion directly from a budget analyst are compiled at this site, which includes information you need to know to decide if this job is right for you. Job prospect and leads, connections to important books and other reading, and details about the workload involved in budget analysis are all found.
Bureau of Labor Statistics: Budget AnalystsFrom this site of the U.S. Department of Labor, you can gather some basic information on what it’s like to be a budget analyst and also details on wages and related occupations. Reading the work description might help you decide if being a financial analyst is right for you. Related occupations and sources of additional information on the industry are available from this site.
ISeek: Budget AnalystAn overview of what a budget analyst does is provided at this page, with links at the top to work activities, skills you might need, preparation for the career, and job and wage information. There is also a list of certifications related to budget analysis and links to further information on them.
Princeton Review: Financial AnalystFind out what a day in the life a financial or budget analyst might be like at this page, which provides a comprehensive overview to the career. You can also access information on what kinds of college majors could be right for you, or find out what to expect in terms of income after two, five, or 10 years of work in the field. Facts and figures about being a financial analyst include lists of what professionals read and some potential employers to consider.
Occupational Titles
Budget Analyst
Accountant
Auditor
Budget Coordinator
Budget Examiner
Budget Officer
Chief Financial Officer
Controller
Cost Analyst
Engineer, Budget
Financial Analyst
Fiscal Agent
Fiscal Officer
Inspector General
Treasurer
Accredited Academic Programs
Princeton Review: Financial Analyst, College MajorsIf you are interested in becoming a financial or budget analyst, check out the majors listed at this page, such as finance or international business. You can then click on your selection to be taken to a list of colleges in the U.S. that offer your major in the area you are looking to study in. Complete contact information on web sites for these colleges can be easily accessed to find out more about the academic program.
Start Here, Go Places: Top Business SchoolsThis site is very valuable if you are looking for top business schools in the U.S. Access business school programs by major or connect to information on useful high school coursework to consider and several majors that are valuable for a career in finance or business. There are also special resources for students specifically interested in accounting.
Salary Levels
Indeed.com: Budget AnalystYou will see charts depicting the average salary of a budget analyst across the U.S. at this page, as well as the average salary of several jobs with related titles.
Salary.com: Budget AnalystFree salary information is available at this page, which depicts a table of the median salary for budget analysts in the U.S. The information here is collected from a nationwide survey using thousands of employers across the country.
Professional Organizations
American Academy of Financial ManagementFuture financial leaders will find this site to have an assortment of online certification information, publications, and articles. You can learn about several designations, such as “registered business analyst” or stay on top of the latest financial headlines.
American Accountancy AssociationThis organization promotes international excellence in the field of accounting and offers a student membership to introduce you to the association. The discounted membership entitles you to journal access and a broad range of information for learning about the industry, which is a cornerstone to becoming a budget analyst.
American Association for Budget and Program AnalysisPublic budgeting and finance are the focus of this organization, which brings together. If you click on the career development link, you’ll find a jobs forum. Student membership to this organization is very low cost.
American Institute of Certified Public AccountantsIf you click on “becoming a CPA,” you will find an educational center for students that include scholarships and award applications, career advice, and a young CPA network. This forum takes you to a webcast series focused on issues important to students, as well as tools to help you find a work/life balance and to develop your career.
Association for Budgeting and Financial ManagementA section of the American Society of Public Administration is dedicated to promoting wider recognition of the importance of budgeting and financial management in public policy and management decisions. There are also links found to local, city, and state budget sites.
Association of Government AccountantsServing government budget professionals, this organization has resources for people who work at the federal, state, or local level. If you are interested in becoming a budget analyst, you might want to look into what this organization has to offer, including a career center, opportunities for ongoing education, and special resources for tomorrow’s professionals. Click on this special link and you can find out how to start your own chapter, or learn how to become a government financial manager.
National Association of State Budget OfficersThere are plenty of resources at this site, including a financial survey of all 50 states; featured articles about research, policy development, education, and training; and a national database created by members and offering tips and suggestions on budget processes and tools. Weekly press clips and an online magazine on congressional action and legislation are available, for you to become more familiar with the field.
Job Opportunity Sources
4Jobs.com: Accounting and FinanceYou can post your resume at this site, research the industry, or simply search for jobs across accounting and related fields. Thousands of jobs from private and public companies nationwide are listed here for you to peruse. A graph at the site also lets you look at trends in the accounting and finance sectors.
Indeed.com: Budget AnalystThousands of job postings are available at this location, where opportunities are sourced from nationwide career databases. Private financial institutions also provide individualized listings of job descriptions and salary information.
Start Here, Go Places: Jobs and InternshipsRecent job postings, internship leads, and a variety of resources for job seeking can be found at this page, which is the student’s career resource from the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. A video at the site shows how one intern worked her way to CPA certification, which is often a road to becoming a budget analyst.
Licensing & Certification
Certified Government Financial ManagerThis resource will tell you all you need to know about the benefits of certification, as well as taking the first steps towards earning this credential and studying for the exams.
ISeek: Certifications for Budget AnalystsMore than 15 certifications related to a career as a budget analyst are compiled at this page, including the certification names, their certifying organizations, and links to detailed information on what’s entailed to earn them.
Uniform CPA ExamFrom a leading licensing source, the details on the Uniform CPA exam found here include complete examination preparation, a tutorial and sample tests, and news on passing rates and other information for students. Live webcasts about the computerized Uniform CPA Examination can be viewed from the site that features expert panelists and information for students.
Publications
Advancing Government AccountabilityThis publication is a free news briefing and is a clearinghouse for current government financial management information. Here, you will find a collection of articles taken from more than 10 reputable industry resources in one place. If you want to be informed about your possible profession, go to this newsletter and learn about educational opportunities, new internet connections, and the latest news for a budget analyst.
Association for Budgeting and Financial Management NewsletterArchived issues of this online newsletter are free at this page, where you can find $the latest trends in managing government and private industry organizations. If you are interested in a career as a budget analyst, you can find a lot of information at this concise resource.
Journal of AccountancyYou can view recent publications directly from this site or browse subjects by author dating back to the year 2000. Personal and financial planning, practice management, and tax issues are all discussed and appropriate for experts in the field, as well as those new to the field.
Public Budgeting and FinanceYou can find a journal published four times a year at this site. Click on the contents of prior issues at no cost to see the complete articles in one location. Original articles talk about state budgets, risk and reward in public and private partnerships, a look at defense spending, and much more that a public budget analyst would need to know about.
The Red BookAlso known as Principles of Federal Appropriation Law, the “Red Book,” is an important publication and available in full-text PDF format at this site for free. It is a detailed guide to decision-making and the law in government business analysis.
Online Forums & Blogs
BlogUniverse: Financial BlogsFinancial news and planning are the focus of this collection of blogs, including close to 200 links. You can look at this list alphabetically or sort the discussions by popularity.
Career Videos
American Institute of Certified Public Accountants: Live WebcastsThe archives at this site offer students who are looking to take the Uniform CPA Exam videos from past events that featured expert panelists. Topics address examination content, as well as test administration, and are available as video or slide presentation.
CFA Institute WebcastsThis site lets you try out free videos about the financial industry, with more than 100 video topics. Here, you can access specialty information on investment, financial analysis, investment theory, and portfolio management.
CollegeGrad.com: Accountant and Auditor CareersLearn about how accountants and auditors are involved in all types of financial development. The specific roles of accountants and auditors, their specialties, and ways that you can take full advantage of all the different professions and flexibility in the field are discussed.
CPA Skillset VideoYou can learn how CPA certification helped this student succeed in business, with information on primary job responsibilities, as well as how earning it helped strengthen the skills he needed in the field of accounting.
Young CPA Network: Webcast SeriesThe webcasts available from this site focus on issues that are important to young professionals, including discussions from leaders in the profession, free webcasts on topics sponsored by the IRS, and the ability to download podcasts on accounting topics, such as auditing, consulting, financial management, and much more.
