Kentucky · Occupational wage benchmark
Budget Analysts Salary in Kentucky
What Budget Analysts actually earn in Kentucky — the published BLS median, what it is worth after local costs, and how it ranks against every other state.
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) (May 2024 estimates (published April 2025)), Kentucky state estimates for SOC 13-2031; cost-of-living adjustment derived from U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities (RPP) (2024). Occupational wage benchmarks across all workers, not MBA-specific outcomes.
- Median annual wage
- $76,860
- Budget Analysts in Kentucky
- Adjusted for cost of living
- $85,249
- Kentucky price level 90.2 (U.S. = 100)
- Rank among states
- #50 of 51
- #43 after cost of living
- Workers employed
- 630
- in Kentucky
What Budget Analysts earn in Kentucky, adjusted for what it costs to live there
A headline wage only means something next to local prices. Once local prices are accounted for, Kentucky moves up 7 places — the paycheck stretches further than the nominal figure suggests.
| State | Median (nominal) | Adjusted for cost of living |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $124,590 | $113,366 |
| Maryland | $106,020 | $101,011 |
| Virginia | $105,470 | $104,318 |
| California | $99,520 | $89,884 |
| Alabama | $99,490 | $112,009 |
| Colorado | $97,100 | $94,224 |
| Washington | $96,640 | $90,307 |
| Michigan | $96,430 | $100,221 |
| New Jersey | $96,250 | $88,461 |
| Connecticut | $95,440 | $92,115 |
| Oregon | $95,250 | $92,153 |
| Illinois | $94,880 | $94,920 |
| Alaska | $94,740 | $92,557 |
| Vermont | $93,430 | $95,378 |
| Rhode Island | $92,790 | $90,722 |
| New Hampshire | $92,600 | $88,897 |
| Hawaii | $92,380 | $84,019 |
| Massachusetts | $92,260 | $87,238 |
| Georgia | $91,870 | $95,407 |
| Ohio | $89,840 | $96,837 |
| Utah | $88,610 | $89,628 |
| New York | $88,540 | $82,041 |
| Maine | $88,130 | $90,809 |
| New Mexico | $87,360 | $94,738 |
| Tennessee | $86,570 | $94,231 |
| Iowa | $86,550 | $98,619 |
| South Carolina | $86,260 | $92,012 |
| Minnesota | $85,970 | $87,172 |
| Arizona | $84,810 | $84,240 |
| Pennsylvania | $84,240 | $86,336 |
| Florida | $84,170 | $81,391 |
| Idaho | $83,220 | $87,147 |
| Nebraska | $83,010 | $92,128 |
| Texas | $82,970 | $85,486 |
| North Carolina | $82,350 | $87,304 |
| Wisconsin | $82,180 | $87,337 |
| Indiana | $82,080 | $87,947 |
| Delaware | $82,000 | $82,158 |
| Missouri | $81,980 | $90,269 |
| Nevada | $81,600 | $81,617 |
| Wyoming | $81,100 | $87,495 |
| Oklahoma | $80,990 | $92,199 |
| Louisiana | $80,530 | $91,297 |
| Kansas | $80,140 | $88,977 |
| Montana | $79,700 | $84,209 |
| South Dakota | $79,180 | $89,382 |
| Mississippi | $78,850 | $90,681 |
| West Virginia | $78,850 | $88,104 |
| North Dakota | $77,400 | $87,006 |
| Kentucky | $76,860 | $85,249 |
| Arkansas | $71,800 | $82,589 |
Nominal medians: BLS OEWS, May 2024 estimates (published April 2025) — occupational wage benchmarks across all workers, not MBA-specific outcomes. Adjusted column: SalaryMBA estimate, computed as nominal ÷ (state RPP ÷ 100) using BEA RPP 2024 all-items regional price parities. An adjusted figure is a purchasing-power comparison, not a wage anyone is paid.
The national pay range for Budget Analysts
BLS publishes the full percentile distribution nationally. It shows the spread within the occupation — the gap between the 10th and 90th percentile is usually far wider than the gap between states.
| Percentile (national) | Annual wage | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $62,250 | Entry / early-career end |
| 25th percentile | $75,320 | |
| Median (50th) | $91,640 | |
| 75th percentile | $114,220 | |
| 90th percentile | $136,660 | Senior / top-market end |
Other MBA-relevant roles in Kentucky
How to read the Kentucky number
The $76,860 median means half of Budget Analysts in Kentucky earn less and half earn more. It is measured across everyone in the occupation — every level of experience, every industry, and every level of education. It is not the salary of a recent MBA graduate, and it is not a starting salary.
BLS counts roughly 630 people in this role in Kentucky. The national percentile spread above is the more useful planning tool: within a single occupation, the distance between the 10th and 90th percentile typically dwarfs the difference between states. Where you land inside that range is driven far more by industry, function, and seniority than by geography.
What this data can and cannot tell you
This page answers “what does this role pay here.” It cannot answer “what will an MBA pay me here.” The BLS surveys establishments about occupations, not degrees, so no MBA premium can be isolated from it. Any site presenting these figures as MBA salaries is overstating what the source supports.
For MBA-specific figures we rely on cited school employment reports and moderated submissions, published only above our sample-size gates — see our methodology. To model your own economics, the MBA ROI calculator turns a target salary, tuition, and debt into a payback estimate.
Frequently asked questions
How much do Budget Analysts make in Kentucky?
Budget Analysts in Kentucky earn a median of $76,860 per year, according to BLS OEWS May 2024 estimates (published April 2025). That is -16.1% vs national, ranking Kentucky #50 of 51 states with published data for this role. This is an occupational wage benchmark measured across all workers in the occupation, not an MBA-graduate-specific salary.
Is $76,860 a good salary for Budget Analysts in Kentucky?
It depends on local prices. Kentucky's overall price level is 90.2 against a U.S. average of 100, so a $76,860 salary there has roughly the purchasing power of $85,249 nationally — about $8,389 more than the headline number implies. Once local prices are accounted for, Kentucky moves up 7 places — the paycheck stretches further than the nominal figure suggests.
Do Budget Analysts in Kentucky need an MBA?
These BLS figures cover everyone in the occupation regardless of degree, so they cannot tell you what an MBA specifically adds. Budget Analysts is a role MBA graduates commonly target, and an MBA can affect where you land within the range through network, function, and seniority — but any claim of a precise MBA premium for this role in Kentucky would not be supported by this data. Verified MBA-specific outcomes are collected separately and published only once they clear our sample-size gates.
Why is housing cost relevant to Budget Analysts pay in Kentucky?
Housing is the single largest driver of geographic cost differences. Kentucky's housing price level is 64.3 against a U.S. average of 100 — well below average, which meaningfully stretches local pay. Overall prices there sit at 90.2.
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