The educational requirements for a budget assistant typically include a bachelor's degree. According to Professor Shaun Van Ault Ph.D., Department Head of Mathematics at Valdosta State University, "Above all, a budget analyst needs to demonstrate attention to detail and the ability to focus for long periods on a large set of data." He further adds, "Experience working with spreadsheets is a must. All of these skills are developed as part of a mathematics degree." However, other relevant majors include Business, Accounting, Finance, Economics, and Political Science. While a high school diploma or an associate's degree may be sufficient for some roles, a master's degree can also be beneficial.
The most common degree for budget assistants is bachelor's degree, with 65% of budget assistants earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 16% and associate degree degree at 8%.