Kerry Whisnant, an avid St. Louis Cardinals fan and professor of physics at Iowa State University, may be on to something that will greatly impact team winning percentages. Mathematical models that he and other fanatic baseball statisticians have helped produce may accurately predict teams' successes. Whisnant and other members of the Society for American Baseball Research have analyzed...
Budget Analyst
Budget analysts develop, analyze, and execute budgets, which are used to allocate current resources and estimate future financial needs. They examine budget estimates and proposals for completeness; accuracy; and conformance with established procedures, regulations, and organizational objectives. Sometimes they employ cost-benefit analyses to review financial requests, assess program tradeoffs, and explore alternative funding methods.
Low-end Salary:
$42,470/yr
Median Salary:
$65,320/yr
High-end Salary:
$100,360/yr Education:
Private firms and government agencies generally require budget analysts to have at least a bachelor’s degree, but many prefer or require a master’s degree. Within the Federal Government, a bachelor’s degree in any field is sufficient for an entry-level budget analyst position, but master’s degrees are preferred.
Math Required:
College Algebra
Trigonometry
Geometry
Calculus I, II, III
Linear Algebra
Theory of Analysis
Statistics
When Math Is Used:
Budget analysts require the mathematical problem-solving skills necessary in order to develop, analyze, and execute budgets for various sizes of companies. They must be good and comfortable with numbers as they allocate current resources and estimate future financial needs.
Potential Employers:
Federal, State, and local governments are major employers, accounting for 44 percent of budget analyst jobs. Many other budget analysts worked in manufacturing; financial services; management services; professional, scientific, and technical services; and schools.
Facts:
As of 2009, budget analysts have been assisting the States in cutting back on their budgets. An article in the Wall Street Journal said, “State budgets look bad now, but they are set to get worse . . .tax collections aren't likely to be enough to take their place—even if the economy is recovering. The drop in tax revenue is set to be deeper and last longer.”
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Quote Of The Day
"Students often ask me what to take in school… my answer?... follow your natural interests, but take lots of math!"
Vice President and General Manager for GE Medical Systems
General Electric Company
Figures represent salary potential.
© BYU Mathematics Department 2009
Additional support provided by:
Mathematical Association of America