Also called: CBO Analyst, Budget Scorekeeper, Cost Estimate Analyst
Calculates exactly how much every bill in Congress would cost or save over 10 years, a number that can make or break the law.
CBO analysts read draft bills, build models of how many people a change would affect, and produce the official 'score' lawmakers fight over. They answer urgent questions from committee staff, often overnight before a vote. The office is strictly nonpartisan, so analysts never say whether a bill is good, just what it costs.
CBO sets its own pay near the top of federal scales. Estimate.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Master's degree, about 6 years after high school. Master's in economics or public policy; many have PhDs.
Ways in: 4-year college, Graduate school. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Economics, Public Policy, Statistics, Mathematics.
Growing about average. CBO has about 275 staff; similar jobs exist at state legislative budget offices (approx.).
Low risk in 5 years, medium in 10. AI speeds data work and coding; choosing model assumptions and defending estimates stays human.
Classes: AP Economics, AP Calculus, AP Statistics.
Official data: O*NET occupation 19-3011.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.