What They Do: Financial analysts provide guidance to businesses and individuals making investment decisions.
Work Environment: Financial analysts work in offices. Most work full time and some work more than 40 hours per week.
How to Become One: Financial analysts typically must have a bachelor’s degree.
Salary: The median annual wage for financial analysts is $85,660.
Job Outlook: Employment of financial analysts is projected to grow 6 percent over the next ten years, about as fast as the average for all occupations. A growing range of financial products and the need for in-depth knowledge of geographic regions are expected to lead to strong employment growth.
Related Careers: Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of financial analysts with similar occupations.
Financial analysts provide guidance to businesses and individuals making investment decisions. They assess the performance of stocks, bonds, and other types of investments.
Financial analysts typically do the following:
Financial analysts evaluate investment opportunities. They work in banks, pension funds, mutual funds, securities firms, insurance companies, and other businesses. Financial analysts are also called securities analysts and investment analysts.
Financial analysts can be divided into two categories: buy-side analysts and sell-side analysts.
Some analysts work for the business media or other research houses, which are independent from the buy and sell side.
Financial analysts generally focus on trends affecting a specific industry, geographical region, or type of product. For example, an analyst may focus on a subject area such as the energy industry, a world region such as Eastern Europe, or the foreign exchange market. They must understand how new regulations, policies, political situations, and economic trends may affect investments.
Investing is becoming more global, and some financial analysts specialize in a particular country or region. Companies want those financial analysts to understand the language, culture, business environment, and political conditions in the country or region that they cover.
The following are examples of types of financial analysts:
Portfolio managers select the mix of products, industries, and regions for their company's investment portfolio. These managers are responsible for the overall performance of the portfolio. They are also expected to explain investment decisions and strategies in meetings with stakeholders.
Fund managers work exclusively with hedge funds or mutual funds. Both fund and portfolio managers frequently make buy or sell decisions in reaction to quickly changing market conditions.
Ratings analysts evaluate the ability of companies or governments to pay their debts, including bonds. On the basis of their evaluation, a management team rates the risk of a company or government not being able to repay its bonds.
Risk analysts evaluate the risk in investment decisions and determine how to manage unpredictability and limit potential losses. This job is carried out by making investment decisions such as selecting dissimilar stocks or having a combination of stocks, bonds, and mutual funds in a portfolio.
Financial analysts hold about 329,500 jobs. The largest employers of financial analysts are as follows:
| Securities, commodity contracts, and other financial investments and related activities | 23% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 13% |
| Credit intermediation and related activities | 12% |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 12% |
| Insurance carriers and related activities | 6% |
Financial analysts work primarily in offices but travel frequently to visit companies or clients.
Many financial analysts work at large financial institutions based in New York City or other major financial centers.
Most financial analysts work full time and some work more than 40 hours per week. Much of their research must be done after office hours because their days are filled with telephone calls and meetings.
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Financial analysts typically must have a bachelor's degree.
Most positions require a bachelor's degree. A number of fields of study provide appropriate preparation, including accounting, economics, finance, statistics, and mathematics.
The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) is the main licensing organization for the securities industry. A license is generally required to sell financial products, which may apply to some financial analyst positions. Because most of the licenses require sponsorship by an employer, companies do not expect individuals to have these licenses before starting a job.
Employers often recommend certification, which can improve the chances for advancement. An example is the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) certification from the CFA Institute. Financial analysts can become CFA certified if they have a bachelor's degree, 4 years of qualified work experience, and pass three exams. Financial analysts can also become certified in their field of specialty.
Financial analysts typically start by specializing in a specific investment field. As they gain experience, they can become portfolio managers and select the mix of investments for a company's portfolio. They can also become fund managers and manage large investment portfolios for individual investors. A master's degree in finance or business administration can improve an analyst's chances of advancing to one of these positions.
Analytical skills. Financial analysts must process a range of information in finding profitable investments.
Communication skills. Financial analysts must explain their recommendations to clients in clear language that clients can easily understand.
Computer skills. Financial analysts must be adept at using software packages to analyze financial data, see trends, create portfolios, and make forecasts.
Decisionmaking skills. Financial analysts must provide a recommendation to buy, hold, or sell a security.
Detail oriented. Financial analysts must pay attention to details when reviewing possible investments, as small issues may have large implications for the health of an investment.
Math skills. Financial analysts use mathematical skills when estimating the value of financial securities.
The median annual wage for financial analysts is $85,660. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $52,540, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $167,420.
The median annual wages for financial analysts in the top industries in which they work are as follows:
| Securities, commodity contracts, and other financial investments and related activities | $101,410 |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | $84,540 |
| Management of companies and enterprises | $83,640 |
| Credit intermediation and related activities | $81,420 |
| Insurance carriers and related activities | $78,870 |
Fund managers are typically compensated by fees, usually structured as a percentage of assets under management and a percentage of the fund's annual return.
Most financial analysts work full time and some work more than 40 hours per week. Much of their research must be done after office hours because their days are filled with telephone calls and meetings.
Employment of financial analysts is projected to grow 6 percent over the next ten years, faster than the average for all occupations. A growing range of financial products and the need for in-depth knowledge of geographic regions are expected to lead to strong employment growth.
Demand for financial analysts tends to grow with overall economic activity. Financial analysts will be needed to evaluate investment opportunities when new businesses are established or existing businesses expand. In addition, emerging markets throughout the world are providing new investment opportunities, which require expertise in geographic regions where those markets are located.
Demand is also projected to increase as the growth of "big data" and technological improvements allow financial analysts to access a wider range of data and conduct higher quality analysis. This analysis will help businesses manage their finances, identify investment trends, and deliver new products or services to clients.
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Despite employment growth, competition is expected for financial analyst positions. Growth in financial services is projected to create new positions, but there are still far more people who would like to enter the occupation than there are jobs in the occupation. Having certifications and a graduate degree can significantly improve an applicant's prospects.
| Occupational Title | Employment, 2018 | Projected Employment, 2028 | Change, 2018-28 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Percent | Numeric | |||
| Financial analysts | 329,500 | 349,800 | 6 | 20,300 |
For more information about licensure for financial analysts, visit
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA)
For more information about training and certification, visit
For more information about certifications in financial analysis, visit
A portion of the information on this page is used by permission of the U.S. Department of Labor.