Salary, Job Description, How To Become One, and Quiz
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Financial Analysts
Financial Analysts conduct quantitative analyses of information involving investment programs or financial data of public or private institutions, including valuation of businesses.
Table of contents
What they do
Financial Analysts conduct quantitative analyses of information involving investment programs or financial data of public or private institutions, including valuation of businesses.
- Inform investment decisions by analyzing financial information to forecast business, industry, or economic conditions.
- Prepare plans of action for investment, using financial analyses.
- Evaluate and compare the relative quality of various securities in a given industry.
- Recommend investments and investment timing to companies, investment firm staff, or the public.
Typical day
On a daily basis, Financial Analysts recommend investments and investment timing to companies, investment firm staff, or the public. They monitor fundamental economic, industrial, and corporate developments by analyzing information from financial publications and services, investment banking firms, government agencies, trade publications, company sources, or personal interviews.
A typical day for a Financial Analyst will also include:
- Evaluate and compare the relative quality of various securities in a given industry.
- Inform investment decisions by analyzing financial information to forecast business, industry, or economic conditions.
- Monitor developments in the fields of industrial technology, business, finance, and economic theory.
- Interpret data on price, yield, stability, future investment-risk trends, economic influences, and other factors affecting investment programs.
- Prepare plans of action for investment, using financial analyses.
Other responsibilities
Besides their typical day, Financial Analysts also determine the prices at which securities should be syndicated and offered to the public. They may also present oral or written reports on general economic trends, individual corporations, and entire industries.
On a weekly to monthly basis, Financial Analysts collaborate with investment bankers to attract new corporate clients to securities firms. They might also purchase investments for companies in accordance with company policy.
In addition, they recommend investments and investment timing to companies, investment firm staff, or the public.
Although specific duties may vary, many of them interpret data on price, yield, stability, future investment-risk trends, economic influences, and other factors affecting investment programs.
To some Financial Analysts, it is also their responsibility to identify potential financial investments that are environmentally sound, considering issues such as carbon emissions and biodiversity.
What is the job like
Job satisfaction
Is this job meaningful
68% said they were satisfied with their job and 39% said they found their job meaningful.
I’m a Sr. Consultant, basically a financial analyst. My typical day My typical day varies depending on the time of the month and season of the year. I have some accounting-type duties at month-end and then I jump right in to reporting the monthly results. My job includes some accounting functions, building reports, analyzing data, … Read More
I am a financial analyst and my day revolves around collecting information and plotting them on spreadsheets and reports. I also get a deeper look at non-legal pertinent information about prospective deals. Preparing a plan of action based on my financial analysis, on the other hand, takes most of my time and days. Pros The … Read More
As a financial analyst, I can assure you that a single day’s routine cannot describe my professional life. My day at the office is stressful at times and the other times I enjoy it a lot because I have a lot to learn about, especially when I have to analyze the research and discuss the … Read More
Pros
Suitable for people who like to follow routines.
Suitable for people who value achievements and are results-oriented.
This career is perfect for people who love to work indoors.
Very high salary (top 25% highest paid careers).
Cons
Not suitable for people who like to help and teach others.
It is hard to get into this career. A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for this career.
Long working hours (More than 40 hours per week).
How much do they make
Average salary
Average hourly wage
Entry-level Financial Analysts with little to no experience can expect to make anywhere between $48,760 to $63,670 per year or $23 to $31 per hour.
| Salary by experience | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Highest (Top 10%) | $159,560 | $77 |
| Senior (Top 25%) | $112,460 | $54 |
| Median | $83,660 | $40 |
| Junior (Bottom 25%) | $63,670 | $31 |
| No experience (Bottom 10%) | $48,760 | $23 |
This table shows the top 10 highest paying industries for Financial Analysts based on their average annual salary.
| Salary by industry | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Other Investment Pools and Funds | $132350 | $63.63 |
| Securities, Commodity Contracts, and Other Financial Investments and Related Activities | $125040 | $60.12 |
| Support Activities for Mining | $113530 | $54.58 |
| Software Publishers | $110930 | $53.33 |
| Other Information Services | $110150 | $52.96 |
| Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing | $108920 | $52.37 |
| Monetary Authorities-Central Bank | $107470 | $51.67 |
| Oil and Gas Extraction | $107320 | $51.60 |
| Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing | $106590 | $51.25 |
| Land Subdivision | $106040 | $50.98 |
View more salary by industries here.
Where can they work
Where can Financial Analysts work? Here is a table showing the top 10 largest employers of Financial Analysts including the average salary in that industry.
| Employers | Total Employed | Annual Salary | Hourly Wages |
|---|---|---|---|
| Securities, Commodity Contracts, and Other Financial Investments and Related Activities | 87530 | $125040 | $60.12 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 54320 | $94330 | $45.35 |
| Credit Intermediation and Related Activities | 49770 | $91300 | $43.90 |
| Federal Executive Branch | 24150 | $89280 | $42.93 |
| Insurance Carriers | 19030 | $93060 | $44.74 |
| Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services | 18620 | $96900 | $46.59 |
| Nondepository Credit Intermediation | 18600 | $87330 | $41.99 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | 15450 | $75140 | $36.12 |
| Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll Services | 12090 | $102390 | $49.23 |
| Computer Systems Design and Related Services | 9790 | $94970 | $45.66 |
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What is the work day like
Working hours
Working schedule
How often do you use email in this job?
Telephone
How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
Group discussions
How often do you have group discussions in this job?
Public speaking
How often does this job require you to do public speaking?
Level of competition
How much competitive pressure is in this job?
What is the work environment like
Office-style environment
Indoors in an environmentally controlled condition
Warehouse-style environment
Indoors in a non-controlled environmental condition such as a warehouse
Outdoors
Outdoors exposed to all weather conditions
Outdoors – Under Cover
Outdoors but under cover (e.g. structure with roof but no walls)
How to become one
Difficulty to become one
Required level of education
What level of education do you need to perform the job?
Relevant majors
Public Finance
Financial Risk Management
Finance
International Finance
Investments and Securities
Accounting and Finance
Accounting and Business/Management
Financial Analytics
Financial Mathematics
Relevant work experience
How much related work experience do you need to get hired for the job?
On The Job Training
How much on the job training do you need to perform the job?
Should you become one
Best personality type for this career
People with this personality type likes to follow set procedures and routines. They prefer working with data and details more than with ideas.
People with The Builder personality type likes practical and hands-on work. They prefer working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery.
People with The Thinker personality likes to work with ideas that require an extensive amount of thinking. They prefer work that requires them to solve problems mentally.
People with The Artist personality likes to work with designs and patterns. They prefer activities that require self-expression and prefer work that can be done without following a clear set of rules.
People with The Helper personality type likes to work with people and in teams. They prefer work that allows them to build relationships with others.
People with The Leader personality likes to start and work on projects. They also like leading people and making many decisions.
People with The Organizer personality type likes to follow set procedures and routines. They prefer working with data and details more than with ideas.
You can read more about these career personality types here.
People who are suitable for this job tend to like following set procedures and routines. They like working with data and details more than with ideas.
They also like working with ideas and require an extensive amount of thinking. They like searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
Take this quiz to see if this is the right career for you.
Work Values
Which values are the most important to a person’s satisfaction for this job?
You are someone who is results oriented. You prefer work that allows you to utilize your skills and abilities while at the same time giving you a sense of accomplishment.
You are someone who values job security, steady employment, and good working conditions. You also prefer work that keeps you busy all the time with something different to do every day.
You are someone who values job advancement and leadership roles. You prefer work that receives recognition for the work you do and jobs that are looked up to by others in the company and your community.
You are someone who likes to provide a service to others. You prefer a work environment where you can work with your co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment.
You are someone who values a company that stands behind their employees. You prefer a work environment where everyone is treated fairly and is being supported by the company.
You are someone who likes to work on your own and make your own decisions. You prefer work that requires little supervision and are allowed to try out your own ideas.
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