Do you have a finance degree? Then you have plenty of options to get a nice paying job. Here you will find out about the top Highest-Paying Jobs for a Finance Degree:
After the medical field, you can get the highest paying jobs for a degree in finance. A degree in finance may include a Bachelor’s in Economics, Business Administration, Commerce, or any related field.
Most jobs require a Bachelor’s degree for an entry-level financial position. The jobs can be in the Banking sector, Investment sector, Insurance companies, Financial Management Department, Tax and Accounting field, etc.
Finance jobs are in high demand today. With the rise of the banking and investment sectors, there are now a number of jobs for Financial Advisors, Insurance Advisors, Private Banking Analysts, etc., which pay a good amount of money to the jobholders.
Apart from these, you can be an Accountant or a Tax Director by passing the CPA certification exam. The job of an Auditor (Internal Auditor, Information Technology Auditor) is also considered a well-paying job but expects a good experience from the job applicants.
Table of Contents:
- What do Finance Jobs Pay
- Frequently Asked Questions
- List of the Best Highest-Paying Jobs in Finance Degree
- Comparing the Top Jobs for Degree in Finance
- #1) Investment Banker
- #2) Financial Analyst
- #3) Personal Finance Advisor
- #4) Financial Manager
- #5) Financial Risk Manager
- #6) Economist
- #7) Private Equity Associate
- #8) Hedge Fund Manager
- #9) Senior Accountant
- #10) Private Equity Analyst
- #11) Internal Auditor
- #12) Private Banking Analyst
- #13) Insurance Advisor
- #14) Tax Director
- #15) Information Technology Auditor
- Other Notable High Financial Salaries Jobs
- Conclusion
What do Finance Jobs Pay
Due to the increased demand, finance jobs usually pay you well. Even a beginner can expect an annual income of $50,000 – $60,000 in the financial sector. With experience, you get a lot of scope for getting higher-paying jobs in the field.
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In this article, we will give you details about the top-paying jobs in finance, with finance salaries, job requirements of each job, and more. Go through this article to learn about the possible scope of growth in your financial career.
Market Trends: As per a report by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average hourly earnings of all employees in financial activities have been constantly increasing in the past 10 years. The average hourly wage was $28.59 in January 2012 and has increased to become $40.32 in February 2022.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q #1) What are the highest paying jobs in finance??
Answer: Some of the highest paying jobs in finance are:
- Investment Banker
- Financial Analyst
- Personal Finance Advisor
- Economist
- Internal Auditor
- Financial Manager
Q #2) What is a good salary in finance?
Answer: The finance sector normally pays its workers well. Finance salaries usually start at $50,000 per year for beginners in today’s times. And for the experienced personnel working at high positions, the financial salaries may go up to $300,000 per year, or even more!
Q #3) Do finance majors make good money?
Answer: People with the aim of going to the financial sector generally search for, ‘What do finance jobs pay?’.
Here is the list of salaries offered in the top paying finance jobs:
- Investment Banker: $35,000 – $300,000 per year
- Financial Analyst: $60,000 – $120,000 per year
- Financial Risk Manager: 40,000 – $220,000 per year.
- Private Equity Associate: $60,000 – $200,000 per year.
Q #4) Is finance a stable career?
Answer: Finance is an attractive career that offers you nice salaries and a lot of scope for your career growth. The more experience you gain, the more you will grow.
With the introduction of digital currencies, the job positions have increased even further in the Banking as well as the Insurance sector. Plus, the number of jobs for Accountants, Tax Directors, Economists, Internal Auditors, etc., is always on a rise.
Q #5) Is finance a stressful career?
Answer: Yes, finance is considered to be a stressful career by many. But, if you have a way with math, calculations, logical reasoning, and related skills, you may find this career to be easy flowing.
But no doubt, you need to spend long hours on market evaluation, if you are in the Investment market, as the careers in this field require you to spend over 50 hours a week so that you can act according to the market fluctuations.
Q #6) What is the easiest job in finance?
Answer: The finance sector offers some good-paying jobs for graduates in the field. Beginners can get a job as Budget Analysts, Economists, Accountants, Insurance Advisors, etc.
These are considered to be the easiest jobs in the finance sector.
List of the Best Highest-Paying Jobs in Finance Degree
Top paying finance jobs list:
- Investment banker
- Financial Analyst
- Personal Finance Advisor
- Financial Manager
- Financial Risk Manager
- Economist
- Private Equity Associate
- Hedge Fund Manager
- Senior Accountant
- Private Equity Analyst
- Internal Auditor
- Private banking analyst
- Insurance Advisor
- Tax Director
- Information Technology Auditor
Comparing the Top Jobs for Degree in Finance
Job Title | Suitable for | Salary | Requirements |
---|---|---|---|
Investment Banker | Those having good knowledge of the investment market | $35,000 - $300,000 per year | A Bachelor's degree is required for a beginner's position. Experience is highly preferred. |
Financial Analyst | Those having the skills to look at broader aspects of financial growth | $60,000 - $120,000 per year | A Bachelor's degree is required for a beginner's position. Experience in a financial sector is also required. |
Personal Finance Advisor | Those having good communication, advisory skills. | $55,000 - $110,000 per year | A Bachelor's degree is required for a beginner's position. |
Financial Manager | Experienced people in the financial sector | $90,000 - $150,000 per year | A minimum of a Bachelor's degree in a Financial field, plus good experience in the sector. |
Financial Risk Manager | Those having good strategizing skills. | 40,000 - $220,000 per year. | A Bachelor's degree, FRM-I & FRM-II certification and good experience in the investment field. |
Detailed information about each of the top-paying finance jobs:
#1) Investment Banker
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An investment banker is one who gives advisory services to people who have little or no knowledge about how and where to invest their money. Some people who have good knowledge about the investment market, but lack enough time to keep a watch on the market, also opt for hiring an investment banker.
Government organizations, corporations, etc., also look for these services, in order to get easy returns on their investment.
Salary: $35,000 – $300,000 per year
Job Duties: The duties of an Investment banker include:
- Doing thorough research of the investment market and advising the clients on when and where to put their money, in order to get good returns.
- They also act as money borrowers. They invest the money borrowed from their clients and return it with interest, within a fixed period of time.
Qualifications/Degrees Required: You can get an entry-level job in an investment banking company, just with a bachelor’s degree. You can also opt for various Certificate or Diploma courses available on Udemy, Coursera, etc.
Cons:
- There is an immense load of pressure on an investment banker, as the investment markets can sometimes be highly volatile and can lead to huge losses.
- You need a good reputation or high experience to get more clients.
#2) Financial Analyst
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A Financial Analyst is basically the person who analyses the finances of an organization, capital growth opportunities, etc. A good, experienced Financial Analyst is a need and can prove to be highly beneficial in a company’s growth.
Also Read =>List of Top Financial Reporting Software
Salary: $60,000 – $120,000 per year
Job Duties: The duties of a Financial Analyst include:
- Making strategies for financial modeling.
- Examining the investment market and giving reports.
- Advisory services.
Qualifications/Degrees Required: A bachelor’s or master’s degree in a financial field, preferably Economics, Statistics, Business Administration, etc.
Cons:
- The job is reported to be highly stressful.
#3) Personal Finance Advisor
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A Personal Finance Advisor is a trained or experienced person who has good knowledge about how to allocate the finances in the best possible way and thus directs his clients toward achieving financial growth.
People look for a Finance Advisor to plan (retirement planning, budgeting, etc.), long- and short-term investment strategies, etc. It can be called one of the best-paying jobs in finance consumer services.
Salary: $55,000 – $110,000 per year
Job Duties:
- Meeting clients, discussing their goals, and planning accordingly.
- Convincing potential clients to tie up with them.
Qualifications/Degrees and other requirements: For being a Personal Finance Advisor, first of all, you must have good convincing skills, and a nice working experience combined with a good reputation so that people can trust you with their money.
If you want to get hired as a Finance Advisor in a company, you must have a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in a financial field, to get an entry-level job. Higher positions require good experience.
Cons:
- You need good persuading skills to get more clients.
- You need to work long hours to study different markets.
#4) Financial Manager
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Financial Managers are experienced people in the field of finances. They take control of the finances of an organization. It is one of the best-paying jobs in finance.
The job of a Financial Manager is in high demand and is considered a well-paid job, but you need to have considerable experience in the field of finances, in order to get hired.
Salary: $90,000 – $150,000 per year
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Job Duties: The job duties of a Financial Manager include:
- Understanding the company’s financial goals.
- Advising the senior managers of an organization on taking fruitful steps with the company’s finances, in order to achieve their goals.
- Making financial reports, maintaining company statements, and forecasts.
Qualifications/Degrees Required: You must have at least a Bachelor’s degree in the field of Finance, plus experience of at least 5 years, in order to get hired as a Financial Manager.
Cons:
- High experience is required.
- Stressful job.
#5) Financial Risk Manager
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A Financial Risk Manager deeply analyzes the financial scenario of an organization, in order to look after the potential risks, so that he can make strategies to counteract if the company faces the effects of risks.
Salary: $40,000 – $220,000 per year.
Job Duties: A Financial Risk Manager takes control of the following job duties:
- Understands the financial condition of a company.
- Analyzes the risks involved.
- Make plans and strategies so that the company can counteract in case of a threat caused due to potential risk.
Qualifications/Degrees Required: You need to pass FRM-I and FRM-II exams, to become a certified Financial Risk Manager after you have completed your Bachelor’s degree in a financial field.
Plus, you must also have at least 2 years of working experience as a Portfolio Manager or Risk Consultant, etc.
Cons:
- The certificate exam is not easy to pass. Only a small percentage of candidates can actually get through it.
#6) Economist
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The basic idea behind which Economists work is: what to produce, how to produce, and for whom to produce.
Thus, an Economist looks after the availability of resources, demand and supply of products, modern and cost-efficient techniques of production, taste, and preferences of the customers, and other minute details, to maximize its client’s satisfaction.
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Salary: $60,000 – $200,000 per year.
Job Duties:
- Makes a study of the available resources.
- Studies demand and supply of the product in the market and the most feasible, profit-giving techniques of operation.
Qualifications/Degrees Required: A minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in Economics is a must.
Cons:
- You should be able to look after the broad prospects of each and every situation.
#7) Private Equity Associate
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A Private Equity Associate is one of the top-paying finance jobs.
The job requires the person to work in the investment banking field. He has to make relations with potential investors and maintain ties with existing clients while helping them throughout the process of their deal.
Salary: $60,000 – $200,000 per year.
Job Duties: The job duties of a Private Equity Associate can be stated as under:
- He has to find investors for the firm.
- He must be able to maintain good relations with the new as well as existing clients.
- He must have good knowledge of the equity market so that he can give proper guidance to the clients.
Qualifications/Degrees Required: A minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in a finance-related field is required. Plus, you must also have some amount of experience in the finance sector.
Cons:
- Requires experience.
#8) Hedge Fund Manager
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A Hedge Fund Manager takes control of an investment involving a high amount of money. He basically invests money from big capitalists and investors who can invest large amounts of money.
Hedge funding basically aims at taking high risks, constructing planned portfolios, adopting risk management techniques, and thus hoping for high returns.
Salary: $30,000 – $500,000 per year.
Job Duties: The job duties of a Hedge Fund manager include:
- Making investment strategies to get a high profit.
- Maintain the portfolio as per the market conditions.
- Keep a close eye on the investment market.
Qualifications/Degrees Required: A Bachelor’s degree in Accounts, Business, etc. would be sufficient for the job, but you must have good experience in the field of portfolio management, risk control, or investment banking.
Cons:
- High risk involved.
#9) Senior Accountant
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A Senior Accountant is a person who maintains the company’s accounts, including balance sheets and financial statements. He also does the job of risk assessment, by analyzing the company’s accounts.
Salary: $46,000 – $185,000 per year.
Job Duties: A Senior Accountant has to take up the following job duties:
- Maintaining General Ledger.
- Maintaining financial statements and preparing reports.
- Tax preparation and filing.
- Audit-related duties.
- Other accounting requirements.
Qualifications/Degrees Required: A minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in any financial field, plus CFA certification, plus experience.
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Cons:
- Requirement of CFA certification for the job.
- A hectic job that requires you to pay attention to minute details.
#10) Private Equity Analyst
It is one of the top-paying finance jobs. A Private Equity Analyst works for a Private Equity firm.
He looks for companies that can be invested in, to get good returns, by doing proper valuation, objective planning, raising funds, and more.
Salary: $60,000 – $90,000 per year.
Job Duties: The job duties of a Private Equity Analyst include:
- Accurate valuation of companies.
- Determining the objectives of investing in a particular company.
- Prepare a plan that can be used to get maximum returns on investment.
- Raising funds.
Qualifications/Degrees Required: You must have the following qualifications for a job as a Private Equity Analyst:
- A Graduate degree in a finance-related field.
- A Master’s degree is desirable (preferably an MBA).
- Some experience is usually looked for, for this position.
Cons:
- You need to have negotiation skills, good communication skills, skills for data analysis, and technical skills for a diverse range of fields.
#11) Internal Auditor
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An Internal Auditor is one of the best jobs for a degree in finance. The job is highly demanded and paid well.
An Internal Auditor is the one who looks after each and every minute detail of an organization, including the finances, operations, etc., to give comments on how to make the organization better.
Salary: $46,000 – $180,000 per year.
Job Duties: The job duties of an Internal Auditor include the following:
- Checking the finances of an organization.
- Checking for efficiency in operations.
- Suggesting best practises that can help in the growth of the organization.
Qualifications/Degrees Required: You must have the following qualifications if you want to get hired as an Internal Auditor:
- A degree as a Bachelor of Commerce and Honors in Accounting.
- Certificate in Theory of Accounting (CTA).
Cons:
- High experience is required.
#12) Private Banking Analyst
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Private Banking Analyst is one of the highest paying banking jobs. He has to maintain relations with the clients, and assist them in their investment process, as per their goals. He acts somewhat as an Investment Banker.
Salary: $55,000 – $110,000 per year.
Job Duties: A Private Banking Analyst usually has to take up the following job duties:
- Guiding clients on how, when, and where to invest their money
- Maintaining relations with the clients.
Qualifications/Degrees Required: The job seeker must have a Bachelor’s degree in Accounts or a related field.
Cons:
- You must spend a good time doing thorough research on the investment market.
#13) Insurance Advisor
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Insurance Advisor jobs are high in demand. This person advises clients on making their future safe and opting for the most suitable insurance policy for them. Many times, their salary depends on the clients they can make.
Salary: $40,000 – $85,000 per year.
Job Duties: The job duties of an Insurance Advisor include the following:
- Advising clients to invest in the insurance policy that is best for them.
- Convincing potential clients to opt for an insurance policy.
Qualifications/Degrees Required: A Bachelor’s degree in a finance-related field, plus CFP (Certified Financial Planner) certification is required most of the time.
Cons:
- The requirement to clear the CFP examination.
#14) Tax Director
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Tax Director is the job that gets one of the highest finance salaries and the position is usually high in demand, all over the world. The Tax Director undertakes the job of preparing and filing the taxes for his client. Plus, he directs his clients on how to save taxes.
Salary: $100,000 – $220,000 per year.
Job Duties: A Tax Director usually performs the following job duties:
- Preparing and filing for taxes.
- Looking for any errors in the tax calculation.
- Suggesting ways for tax reduction.
Qualifications/Degrees Required: If you want to become a tax director, you should have the following qualifications:
- A Bachelor’s degree in Tax Accounting.
- A CPA license is desired in many places.
- Experience in the accounting industry.
Cons:
- Requires you to pay more attention to minute details. A small error can lead to a big problem.
#15) Information Technology Auditor
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The demand for IT auditors has increased many folds in the past decade. Businesses of almost every size and of every field get benefits through an IT auditor.
An Information Technology Auditor looks after a company’s technology system. He makes the company owners aware of the best practices through which they can achieve the optimum results.
Salary: $70,000 – $190,000 per year.
Job Duties:
- Monitoring technical operations to check whether best practices are followed or not.
- Looking for the presence of any risks.
- Making reports.
- Suggesting to the company authorities about the best techniques of operation and the best infrastructure for technical operation.
Qualifications/Degrees Required: A Bachelor’s degree is required for an entry-level position.
Cons:
- The job is reported to be stressful by many.
Other Notable High Financial Salaries Jobs
#16) Loan Officer
The Loan Officer is the person responsible for the approval of the loan. The position of a Loan Officer is required by Banks, Credit Unions, Mortgage companies, etc.
You must have a Bachelor’s degree in Business, Accounting, Economics, or a related field. Plus, you must get a Mortgage Loan Originators License (MLO) if you are a beginner.
Salary: $30,000 – $200,000 per year.
#17) Budget Analyst
A Budget Analyst is one of the best jobs for a degree in finance. You must have a Bachelor’s degree in a financial field, to get an entry-level position. Some companies ask for CPA certification for this job.
The Budget Analyst assists an organization in planning its future expenditure and savings based on its goals.
Salary: $50,000 – $90,000 per year.
Conclusion
The finance sector can be a nice option for anyone who has a keen interest in Accountancy, Economics, Mathematics, Management, Business Administration, and related fields.
If you have a bachelor’s in any of these fields, then you can start a good career. Financial salaries are usually high due to their increasing demand.
Some jobs require you to get a special certification or licensing, but you can always apply for an entry-level position with a bachelor’s degree in many financial fields. Plus, you can also look for some online courses available online, on websites like Coursera and Udemy, to develop your skills and make your profile look attractive.
These websites offer a nice range of courses in almost every field. Plus, the courses are most of the time authorized by the top universities of the world!
Thus, there is a lot of scope for growth in the financial sector.
Research Process:
- Time is taken to research this article: We spent 12 hours researching and writing this article so you can get a useful summarized list of jobs with a comparison of each for your quick review.
- Total jobs researched online: 22
- Top jobs shortlisted for review: 17