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Business and finance

Financial analyst

Conduct quantitative analyses of information involving investment programs or financial data of public or private institutions, including valuation of businesses.

Median pay

$102,740

Growth to 2035

+7%

faster than average

Openings a year

24,700

Time to qualify*

9 months

* From a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field.

Pay

Financial analyst

$102,74010% earn under $63,720 · middle half $79,290–$133,340 · top 10% over $180,860
Bar: middle 50% of workers. Line: 10th to 90th percentile. Dot: median. BLS OEWS, May 2025, national.

Getting in

Typical entry education
Bachelor's degree
On-the-job training
None
Prior experience
None
Required
No license for most roles; CFA charter optional (3 exams, ~3 years)

Calculate your switch to financial analyst

What the work is like

Financial analyst

Dealing with the public

Rarely
Constantly

Time pressure

Rarely
Constantly

Freedom to make decisions

Little
A lot
Average worker ratings, 1 to 5. O*NET 31.0 work context survey.

Core tasks

Also called: Analyst · Credit Products Officer · Equity Research Analyst · Financial Analyst · Investment Analyst · Planning Analyst · Portfolio Manager · Real Estate Analyst

Outlook and AI

Financial analysts held 377,200 jobs in 2025. BLS projects 404,300 by 2035 (+7%, faster than average; all jobs: +3.5%).

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