Financial and Investment Analysts
Conduct quantitative analyses of information involving investment programs or financial data of public or private institutions, including valuation of businesses.
What it pays
Financial and Investment Analysts earn a median of $49.40/hr — about $103,000 a year. The lowest-paid 10% earn $30.64/hr; the top 10% earn $86.95/hr. (Annual figures are approximate: hourly × 2,080.)
Financial and Investment Analysts earn a median of $49.40/hr — about $103,000 a year. The lowest-paid 10% earn $30.64/hr; the top 10% earn $86.95/hr. (Annual figures are approximate: hourly × 2,080.)
What you'd actually do
- Advise clients on aspects of capitalization, such as amounts, sources, or timing.
- Analyze financial or operational performance of companies facing financial difficulties to identify or recommend remedies.
- Assess companies as investments for clients by examining company facilities.
- Collaborate on projects with other professionals, such as lawyers, accountants, or public relations experts.
- Collaborate with investment bankers to attract new corporate clients.
- Conduct financial analyses related to investments in green construction or green retrofitting projects.
How you get there
Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree. Overall preparation: considerable preparation (Job Zone 4 of 5).
The feel of the work
The work is mostly indoors; time pressure is a real part of the job. (Compared against the other 818 careers in the guide.)
Working for yourself
About 5% of financial and investment analysts are self-employed.
Who it tends to fit
This work tends to fit people who are organized and detail-focused, take-charge and analytical.
Work a simulated shift in this job — freeMake the real decisions this job involves, then see what your choices say about you.Related careers
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Quick questions
- How much does a financial and investment analyst make?
- The median pay is $49.40 per hour — roughly $103,000 a year, with the real range running from about $30.64/hr (10th percentile) to $86.95/hr (90th percentile). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Do you need a degree to be a financial and investment analyst?
- The typical entry-level education is: Bachelor's degree. Overall preparation level: considerable preparation (Job Zone 4 of 5).
- What does a financial and investment analyst actually do all day?
- Advise clients on aspects of capitalization, such as amounts, sources, or timing. Analyze financial or operational performance of companies facing financial difficulties to identify or recommend remedies. Assess companies as investments for clients by examining company facilities.
Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS. Tasks & interests: O*NET. Career pathways shown in the app are draft archetypes — verify before relying on them. Trailhead is a free career guide for students — honest numbers, no hype.
Trailhead is operated by FLEXVermont LLC. It is intended for high-school students age 13 and older, and the educators and families who support them, and is not directed to children under 13. Trailhead is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not offer professional, financial, or career advice, and its wage figures and pathways are estimates that may not fit your situation — they should not be relied on as the sole basis for any decision.
Trailhead is operated by FLEXVermont LLC. It is intended for high-school students age 13 and older, and the educators and families who support them, and is not directed to children under 13. Trailhead is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not offer professional, financial, or career advice, and its wage figures and pathways are estimates that may not fit your situation — they should not be relied on as the sole basis for any decision.