Financial and Investment Analysts: Career Profile
Conduct quantitative analyses of information involving investment programs or financial data of public or private institutions, including valuation of businesses.
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What Do Financial and Investment Analysts Take On?
The core tasks performed by financial and investment analysts cover:
- 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.
- Confer with clients to restructure debt, refinance debt, or raise new debt.
- Create client presentations of plan details.
Related Job Titles
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- Accounting Analyst
- Acquisition Analyst
- Acquisition Specialist
- Acquisitions Analyst
- Acquisitions Consultant
- Alternative Financing Specialist
- Analyst
- Bank Analyst
How Many Financial and Investment Analysts Are There?
There are about 72,056 financial and investment analysts working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to grow by +6.8% over the projection horizon.
Salary for Financial and Investment Analysts
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $82,666 |
| Hourly median | $39.74 |
| 10th percentile | $47,529 |
| 25th percentile | $65,097 |
| 75th percentile | $100,234 |
| 90th percentile | $117,802 |
Wages vary widely based on experience, location, and industry.
How Much Do Financial and Investment Analysts Make in Different U.S. States?
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Wyoming | $213,940 |
| New York | $126,580 |
| California | $111,100 |
| New Jersey | $109,380 |
| Oregon | $107,680 |
| Massachusetts | $107,610 |
| District of Columbia | $106,840 |
| Connecticut | $106,250 |
| Virginia | $104,030 |
| Minnesota | $102,800 |
| Washington | $102,370 |
| North Carolina | $102,220 |
| Illinois | $101,400 |
| Colorado | $99,200 |
| Delaware | $99,170 |
| Maryland | $98,890 |
| Vermont | $96,260 |
| Montana | $95,990 |
| Georgia | $95,180 |
| Alabama | $94,660 |
| Alaska | $94,480 |
| Ohio | $93,690 |
| Texas | $92,370 |
| Maine | $91,840 |
| Utah | $91,280 |
| New Hampshire | $91,150 |
| Michigan | $90,400 |
| South Carolina | $89,850 |
| Iowa | $88,940 |
| Idaho | $88,730 |
| Missouri | $88,400 |
| Wisconsin | $88,230 |
| Arizona | $88,190 |
| Pennsylvania | $87,360 |
| Tennessee | $86,580 |
| Hawaii | $86,100 |
| Rhode Island | $84,800 |
| Florida | $83,560 |
| Nebraska | $82,700 |
| Kansas | $82,070 |
| Nevada | $81,060 |
| Indiana | $80,420 |
| Oklahoma | $80,210 |
| New Mexico | $79,150 |
| Arkansas | $78,840 |
| Mississippi | $77,520 |
| Kentucky | $75,260 |
| North Dakota | $75,000 |
| West Virginia | $72,550 |
| Virgin Islands | $69,990 |
| Louisiana | $60,870 |
| Puerto Rico | $60,220 |
Pay by U.S. Region
Earnings for financial and investment analysts differ across the country. Top regions by median wage:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Middle Atlantic | $114,577 | 24.5% | 1.85 |
| Far Western US | $108,375 | 15.7% | 0.97 |
| New England | $105,258 | 7.5% | 1.96 |
| Rocky Mountains | $97,986 | 4.4% | 1.24 |
| Great Lakes | $94,707 | 12.7% | 0.99 |
| Southwest | $90,805 | 10.1% | 0.82 |
| Southeast | $90,759 | 19.9% | 0.87 |
| Plains States | $89,563 | 5.1% | 0.79 |
Top Metro Areas
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cheyenne, WY | WY | $158,400 | 40 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | CT | $149,480 | 1,920 |
| Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ | AZ | $146,540 | 80 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $134,470 | 4,740 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | NY | $128,490 | 49,940 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $128,470 | 9,580 |
| Bozeman, MT | MT | $124,600 | 90 |
| Idaho Falls, ID | ID | $114,990 | 70 |
Which Industries Hire Financial and Investment Analysts
Most financial and investment analysts are found across these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Finance and Insurance | 150,630 | $106,740 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 49,110 | $100,960 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 45,100 | $99,760 |
| Manufacturing | 15,980 | $101,670 |
| Information | 11,700 | $105,240 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 9,670 | $91,500 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 9,670 | $86,420 |
| Educational Services | 9,340 | $83,940 |
Below are examples of industries where financial and investment analysts work:
Tech Stack
- Business intelligence and data analysis software: Alteryx software (hot technology)
- Data base management system software: Apache Hive (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Google Docs (hot technology)
- Analytical or scientific software: IBM SPSS Statistics (hot technology)
- Accounting software: Intuit QuickBooks (hot technology)
- Sales and marketing software: Marketo Marketing Automation (hot technology)
- Data base user interface and query software: Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Business intelligence and data analysis software: Microsoft Power BI (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
Getting Started in This Career
This occupation sits in Considerable Preparation Needed (Job Zone 4), indicating the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Financial Managers (Primary-Long)
- Investment Fund Managers (Primary-Short)
- Management Analysts (Supplemental)
- Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists (Supplemental)
- Accountants and Auditors (Supplemental)
- Credit Analysts (Primary-Long)
- Personal Financial Advisors (Primary-Short)
- Financial Risk Specialists (Primary-Short)
Degree Programs
Students preparing for financial and investment analysts commonly pursue programs in:
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services
7 programs across 2 majors
Mathematics and Statistics
1 programs across 1 majors
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
1 programs across 1 majors
About the Data
This profile draws on the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 13-2051.00 (Financial and Investment Analysts).