andresr/Getty Images If you’re a student or recent graduate, your finance skills will help you get hired for these professions. Read on to learn about some of the top jobs for college graduates with a finance degree.
Finance Majors: Skills and Pay
Finance majors develop analytical skills in order to dissect financial statements and appraise the financial standing of companies, municipalities, and other entities. They can assess the quantitative and qualitative dimensions of business problems and evaluate the financial implications of corporate and individual actions. Graduates with a degree in finance also acquire the ability to deal with spreadsheets and with other software used to process and represent financial data. They learn to present financial information to clients and colleagues with varying levels of financial sophistication. Finance majors make up slightly more than 10% of all business majors. Business majors earned slightly more than the average worker in 2019 ($65,000 compared to $60,000). Some of the highest-paying finance careers include investor relations professionals and corporate lawyers.
Top 10 Jobs for Finance Majors
Here are some options to consider as you explore careers related to a finance degree.
Financial Planner
Finance majors learn about a variety of investment vehicles, and this knowledge can help financial planners to advise clients about how to manage their finances. Finance majors can decipher trends in the securities markets and apply this perspective to their planning sessions. Financial planners must crunch numbers and apply principles of accounting in order to devise plans suitable for individual investors. They also need to inspire trust in people and promote their services. Therefore, finance majors with strong interpersonal skills and persuasive abilities will be most likely to succeed in this profession. Salary and Employment Outlook: According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), personal financial advisors earned a median salary of $94,170 in 2021, and jobs are predicted to expand at a rate of 5% by 2030.
Financial Analyst
Financial analysts research stocks, bonds, companies, and industries to assist bankers, investors, and corporate finance officers with mergers, acquisitions, and stock/bond offerings, as well as corporate expansions and restructuring. They can capitalize on their finance major training as they dissect financial statements and other financial data. Financial analysts build financial models and conduct complex quantitative analyses. Financial analysts also produce reports detailing their findings and present their analyses to other members of the banking or finance team. Salary and Employment Outlook: Financial analysts earned a median salary of $81,410 in 2021, and jobs are predicted to grow at a rate of 6% by 2030.
Investor Relations Associate
Finance majors with strong writing, organizational, and communication skills can thrive in this role. Investor relations professionals prepare and present financial information about their company or corporate clients to investors, analysts, and business media. The analytical and software tools developed through their finance major training facilitate this process. Salary: The average base salary for a senior investor relations professional was around $250,000 in 2019, according to a survey by Korn Ferry and the National Investor Relations Institute. Lower-level analyst and manager positions in this field earned an average of $140,000.
Budget Analyst
Budget analysts apply principles of finance to projects and proposals in the business, educational, governmental, and not-for-profit sectors. They analyze budgets and evaluate the financial impact of continuing ventures and new ventures. Budget analysts must have refined communication skills because they interview managers in order to gather information for proposals. They also train staff regarding the budget development processes for their organization. Finance majors develop the essential analytical and communication skills needed to become successful budget analysts. Salary and Employment Outlook: Budget analysts earned a median salary of $79,940 in 2021, and jobs are predicted to grow by about 5% by 2030.
Actuary
Actuaries play a leadership role in financially oriented businesses such as insurance, banking, rating agencies, and accounting firms. The finance graduate with strong mathematical skills is ideally positioned to calculate the likelihood of various events and to assess the financial consequences for those outcomes. Just like the finance major, actuaries manipulate software to perform calculations and represent their findings. They present their recommendations to managers at their firm and convince others of the soundness of their decisions. Salary and Employment Outlook: Actuaries earned a median salary of $105,900 in 2021, and jobs are predicted to grow at a much faster than average rate of 24% by 2030.
Accountant
Finance majors learn to construct, interpret, and critique financial statements while completing the accounting component of their studies. Thus, they become capable of carrying out complex accounting work in financially oriented industries. Students of finance develop a number of accountancy skills as they learn to analyze business problems with precision and attention to detail, which prepares them for the world of accounting. Just like accountants, finance majors learn to present financial information to clients and colleagues by using charts, graphs, and other visual aids. Salary and Employment Outlook: Accountants earned a median salary of $77,250 in 2021, and jobs are predicted to grow at a rate of 7% by 2030.
Credit Analyst
Credit analysts evaluate the financial standing of loan prospects and assess the risks involved with offering them financing. Finance majors learn to appraise the financial viability of entities and interpret their financial records and data. The investigative mindset of a finance major would enable the credit analyst to scrutinize the legitimacy of financial information furnished by clients. They have the communication skills necessary for credit analysts to extract information from prospective clients and convey their analyses to colleagues. Salary: According to the BLS, credit analysts earned a median salary of $77,440 in 2021. Employment in the sector is expected to decrease by 6% by 2030.
Attorney
Lawyers in many areas of practice, including divorce, product liability, civil litigation, corporate, labor, and securities law, benefit from a knowledge of finance. Attorneys who investigate financial irregularities must read and understand financial statements. Lawyers in civil cases need the skills to estimate appropriate compensation for settlements. Research and analytical skills developed by finance majors enable attorneys to prepare their cases. Presentation skills and knowledge of presentation software help attorneys to deliver arguments and prepare exhibits. Salary and Employment Outlook: Lawyers earned a median salary of $127,990 in 2021, and jobs are predicted to grow by about 9% by 2030.
Commercial Real Estate Agent
Finance majors with strong verbal skills and a sales orientation should consider a career as a commercial real estate agent. Commercial real estate agents analyze the business plans and financial status of clients in order to recommend appropriate spaces for their enterprises. When listing a property, brokers must estimate the value of the property based on its financial potential for prospective buyers. Agents advise clients about options for financing property acquisitions and launching new businesses. Salary: Real estate agents earned a median wage of $48,340 in 2021. However, real estate agents earn the bulk of their salary through commissions, and these commissions may vary depending on the type of property and the people involved.
Business Teacher
Finance majors hone the communication and presentation skills that are essential to the teaching profession. Business teachers tap a broad knowledge of business as they instruct high school students about the fundamentals of accounting, management, marketing, and investments. Finance majors with a curiosity about the business world and an enthusiasm for business issues are well suited for this role. Individuals who earn advanced degrees in business can also pursue teaching jobs at junior and four-year colleges. Salary: Postsecondary teachers who specialize in business topics earned a median wage of $94,360 in 2021. That’s roughly $15,000 more than the median pay for all postsecondary teachers.
