Careers in the Finance Industry
Top Jobs in finance - Check out some of the fastest growing jobs
Financial Analysts
- Job outlook: 5% increase from 2019-2029 (BLS)
- Average salary: $81,590 per year/$39.22 per hour (BLS)
- Education requirement: Bachelor’s Degree
Financial Examiners
- Job outlook: 33% increase from 2019-2029 (BLS)
- Average salary: $58,790 per year/$28.14 per hour (BLS)
- Education requirement: Associate degree
Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists
- Job outlook: 8% increase from 2019-2029 (BLS)
- Average salary: $64,560 per year/$31,04 per hour (BLS)
- Education requirement: Bachelor’s Degree
Logisticians
- Job outlook: 4% increase from 2019-2029 (BLS)
- Average salary: $74,750 per year/$35.94 per hour (BLS)
- Education requirement: Bachelor’s Degree
finance occupations
careers within finance
Employment in financial operations occupations is projected to grow 5 percent from 2019 to 2029, faster than the average for all occupations, adding about 476,200 new jobs. Globalization, a growing economy, and a complex tax and regulatory environment are expected to continue to lead to strong demand for accountants and auditors. In addition, increasing usage of data and market research in order to understand customers and product demand, and to evaluate marketing strategies, will lead to growing demand for market research analysts.
The finance industry has a multitude of opportunities for you. Explore all the paths you can take in this industry or explore some of the top occupations by checking out the top jobs.
accountants & auditors
Accountants and auditors prepare and examine financial records, identify potential areas of opportunity and risk, and provide solutions for businesses and individuals. They ensure that financial records are accurate, that financial and data risks are evaluated, and that taxes are paid properly. They also assess financial operations and work to help ensure that organizations run efficiently. Accountants and auditors may use technology, such as artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics process automation, to increase their productivity. Automating some routine tasks makes these workers more efficient by allowing them to focus on analysis and other high-level responsibilities. In addition to examining and preparing financial documents, accountants and auditors must explain their findings. This includes preparing written reports and meeting face-to-face with organization managers and individual clients. Many accountants and auditors specialize, depending on their employer. Some work for organizations that specialize in assurance services (improving the quality or context of information for decision makers) or risk management (determining the probability of a misstatement on financial documents). Other organizations specialize in specific industries, such as finance, insurance, or healthcare.
Banking Services
Banking services are primarily concerned with accepting deposits, lending funds, and extending credit, banking services include cash management, short-term investments, mortgages and other loans, credit cards, and bill payment. Banking services are delivered via a number of different institutions, from commercial banks (the largest group) and other traditional means (savings and loans associations, credit unions, and local banks) to newer ventures through insurance companies, brokerage houses, and the internet.
Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents
Tax examiners and collectors, and revenue agents are responsible for ensuring that individuals and businesses pay the appropriate amount of taxes they owe, as prescribed by laws and regulations. In addition to verifying that tax returns are filed properly, they follow up with taxpayers whose returns are questionable or who owe more money. Different levels of government collect different types of taxes. The federal government deals primarily with personal and business income taxes. State governments collect income and sales taxes. Local governments collect sales and property taxes. Because many states assess individual income taxes on the basis of the taxpayer’s reported federal income, tax examiners working for the federal government report to the states any adjustments or corrections they make. State tax examiners then determine whether the adjustments affect the state taxpayer liability.
Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services
Securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents deal with a wide range of products and clients. Agents spend much of the day interacting with people, whether selling stock to an individual or discussing the status of a merger deal with a company executive. The work is usually stressful because agents deal with large amounts of money and have time constraints. A security or commodity can be traded in two ways: electronically or in an auction-style setting on the floor of an exchange market. Markets such as the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation system (NASDAQ) use vast computer networks rather than human traders to match buyers and sellers. Others, such as the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), rely on floor brokers to complete transactions.
