How to become an investment analyst
Official title: Investment analyst
Also called: Investor, Equities analyst, Equities dealer, Equity analyst, Senior investment analyst, Investor relations advisor, Investment manager
Investment analysts examine investment and financial data to forecast economic conditions and help organisations make decisions about investments.
Main tasks
- Study data to find investments
- Research market trends and investment options
- Check risks before making investment choices
- Write reports about investment opportunities
- Give advice about investing money
- Monitor investment performance
- Meet with clients to discuss investments
- Use computer models to predict trends
How to become one
You need experience to become an investment analyst and a qualification may be useful. You usually need NCEA Level 2 to do the study or training for this job. Required: 3 years' experience in financial analysis or an area related to investment analysis. Other requirements: a New Zealand Certificate in Financial Services (Level 5); to join a professional organisation.
Ways in
- Certificates and diplomas: Advanced certificates and diplomas in banking and finance. TEC links this job to study in banking and finance. Qualifications: NZ Cert in Financial Services, Cert in Financial Advice. Usually 6 to 11 months. Graduates of these qualifications earn a median $75,000 a year one year after study; 81% are employed one year after (TEC, from Stats NZ IDI data).
Pay · Past change
- Most common pay: $85,000 to $191,000 a year (median $116,000), a TEC estimate before tax.
- Lower: $63,000 a year · Upper: $339,000 a year
- TEC's pay figures are estimates only. TEC says they must not be used to set pay, in pay negotiations or in visa applications.
- Change in the number of people doing this job between the 2018 and 2023 Censuses: Strong increase (TEC). This is past change, not a forecast.
Who does this work
- About 600 people did this job at the 2023 Census (TEC).
Related jobs
- Payroll manager
- Payroll consultant
- Accountant and auditor
- Finance analyst
- Credit analyst
- Financial risk specialist
Not sure this is for you? Take the 2-minute career quiz
Questions people ask
How do I become an investment analyst?
You need experience to become an investment analyst and a qualification may be useful. You usually need NCEA Level 2 to do the study or training for this job. Required: 3 years' experience in financial analysis or an area related to investment analysis. Other requirements: a New Zealand Certificate in Financial Services (Level 5); to join a professional organisation.
How much does an investment analyst earn in New Zealand?
The Tertiary Education Commission estimates median pay at $116,000 a year, before tax. Most common pay is $85,000 to $191,000 a year.
Has the number of people working as an investment analyst grown in New Zealand?
It has grown strongly: TEC records a strong increase in the number of people doing this job between the 2018 and 2023 Censuses. This is past change, not a forecast.
Sources
- Tertiary Education Commission (Tahatu Career Navigator): Tahatu career ideas: descriptions, tasks, pay estimates, people employed, employment change 2018 to 2023, entry requirements, registration, interest scores (Site scrape 2026-10 (816 career ideas, sitemap lastmod 2026-10-01)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 4 October 2026
This content is sourced from the Tertiary Education Commission through the Tahatū Career Navigator website (www.tahatu.govt.nz) and used under the CC BY 4.0 licence. All or some of the information has been modified by Peernovo. TEC has not approved, endorsed or tested these modifications. TEC will not be held accountable for any errors within this content.
Qualification information from NZQA, used under CC BY 3.0 NZ.
This work is based on/includes Stats NZ's data which are licensed by Stats NZ for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. Census data via Figure.NZ.
Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Sources: Tertiary Education Commission, Tahatū Career Navigator (career ideas, pay estimates, entry requirements and study options, CC BY 4.0, modified by Peernovo); Stats NZ, 2023 Census (via Figure.NZ) and the National Occupation List (CC BY 4.0); NZQA qualification information (CC BY 3.0 NZ); O*NET interest scores (CC BY 4.0); ILO global generative AI exposure index (CC BY 4.0). Links between career ideas and ANZSCO groups, degree fields and broad job groups are Peernovo's.
These results are not official statistics. They have been created for research purposes from the Integrated Data Infrastructure (IDI), which is carefully managed by Stats NZ.
Graduate outcomes: these results are not official statistics. They have been created for research purposes from the Integrated Data Infrastructure (IDI), which is carefully managed by Stats NZ.
Updated 4 October 2026
