How to become a Credit Analyst

Official title: Credit Analysts

Also called: Credit Administrator, Credit Analyst, Credit and Collections Analyst, Credit Officer, Credit Representative, Credit Risk Analyst, Municipal Fixed Income Analyst

Analyze credit data and financial statements of individuals or firms to determine the degree of risk involved in extending credit or lending money. Prepare reports with credit information for use in decisionmaking.

Main tasks

• Analyze credit data and financial statements to determine the degree of risk involved in extending credit or lending money.
• Complete loan applications, including credit analyses and summaries of loan requests, and submit to loan committees for approval.
• Generate financial ratios, using computer programs, to evaluate customers' financial status.
• Prepare reports that include the degree of risk involved in extending credit or lending money.
• Analyze financial data, such as income growth, quality of management, and market share to determine expected profitability of loans.
• Compare liquidity, profitability, and credit histories of establishments being evaluated with those of similar establishments in the same industries and geographic locations.
• Consult with customers to resolve complaints and verify financial and credit transactions.

How to become one

Typical education to start: Bachelor's degree

Ways in

• Apprenticeship: Credit Analyst (Nof).
• College: Business & Commerce degrees, Offered by 35 universities in the US

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

• Median pay: $83,510 a year The middle half earn $65,210 to $122,460.
• About 64,700 people work in this job now, and about 61,900 are projected by 2035. (-4.3%)
• People already use generative AI for some of this work. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as medium.

Related jobs

• Financial and Investment Analysts
• Accountants and Auditors
• Appraisers of Personal and Business Property
• Appraisers and Assessors of Real Estate
• Budget Analysts
• Personal Financial Advisors

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Questions people ask

How do I become a Credit Analyst?

Ways in include: Business & Commerce degrees; Credit Analyst (Nof).

How much does a Credit Analyst earn in the US?

Median full-time pay is $83,510 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $65,210 to $122,460.

Is a Credit Analyst a growing career in the US?

Employment is projected to fall 4% by 2035, from about 64,700 to about 61,900 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become a Credit Analyst?

Usually. 71% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Will AI change the work of a Credit Analyst?

People already use generative AI for some of this work. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as medium.

Sources

• Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database 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.