How to become a Financial and Investment Analyst
Official title: Financial and Investment Analysts
Also called: Analyst, Credit Products Officer, Equity Research Analyst, Financial Analyst, Investment Analyst, Planning Analyst, Portfolio Manager, Real Estate Analyst, Securities Analyst, Trust Officer
Conduct quantitative analyses of information involving investment programs or financial data of public or private institutions, including valuation of businesses.
How to become one
Financial analysts typically need a bachelor's degree to enter the occupation.
Typical education to start: Bachelor's degree
Read the full guide from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Ways in
- College: Business & Commerce degrees, Offered by 35 universities in the US
Pay · Outlook · AI and this job
- Median pay: $102,740 a year The middle half earn $79,290 to $133,340.
- About 377,200 people work in this job now, and about 404,300 are projected by 2035. (+7.2%)
- People already use generative AI for a good share of this work, which usually changes the job more than it replaces it. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as high.
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Questions people ask
How do I become a Financial and Investment Analyst?
Financial analysts typically need a bachelor's degree to enter the occupation.
How much does a Financial and Investment Analyst earn in the US?
Median full-time pay is $102,740 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $79,290 to $133,340.
Is a Financial and Investment Analyst a growing career in the US?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 7% by 2035, from about 377,200 to about 404,300 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Do you need a degree to become a Financial and Investment Analyst?
Usually. 88% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Will AI change the work of a Financial and Investment Analyst?
People already use generative AI for a good share of this work, which usually changes the job more than it replaces it. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as high.
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 Outlook Handbook (2025-35 edition (published 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS); photographs excluded, 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.