Financial and Investment Analysts
Also called: Accounting Analyst, Acquisition Analyst, Acquisition Specialist, Acquisitions Analyst, Acquisitions Consultant, Alternative Financing Specialist, Analyst, Bank Analyst
Conduct quantitative analyses of information involving investment programs or financial data of public or private institutions, including valuation of businesses.
What financial and investment analysts do
Typical tasks
- Advise clients on aspects of capitalization, such as amounts, sources, or timing.
- Analyze financial or operational performance of companies facing financial difficulties to identify or recommend remedies.
- Assess companies as investments for clients by examining company facilities.
- Collaborate on projects with other professionals, such as lawyers, accountants, or public relations experts.
- Collaborate with investment bankers to attract new corporate clients.
- Conduct financial analyses related to investments in green construction or green retrofitting projects.
- Confer with clients to restructure debt, refinance debt, or raise new debt.
- Create client presentations of plan details.
- Determine the prices at which securities should be syndicated and offered to the public.
- Develop and maintain client relationships.
- Draw charts and graphs, using computer spreadsheets, to illustrate technical reports.
- Employ financial models to develop solutions to financial problems or to assess the financial or capital impact of transactions.
Typical path into the job (BLS)
Financial and Investment Analysts salary
The median annual wage for financial and investment analysts is $102,740 (BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, national). The lowest 10 percent earn less than $63,720 and the highest 10 percent earn more than $180,860. The mean annual wage is $116,800.
The mean hourly wage of $56.00 is 7.7× the federal minimum wage of $7.25. State minimums are higher in most large states. Minimum wage by state →
How does your pay compare with people your age?
Your numbers are not sent or stored. The comparison uses this occupation's BLS wage percentiles, adjusted for age with BLS median weekly earnings by age group (Q3 2026).
Pay by percentile
Annual wage percentiles from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Percentiles are a good proxy for pay by experience.
Projected pay for Financial and Investment Analysts (3, 5 and 10 years)est.
Today $102,740 → in 3 years $111,800 → in 5 years $118,300 → in 10 years $136,200 (10-year range $117,100–$158,100). The model assumes pay growth of +2.9% per year.
What drives the annual growth rate
Projected pay = current pay × (1 + annual growth)^years. The annual growth rate starts from a base wage-growth rate and adds or subtracts labor demand (BLS projected employment growth), wage momentum and AI replacement risk for each occupation. Projections are not guarantees. How it is calculated →
Outlook score for Financial and Investment Analysts
Each component is a percentile rank among all occupations in the same country (0–100). Weights: labor demand 25, wage momentum / openings 15, pay level 15, AI resistance 25, aging workforce 10 (Japan only), entry barrier 10.
Will AI replace Financial and Investment Analysts? AI replacement risk
How AI is changing this job
A written analysis for this occupation is being prepared.
AI replacement risk compares the parts of a job that are easy to hand to AI or software (processing information, documentation, repetitive computer work) with the parts that are hard to automate (physical work, working closely with people, judgment in unpredictable settings), using O*NET work activities, work context, skills and knowledge. The result is a relative position among all occupations in the country, scaled to 0–100%. Methodology →
Labor demand for Financial and Investment Analysts
Employment projections are from the BLS Employment Projections program (2025–35). Annual openings include both new jobs and replacement of workers who leave the occupation.
The same job in Japan
| Financial and Investment Analysts United States | M&Aマネージャー、M&Aコンサルタント/M&Aアドバイザー Japan | 証券アナリスト Japan | ファンドマネージャー Japan | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median / average pay | $102,740 | ¥11.35M ≈ $72,155 | ¥11.35M ≈ $72,155 | ¥11.35M ≈ $72,155 |
| Pay in 10 years (est.) | $136,200 | ¥13.53M | ¥12.49M | ¥12.49M |
| Outlook score | 63 | 47 | 39 | 40 |
| AI replacement risk | 60% Moderate | 55% Moderate | 82% Very high | 82% Very high |
| Workers | 362K | — | — | — |
Matched by occupation (SOC code). Yen converted at 157.25 JPY/USD for reference; Japanese figures are averages, U.S. figures are medians, and the surveys define occupations differently.
Skills, education and requirements for Financial and Investment Analysts
Job Zone 4 — considerable preparation needed (O*NET)
Difficulty of entry: ★★★★☆ Demanding (from education, training, experience and Job Zone)
How to become financial and investment analysts
A step-by-step guide for this occupation is being prepared. The education, training and experience data above show the typical path.
Career path and how to earn more as financial and investment analysts
Career-path guidance is being prepared. Pay by percentile is shown in the Pay section.