How to Become a Credit Analyst
Read financial statements to judge who can safely borrow, protecting lenders from bad risk. It typically requires a bachelor's degree, with a median salary of $83,510 per year and declining projected job growth.
Median pay
$83,510/yr
Middle half
$65,210 to $122,460
Job growth
Declining
Openings / yr
3,700
Majors that lead here
Key skills
- Financial Statement Analysis
- Risk Modeling
- Critical Thinking
- Writing
- Attention to Detail
Helpful certifications
- CRC (Credit Risk Certification)
Is this career a fit?
Remote-friendly
73/100
Work-life balance
59/100
Stress level
48/100
Related careers
- Financial Manager$166,570 median
- Actuary$130,000 median
- Financial Risk Specialist$117,330 median
- Personal Financial Advisor$105,070 median
- Financial Analyst$102,740 median
- Management Consultant$101,860 median
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Credit Analyst make?
The median pay for a Credit Analyst is $83,510 a year, and the middle half of workers earn between $65,210 and $122,460 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025). That covers everyone in the job, not only people starting out, so newer workers sit toward the lower end.
What degree do you need to become a Credit Analyst?
The usual entry point is a bachelor's degree. Common majors are Finance, Accounting, and Economics.
Is Credit Analyst a growing field?
Projected job growth for this role from 2024 to 2034 is declining (BLS projections via O*NET), with roughly 3,700 U.S. openings a year.
What skills does a Credit Analyst use most?
Common skills for this role are Financial Statement Analysis, Risk Modeling, Critical Thinking, Writing, and Attention to Detail.
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Take the major quizWhere these pay figures come from
Career pay is the annual wage of everyone working in that occupation, not only recent graduates, so it includes people who have done the job for decades. The middle half is the 25th to the 75th percentile. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET OnLine (median and percentile annual wages May 2025; employment projections 2024-2034).
All figures are national. What you earn depends on where you work, who you work for, and how far you take the degree.
Job-growth figures: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET OnLine (median and percentile annual wages May 2025; employment projections 2024-2034).