Business
What you can do with Finance
Study investments, markets, and how organizations manage money and risk.
- Careers
- 21
- Early career
- $70,000
- Mid-career
- $112,000
- Growing fast
- 8 of 21
How these numbers work: A major does not have its own salary. Early and mid-career pay is what people who hold this degree earn at the start of their careers and midway through them. Career pay comes from the 21 careers a Finance degree commonly leads to, and counts everyone in those jobs, including people who have been doing them for thirty years. The two answer different questions, which is why they do not match.
8 of 21 careers this degree leads to are projected to grow faster than average from 2024 to 2034. Of those, Accountant has the most openings, about 124,200 a year.
Set on Finance?
Save it as your major and PlanexAI will shape your dashboard, career matches, and study plan around it.
21 careers this degree leads to
Entrepreneur / Business Founder
$213,990Launch and grow a business venture by identifying market opportunities, securing funding, and building teams.
- Middle half of workers
- $129,540 to $356,200
- Growth
- About average
- Openings a year
- 22,200
Work-life35Remote60Satisfaction82- Business Planning
- Leadership
- Financial Literacy
- Sales
Financial Manager
$166,570Own the financial health of an organization: direct accounting, investments, reporting, and the strategy behind them.
- Middle half of workers
- $125,490 to $219,980
- Growth
- Much faster than average
- Openings a year
- 74,600
Work-life59Remote41- Financial Strategy
- Reporting
- Leadership
- Critical Thinking
Purchasing Manager
$148,080Lead the buying side of a business: negotiate with suppliers, manage buyers, and control what the company pays.
- Middle half of workers
- $115,550 to $182,270
- Growth
- About average
- Openings a year
- 6,400
Work-life63Remote74- Procurement Strategy
- Negotiation
- Supplier Management
- Contract Review
Actuary
$130,000Analyze the financial costs of risk and uncertainty using mathematics, statistics, and financial theory.
- Middle half of workers
- $97,680 to $170,650
- Growth
- Much faster than average
- Openings a year
- 2,400
Work-life78Remote80Satisfaction76- Statistical Modeling
- Risk Assessment
- Financial Mathematics
- Programming (R/Python)
Financial Risk Specialist
$117,330Measure and manage the financial risks a company faces, from markets to credit to operations.
- Middle half of workers
- $83,980 to $158,250
- Growth
- Much faster than average
- Openings a year
- 4,800
- Quantitative Analysis
- Modeling
- Statistics
- Communication
Operations Manager
$105,770Run the day-to-day of an organization across departments, one of the most common and versatile leadership roles in business.
- Middle half of workers
- $72,320 to $167,280
- Growth
- About average
- Openings a year
- 308,700
Work-life60Remote64- Operations Leadership
- Budgeting
- Process Improvement
- People Management
Personal Financial Advisor
$105,070Help individuals plan investments, retirement, taxes, and insurance so their money supports the life they want.
- Middle half of workers
- $72,440 to $176,790
- Growth
- Much faster than average
- Openings a year
- 24,100
Work-life61Remote64- Financial Planning
- Investment Strategy
- Client Relationships
- Active Listening
Financial Analyst
$102,740Assess the performance of stocks, bonds, and other investments to guide business decisions.
- Middle half of workers
- $79,290 to $133,340
- Growth
- Faster than average
- Openings a year
- 25,100
Work-life62Remote72Satisfaction73- Financial Modeling
- Data Analysis
- Investment Analysis
- Excel
Management Consultant
$101,860Advise organizations on improving efficiency, profitability, and strategic positioning through data-driven recommendations.
- Middle half of workers
- $77,950 to $133,370
- Growth
- Much faster than average
- Openings a year
- 98,100
Work-life38Remote65Satisfaction74- Strategic Analysis
- Data Analysis
- Presentation Skills
- Problem Solving
Financial Examiner
$94,160Audit banks and financial institutions for solvency and legal compliance on behalf of regulators.
- Middle half of workers
- $70,660 to $129,600
- Growth
- Much faster than average
- Openings a year
- 5,700
Work-life62Remote73- Regulatory Examination
- Financial Analysis
- Reading Comprehension
- Writing
Budget Analyst
$91,640Build and police the budgets that keep organizations solvent, checking estimates for accuracy and compliance.
- Middle half of workers
- $75,320 to $114,220
- Growth
- Slower than average
- Openings a year
- 3,100
Work-life64Remote66- Budgeting
- Forecasting
- Mathematics
- Attention to Detail
Accountant
$83,680Examine and prepare financial records, ensure accuracy, and ensure taxes are paid properly.
- Middle half of workers
- $67,020 to $109,810
- Growth
- Faster than average
- Openings a year
- 124,200
Work-life68Remote70Satisfaction65- Financial Analysis
- Tax Preparation
- Auditing
- Attention to Detail
Credit Analyst
$83,510Read financial statements to judge who can safely borrow, protecting lenders from bad risk.
- Middle half of workers
- $65,210 to $122,460
- Growth
- Declining
- Openings a year
- 3,700
Work-life59Remote73- Financial Statement Analysis
- Risk Modeling
- Critical Thinking
- Writing
Insurance Underwriter
$81,370Decide which risks an insurer should take and at what price by evaluating applications against data and judgment.
- Middle half of workers
- $64,620 to $110,390
- Growth
- Declining
- Openings a year
- 8,200
Work-life67Remote73- Risk Assessment
- Data Analysis
- Attention to Detail
- Critical Thinking
Compliance Officer
$80,730Keep organizations on the right side of laws and regulations by evaluating practices, licenses, and controls.
- Middle half of workers
- $61,280 to $109,010
- Growth
- About average
- Openings a year
- 33,300
- Regulatory Analysis
- Auditing
- Reading Comprehension
- Writing
Cost Estimator
$78,740Price the work before it happens: estimate what construction projects and products will cost to build.
- Middle half of workers
- $61,150 to $101,850
- Growth
- Declining
- Openings a year
- 16,900
Work-life52Remote62- Cost Analysis
- Blueprint Reading
- Mathematics
- Bid Preparation
Financial Services Sales Agent
$78,660Buy and sell securities and connect clients with investment products at brokerages and banks.
- Middle half of workers
- $56,540 to $129,950
- Growth
- About average
- Openings a year
- 38,100
Work-life65Remote12- Securities Knowledge
- Client Advising
- Market Monitoring
- Sales
Loan Officer
$76,690Evaluate and approve the loans that let people buy homes and businesses grow, guiding borrowers through the process.
- Middle half of workers
- $52,730 to $104,080
- Growth
- Slower than average
- Openings a year
- 20,300
Work-life63Remote27- Credit Analysis
- Customer Service
- Regulatory Knowledge
- Active Listening
Real Estate Appraiser
$67,960Estimate what property is worth for sales, loans, taxes and insurance.
- Middle half of workers
- $50,970 to $92,760
- Growth
- About average
- Openings a year
- 6,300
- Valuation
- Market Analysis
- Report Writing
- Attention to Detail
Insurance Sales Agent
$62,280Match people and businesses with the insurance coverage they need, building a book of long-term clients.
- Middle half of workers
- $46,870 to $96,950
- Growth
- About average
- Openings a year
- 47,000
Work-life44Remote70- Consultative Sales
- Needs Assessment
- Relationship Building
- Product Knowledge
Real Estate Agent
$52,830Help clients buy, sell, and rent properties by assessing market conditions, staging showings, and negotiating transactions.
- Middle half of workers
- $40,040 to $82,020
- Growth
- About average
- Openings a year
- 36,600
Work-life45Remote35Satisfaction68- Negotiation
- Market Analysis
- Customer Service
- Sales
Related majors
Set on Finance?
Save it as your major and PlanexAI will shape your dashboard, career matches, and study plan around it.
Where these pay figures come from
Early and mid-career pay is the median annual wage of full-time workers who hold a bachelor's degree in that major, ages 22 to 27 and ages 35 to 45, from 2024 data. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (IPUMS). Published as Outcomes by Major by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
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.