Careers in Finance With Salaries

Careers in the financial sector range from working with individuals to overseeing a corporation’s entire financial operation. Depending on your personal goals, careers in finance can be found working for investment firms, banks, insurance companies, real estate companies and financial planners. In this article, you can explore several careers in finance by learning more about their primary duties and national average salaries.

Careers in finance with salaries

Here is a list of well-paying careers in finance across a wide spectrum of finance roles and responsibilities: 

Bank Teller

National Average Salary: $13.57 per hour

Primary Duties: Bank Tellers are finance and customer service professionals who help customers make deposits and withdrawals from various bank accounts. Tellers typically work in retail banks and generate certified checks and money orders or perform currency exchanges. Bank Tellers often answer questions about bank products or direct customers to personal bankers for complex transactions. 

Personal Banker

National Average Salary: 37,660 per year

Primary Duties: These finance professionals usually work in retail banks and help customers make investment and saving decisions. Personal Bankers may help clients reach education or retirement goals through the use of various banking and investment products. Personal Bankers help clients set up safe deposit boxes and develop saving strategies.

 Accountant

National Average Salary: $55,014 per year

Primary Duties: Companies use Accountants to analyze their financial records such as income and loss statements in order to provide advice that grows the business and refines budgets. Accountants prepare tax returns and maintain detailed records of an organization’s spending and earning to analyze transactions and offer budgeting advice.

Investment Banker 

National Average Salary: $60,416 per year

Primary Duties: When companies are trying to raise capital for various financial activities, they rely on Investment Bankers to help them make sound financial decisions. These financial professionals help companies raise funds to purchase new equipment, expand operations or grow the business. Investment Bankers offer monetary advice and may assist with mergers and acquisitions. Government institutions consult with Investment Bankers to raise capital for building or infrastructure projects.

Financial Services Associate 

National Average Salary: $65,466 per year

Primary Duties: Financial Services Associates perform various financial and accounting tasks such as writing budgets and preparing financial reports. These professionals are tasked with handling accounting records and preparing payroll documents for corporations. Financial Services Associates might offer advice on finance procedures to maintain efficient financial systems and processes.

Investment Consultant

National Average Salary: $65,885 per year

Primary Duties: Investment Consultants provide information on investment products and match investors to strategies that help them meet their personal and professional goals. These Consultants analyze a client’s current financial position in order to provide advice on tax planning, retirement planning and risk management. Investment Consultants help clients organize their finances to move them toward their goals while planning for the future.

Personal Financial Advisor 

National Average Salary: $66,684 per year

Primary Duties: These professionals work closely with individuals to assess their financial needs and help them set goals for the future. Personal Financial Advisors provide guidance to meeting short-term goals such as education or long-term goals such as retirement. Financial Advisors offer advice on tax law, insurance decisions and investments.

Stockbroker 

National Average Salary: $68,256 per year

Primary Duties: Stockbrokers work in the best interest of their clients to help guide their financial investments and decisions. Stockbrokers manage both corporate and individual clients’ portfolios and may execute stock or bond trades on their behalf.

Financial Analyst 

National Average Salary: $70,973 per year

Primary Duties: Financial Analysts help companies and individuals make financial decisions by examining financial data and making recommendations. These finance professionals often work for banks or insurance companies to assess the performance of stocks and bonds and offer guidance on investment decisions. Analysts regularly study economic and business trends and prepare reports and offer advice in consideration of current economic conditions.

Portfolio Manager

National Average Salary: $85,446 per year

Primary Duties: Portfolio Managers perform extensive research by checking financial markets and analyzing company data to make assessments about investment risks or allocations. By keeping a close watch on changing market conditions, Portfolio Managers sell or purchase stocks or bonds according to the changes they observe.

Controller 

National Average Salary: $85,533 per year

Primary Duties: Controllers, sometimes called Comptrollers, are generally the top accounting executive for a company. Depending on the size of a company, a Controller’s duties may vary but they primarily form accounting strategies and provide leadership for financial procedures and decisions. Financial Controllers oversee payable and receivable accounts and assist to make sure the system is balanced and routinely check for inconsistencies. 

Finance Director 

National Average Salary: $96,484 per year

Primary Duties: Finance Directors are usually part of an executive team tasked with monitoring a company’s financial health. Directors manage accounting and financial control functions while planning strategies for long-term company growth. The Finance Director performs in-depth investigations in order to advise the team and guide financial decisions.

Trader

National Average Salary: $98,735 per year

Primary Duties: Traders work with various clients including investment banks, large corporations and wealthy individuals. Traders guide decisions for their clients and execute trades on their behalf. Working with Analysts and using their own analytical skills, Traders survey financial markets and make predictions to advise their clients on the sale and purchase of stocks and securities. These finance professionals may be designated as propriety, flow or sales Traders.

Chief Financial Officer 

National Average Salary: $127,046 per year

Primary Duties: The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) prepares historical financial reports to present to shareholders, employees or lenders. CFOs are responsible for managing cash flow and ensuring that the company meets its financial commitments. CFOs work to decide a company’s best investments and cash expenditures to maximize its return on investment (ROI) and grow the company’s bottom line.