Once you’ve graduated with a degree in finance, deciding what to do with it in terms of your career might seem a little daunting. But the good news is that being a finance major opens you up to limitless opportunities that go beyond the average spectrum.
To help you with your considerations, we’ve compiled a list of some of the most exciting careers in finance – including some obvious choices and some surprising ones.
So, without further ado, here’s what you can do with a finance degree.
1. Financial Planner
Average salary: $88,890
By working with individuals, families and businesses alike, financial planners are critical sources for clients who help them better comprehend and eventually realise both their short- and long-term financial goals.
While preparing and executing a well-rounded economic strategy, financial planners also make recommendations to clients and work to generate new leads.
2. Construction Project Manager
Average salary: $93,370
Looking for finance jobs that also require a passion for building and construction? A career in construction project management is the best of both worlds.
Construction project managers assess projects from a financial standpoint — such as estimating costs and setting budgets — but also interact with workers on a variety of other tasks. These include scheduling, creating progress reports and hiring workers for building sites.
3. Auditor
Average salary: $70,500
Seeking a career whereby you can boost a company’s financial performance? Perhaps working as an auditor is the right career for you!
The role of an auditor largely involves analysing business, municipal and personal finances to determine their accuracy. Whether self-employed or working under a company or government body, an attention to detail and good time management skills are required to succeed in this role.
4. Budget Analyst
Average salary: $76,220
By evaluating project budgets for a given firm and analysing ways in which they can be improved, budget analysts become a critical part of any company.
In reviewing budget proposals and assessing requests for funding, they determine where costs can be cut. This is important to the long-term improvement of any thriving business.
5. Financial Analyst
Average salary: $85,660
Delving into topics such as the financial health of investments in addition to researching market trends, financial analysts work directly with clients in managing and growing their investment portfolios to their maximum potential.
You may even gain additional finance certifications for your career along the way!
6. Lawyer
Average salary: $120,910
When thinking about careers in finance, words like ‘accounting’ and ‘tax’ are more likely to come to mind than, say, ‘lawyer’ or ‘law’.
However, lawyers with a financial background know what to do with calculations for claims and client compensation. They can also confidently take on large corporations, thanks to their expertise and background knowledge in the financial industry.
7. Credit Analyst
Average salary: $71,520
Are you an analytical thinker? Becoming a credit analyst might be the career for you!
Job tasks include analysing financial information and credit data for banks and other money lenders. In assessing these individual people or companies, you help in determining their potential risk.
8. Chartered Tax Accountant
Average salary: $70,500
Becoming a chartered tax accountant is a perfect choice for anyone who is adept with numbers and seeks a constant workload.
There are various specialisations within accounting, but chartered tax accountants are essentially responsible for managing companies’ and individual taxpayers’ finances. It also comes with potential opportunities for travel and promotions, depending on the firm you opt to work for.
9. Actuary
Average salary: $102,880
For anyone considering becoming an actuary, they’re in for an intriguing and high-paying career ahead of them.
Actuaries will assess any risks associated with car accident cases for the insurance company that they work for. In doing so, they help their firm pursue the correct method of action for a given client.
10. Stockbroker
Average salary: $64,120
With many stockbrokers portrayed in the media, it’s unsurprising that when seeking careers with a finance degree, this role will come up.
A stockbroker buys and sells stocks, bonds and commodities for both clients and external companies. They offer functionary, discretionary and advisory services. Though potentially stressful, quick-minded individuals are perfect for this position.
11. Loan Officer
Average salary: $63,040
This is a career path for critical financial thinkers.
As a loan officer, you will assess and ultimately decide on approving or rejecting an applicant’s loan. In order to do this, you need to take into consideration account records, previous loan files, up-to-date credit scores and the applicant’s overall financial status.
12. Bank Branch Manager
Average salary: $127,990
This is a wonderful job for someone who is a people person.
As a bank branch manager, you will oversee key tasks of the bank in which you work. These duties not only include financial reporting but also hiring and training new staff, supervising employees, and providing superior banking services to clients.
13. Business Development Manager
Average salary: $111,340
A business development manager is someone who has outstanding customer service skills.
Combined with a background in finance, people in this role will be in constant communication with both employees and clients in a manner that reflects the company’s policies and mission statement. They also need to demonstrate to their team how both products and services are used.
14. Real Estate Agent
Average salary: $48,690
Finding a job that allows you to make commissions from selling others’ homes while enabling you to buy and sell your own properties without real estate fees is plausible when you’re your own agent.
Whether you focus on the rental or sale markets with your clients, real estate agents will meet potential clients at various properties.
15. College Business Professor
Average salary: $83,960
Seeking a job where you can pass on your in-depth knowledge of the world of finance to passionate youth? Perhaps a position as a college professor is for you!
Professors not only teach and develop courses within their niche but also evaluate students’ performances, grade coursework and publish their own research on the subject that they teach.
16. Personal Financial Advisor
Average salary: $88,890
Don’t be afraid to help people with their financial futures!
With an ability to keep records in detail, aid clients with investment portfolios, and explain and recommend products to those who trust you, a financial advisor is truly a jack of all (financial) trades. Among other things, you will handle client enquiries and put their monetary worries at ease.
17. Finance Director
Average salary: $127,990
One of the highest-paying jobs in finance that we’ve included in our extensive list, this executive position is not for the faint of heart.
Finance directors mostly work to control finances and set budgets while working closely with leaders of a given company. They also assist in financial reporting and strategising.
18. Revenue Agent
Average salary: $54,440
With a position employed by the local government, becoming a revenue agent is an important role.
In this position, you would review tax returns to ensure their accuracy, as well as perform audits as necessary by either telephone or by travelling to either companies or individual taxpayers.
19. Investment Banker
Average salary: $64,120
Without a doubt, becoming an investment banker is a great career choice for someone with a finance degree.
These individuals typically specialise in one of three areas: corporate finance (working with organisations), debt capital markets (addressing the debts of companies) and equity capital markets (raising capital by considering research and analyses of different markets).
20. Insurance Agent
Average salary: $50,600
Working at an insurance company as an agent allows you to build relationships with pre-existing customers, as well as to reach out to potential leads in order to broaden your clientele.
In doing so, you assist many people in getting the best rates on insurance while ensuring they have the optimal plans for their needs.
Though not every career listed above may be right for you, there’s bound to be one or two that will resonate with the future that you envision for yourself and your finance major.
Which of these finance jobs do you think are best suited for your future in the industry? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.