Published May 28, 2026 6 min read
Unless otherwise noted, salary and labor market data sourced from Lightcast/U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2026. Salaries reflect US national wage distributions.
Exploring career paths in Financial Analysis can lead to significant earning potential, with median wages across these top roles spanning from $87,328 to $139,908. Understanding the financial landscape is crucial for businesses and individuals alike, making skilled professionals in this field highly valued. For students and young adults, pursuing a career in financial analysis offers a stable and rewarding path to financial success.
1. Risk Engineer
Salary: Median: $139,908 | Entry: $87,314 | Top: $187,139
What you’d do day-to-day: As a Risk Engineer, you’d be responsible for identifying, analyzing, and minimizing risks, particularly those associated with construction or resource extraction projects. You’d use your communication, management, problem-solving, and leadership skills, often utilizing Microsoft Office, to protect assets and ensure operational stability.
Typical education: Bachelor’s degree
Top skills: Communication, Management, Operations, Problem Solving, Leadership, Microsoft Office, Customer Service, Writing
Top certifications: Valid Driver’s License, Certified Safety Professional, Certified Information Systems Security Professional
Top employers: Zurich Insurance, FM Global, 96.5 Fm, Capital One, Liberty Mutual
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2. Director of Risk Management
Salary: Median: $132,042 | Entry: $86,413 | Top: $181,059
What you’d do day-to-day: You would direct and oversee all risk management activities for a company or organization. This involves evaluating various risks, developing strategies to mitigate potential financial losses, and using your leadership, management, and influencing skills to direct the implementation of these strategies across investments, operations, or finance.
Typical education: Bachelor’s degree
Top skills: Management, Leadership, Communication, Governance, Operations, Influencing Skills, Problem Solving, Decision Making
Top certifications: Master Of Business Administration (MBA), Certified Information Systems Security Professional, Certified Information System Auditor (CISA)
Top employers: Citigroup, Capital One, American Express, USAA, Wells Fargo
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3. Pricing Manager
Salary: Median: $127,262 | Entry: $90,255 | Top: $186,340
What you’d do day-to-day: As a Pricing Manager, you’d manage and implement pricing strategies for your company’s products or services. You would analyze company costs, industry pricing trends, and competitor prices, using your communication, sales, and leadership skills to develop strategies that improve sales performance.
Typical education: Bachelor’s degree
Top skills: Communication, Sales, Leadership, Management, Microsoft Excel, Operations, Influencing Skills, Problem Solving
Top certifications: Master Of Business Administration (MBA), Certified Public Accountant, Chartered Financial Analyst
Top employers: Cardinal Health, KPMG, Veralto, Grifols, Amazon
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4. Financial Quantitative Analyst
Salary: Median: $121,660 | Entry: $81,490 | Top: $177,728
What you’d do day-to-day: You would develop complex mathematical or statistical models for use in the financial sector. Applying these models and quantitative methods, you’d analyze securities or other business data, conducting research and presenting your findings to inform investment and trading strategies and manage financial risk.
Typical education: Master’s degree
Top skills: Mathematics, Research, Communication, Management, Problem Solving, Detail Oriented, Presentations, Writing
Top certifications: Chartered Financial Analyst, Master Of Business Administration (MBA), Certified Financial Risk Management
Top employers: Selby Jennings, JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, Citigroup, Wells Fargo
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5. Credit Officer
Salary: Median: $119,435 | Entry: $71,088 | Top: $163,822
What you’d do day-to-day: You’d assist bank clients through the loan application process, evaluating their financial information and creditworthiness. This involves helping clients prepare applications, managing the process, and potentially overseeing credit analysis and loan review functions, leveraging your communication, customer service, and decision-making skills.
Typical education: Bachelor’s degree
Top skills: Management, Communication, Leadership, Problem Solving, Operations, Customer Service, Decision Making, Writing
Top certifications: Master Of Business Administration (MBA), Chartered Financial Analyst, Certified Public Accountant
Top employers: Royal Bank of Canada, GPAC, Bank of America, Citigroup, Wells Fargo
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6. Property / Casualty Underwriter
Salary: Median: $109,237 | Entry: $65,934 | Top: $161,265
What you’d do day-to-day: As a Property or Casualty Underwriter, you would inspect homes, rental properties, or other assets to assess potential risks for insurance carriers. You’d use your communication, negotiation, and presentation skills to evaluate conditions, determine coverage, and manage client relationships.
Typical education: Bachelor’s degree
Top skills: Communication, Management, Leadership, Sales, Negotiation, Presentations, Microsoft Office, Writing
Top certifications: Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter, Valid Driver’s License, Property And Casualty Insurance License
Top employers: Zurich Insurance, The Hartford, Chubb, Liberty Mutual, AON
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7. Marine Underwriter
Salary: Median: $112,697 | Entry: $66,589 | Top: $141,564
What you’d do day-to-day: You would assess risks for insurers providing coverage for ships and goods transported by sea. This role requires strong communication, negotiation, and relationship-building skills to evaluate maritime risks and make informed decisions on insurance policies.
Typical education: Bachelor’s degree
Top skills: Communication, Management, Leadership, Sales, Negotiation, Operations, Influencing Skills, Relationship Building
Top certifications: Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter, Registered Sleep Technologist
Top employers: Chubb, Zurich Insurance, The Hartford, Hanover Insurance Group, Travelers
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8. Risk Manager
Salary: Median: $108,340 | Entry: $61,480 | Top: $146,274
What you’d do day-to-day: You would evaluate and manage strategies to mitigate financial losses for your company. This includes analyzing current and potential new risks, reviewing contracts and insurance policies, preparing risk budgets, and communicating risk policies and procedures to staff at all levels, utilizing your leadership and detail-oriented skills.
Typical education: Bachelor’s degree
Top skills: Management, Communication, Leadership, Operations, Governance, Problem Solving, Detail Oriented, Microsoft Excel
Top certifications: Certified Information Systems Security Professional, Certified Information System Auditor (CISA), Project Management Professional Certification
Top employers: JPMorgan Chase, Capital One, Amazon, TD Bank, Deloitte
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9. Operational Risk Analyst
Salary: Median: $102,231 | Entry: $65,987 | Top: $151,051
What you’d do day-to-day: In this role, you’d identify and assess potential harm to an organization’s assets or earning potential caused by operational processes. You would analyze incident reports, investigate fraudulent activities, and implement strategies to mitigate operational risks, requiring strong problem-solving and detail-oriented skills.
Typical education: Bachelor’s degree
Top skills: Management, Communication, Operations, Governance, Leadership, Problem Solving, Detail Oriented, Microsoft Excel
Top certifications: Master Of Business Administration (MBA), Certified Public Accountant, Certified Fraud Examiner
Top employers: Wells Fargo, Citigroup, Bank of America, Royal Bank of Canada, USAA
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10. Medical Underwriter
Salary: Median: $87,328 | Entry: $52,669 | Top: $197,843
What you’d do day-to-day: You would use medical and health information to evaluate applications for medical malpractice or health insurance. This involves reviewing insurance documents to decide on coverage offers, identifying pre-existing conditions, defining insurance types and limits, and calculating premium costs, using your communication and decision-making skills.
Typical education: Bachelor’s degree
Top skills: Communication, Management, Sales, Leadership, Customer Service, Problem Solving, Decision Making, Negotiation
Top certifications: Board Certified/Board Eligible, Chartered Life Underwriter, Medical License
Top employers: CVS Health, Prime Therapeutics, Cigna, Highmark Health, Unum
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Exploring these high-paying careers in Financial Analysis can help you identify a path that aligns with your skills and aspirations. Each role offers unique challenges and rewards, contributing significantly to the financial stability and success of organizations. If you’re ready to take the next step in discovering your ideal career, Tallo is here to help you connect with opportunities and resources.
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