46% of these careers already have a full profile page; the rest publish with the next tranche and show the same bank data here in the meantime.
The 24 Highest-Paying Finance Jobs (2026)
Financial Manager tops this list at $166,570 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), with +14.8% projected employment change over 2024–2034. Below are 24 careers that meet the criteria, each with its real median wage, outlook and entry requirement.
Financial managers, financial specialists, financial services sales agents and financial clerks, the SOC occupations that make up the finance function, ranked by national median wage.
- Careers on this list
- 24
- Median pay on the list
- $72,325
- Projected to grow
- 14 of 24
- Openings a year
- 646,300
From 923 in the bank
BLS OEWS, May 2025
BLS EP, 2024–2034
Combined, BLS EP
How we built this list
- Included when the occupation is a financial manager (11-3031), a financial specialist (13-2000, covering accountants, analysts, advisers, underwriters and loan officers), a financial services sales agent (41-3031) or a financial clerk (43-3000).
- Ranked by national median annual wage from BLS OEWS, so the list runs from financial managers at the top down to the clerical finance occupations at the bottom.
- BLS publishes one wage per occupation code, and several O*NET job titles can share a code. Only one title per code is listed, so the same wage does not appear over and over.
- Occupations with no BLS wage or projection data are excluded rather than estimated.
- The list is regenerated from source data on every bank refresh. It is not hand-picked and no editorial ranking is applied.
The top 24 highest-paying jobs in finance
Management
- Median pay
- $166,570
- Growth
- +14.8%
- Openings / yr
- 74,600
- Education
- Bachelor's
Plan, direct, or coordinate accounting, investing, banking, insurance, securities, and other financial activities of a branch, office, or department of an establishment.
2. Financial Risk Specialist
Business and Financial Operations
- Median pay
- $117,330
- Growth
- +6.5%
- Openings / yr
- 4,800
- Education
- Bachelor's
Analyze and measure exposure to credit and market risk threatening the assets, earning capacity, or economic state of an organization.
Profile coming in the next tranche.
Business and Financial Operations
- Median pay
- $105,070
- Growth
- +9.6%
- Openings / yr
- 24,100
- Education
- Bachelor's
Advise clients on financial plans using knowledge of tax and investment strategies, securities, insurance, pension plans, and real estate.
Business and Financial Operations
- Median pay
- $102,740
- Growth
- +5.7%
- Openings / yr
- 25,100
- Education
- Bachelor's
Conduct quantitative analyses of information involving investment programs or financial data of public or private institutions, including valuation of businesses.
5. Financial Examiner
Business and Financial Operations
- Median pay
- $94,160
- Growth
- +18.5%
- Openings / yr
- 5,700
- Education
- Bachelor's
Enforce or ensure compliance with laws and regulations governing financial and securities institutions and financial and real estate transactions.
Profile coming in the next tranche.
6. Budget Analyst
Business and Financial Operations
- Median pay
- $91,640
- Growth
- +1.0%
- Openings / yr
- 3,100
- Education
- Bachelor's
Examine budget estimates for completeness, accuracy, and conformance with procedures and regulations.
Profile coming in the next tranche.
Business and Financial Operations
- Median pay
- $83,680
- Growth
- +4.6%
- Openings / yr
- 124,200
- Education
- Bachelor's
Examine, analyze, and interpret accounting records to prepare financial statements, give advice, or audit and evaluate statements prepared by others.
8. Credit Analyst
Business and Financial Operations
- Median pay
- $83,510
- Growth
- -4.4%
- Openings / yr
- 3,700
- Education
- Bachelor's
Analyze credit data and financial statements of individuals or firms to determine the degree of risk involved in extending credit or lending money.
Profile coming in the next tranche.
9. Insurance Underwriter
Business and Financial Operations
- Median pay
- $81,370
- Growth
- -2.6%
- Openings / yr
- 8,200
- Education
- Bachelor's
Review individual applications for insurance to evaluate degree of risk involved and determine acceptance of applications.
Profile coming in the next tranche.
10. Financial Quantitative Analyst
Business and Financial Operations
- Median pay
- $81,100
- Growth
- +3.1%
- Openings / yr
- 10,300
- Education
- Bachelor's
Develop quantitative techniques to inform securities investing, equities investing, pricing, or valuation of financial instruments.
Profile coming in the next tranche.
Sales and Related
- Median pay
- $78,660
- Growth
- +3.3%
- Openings / yr
- 38,100
- Education
- Bachelor's
Buy and sell securities or commodities in investment and trading firms, or provide financial services to businesses and individuals.
Business and Financial Operations
- Median pay
- $76,690
- Growth
- +1.7%
- Openings / yr
- 20,300
- Education
- Bachelor's
Evaluate, authorize, or recommend approval of commercial, real estate, or credit loans.
13. Appraiser of Personal and Business Property
Business and Financial Operations
- Median pay
- $67,960
- Growth
- +3.8%
- Openings / yr
- 6,300
- Education
- Bachelor's
Appraise and estimate the fair value of tangible personal or business property, such as jewelry, art, antiques, collectibles, and equipment.
Profile coming in the next tranche.
14. Appraiser and Assessor of Real Estate
Business and Financial Operations
- Median pay
- $67,960
- Growth
- +3.8%
- Openings / yr
- 6,300
- Education
- Bachelor's
Appraise real estate, exclusively, and estimate its fair value.
Profile coming in the next tranche.
15. Tax Examiner and Collector, and Revenue Agent
Business and Financial Operations
- Median pay
- $62,370
- Growth
- -1.8%
- Openings / yr
- 4,300
- Education
- Bachelor's
Determine tax liability or collect taxes from individuals or business firms according to prescribed laws and regulations.
Profile coming in the next tranche.
Office and Administrative Support
- Median pay
- $58,260
- Growth
- -16.7%
- Openings / yr
- 13,000
- Education
- High school
Compile and record employee time and payroll data.
17. Tax Preparer
Business and Financial Operations
- Median pay
- $54,920
- Growth
- +4.5%
- Openings / yr
- 10,400
- Education
- High school
Prepare tax returns for individuals or small businesses.
Profile coming in the next tranche.
18. Credit Counselor
Business and Financial Operations
- Median pay
- $52,230
- Growth
- +3.3%
- Openings / yr
- 2,200
- Education
- Bachelor's
Advise and educate individuals or organizations on acquiring and managing debt.
Profile coming in the next tranche.
Office and Administrative Support
- Median pay
- $50,670
- Growth
- -5.8%
- Openings / yr
- 170,000
- Education
- Some college
Compute, classify, and record numerical data to keep financial records complete.
20. Procurement Clerk
Office and Administrative Support
- Median pay
- $50,580
- Growth
- -8.7%
- Openings / yr
- 4,600
- Education
- High school
Compile information and records to draw up purchase orders for procurement of materials and services.
Profile coming in the next tranche.
Office and Administrative Support
- Median pay
- $48,500
- Growth
- -0.4%
- Openings / yr
- 42,200
- Education
- High school
Compile, compute, and record billing, accounting, statistical, and other numerical data for billing purposes.
Office and Administrative Support
- Median pay
- $47,030
- Growth
- -10.5%
- Openings / yr
- 13,700
- Education
- High school
Locate and notify customers of delinquent accounts by mail, telephone, or personal visit to solicit payment.
Office and Administrative Support
- Median pay
- $43,030
- Growth
- -12.9%
- Openings / yr
- 29,800
- Education
- High school
Receive and pay out money.
24. Gambling Cage Worker
Office and Administrative Support
- Median pay
- $37,580
- Growth
- -5.0%
- Openings / yr
- 1,300
- Education
- High school
In a gambling establishment, conduct financial transactions for patrons.
Profile coming in the next tranche.
Highest-Paying Jobs in Finance: FAQ
What is the top career on the highest-paying jobs in finance list?
Financial Manager leads the list with a median wage of $166,570 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025) and projected employment change of +14.8% over 2024–2034. Typical entry-level education is bachelor's.
How was this list put together?
Financial managers, financial specialists, financial services sales agents and financial clerks, the SOC occupations that make up the finance function, ranked by national median wage. Included when the occupation is a financial manager (11-3031), a financial specialist (13-2000, covering accountants, analysts, advisers, underwriters and loan officers), a financial services sales agent (41-3031) or a financial clerk (43-3000). Ranked by national median annual wage from BLS OEWS, so the list runs from financial managers at the top down to the clerical finance occupations at the bottom. BLS publishes one wage per occupation code, and several O*NET job titles can share a code. Only one title per code is listed, so the same wage does not appear over and over. Every figure comes from BLS OEWS May 2025, BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 and O*NET 30.3 Database.
How much do highest-paying jobs in finance pay?
Across the 24 careers on this list the middle occupation pays $72,325 a year, from $37,580 at the bottom to $166,570 at the top (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The median across all US occupations is $50,980.
How many of these careers can you enter without a degree?
8 of the 24 careers on this list have a typical entry requirement below an associate's degree: a high school diploma, a postsecondary certificate, or no formal credential (BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034).