How much do financial analysts make in 2026?
Financial analysts are counted in the BLS financial and investment analysts series, where OEWS May 2025 reports a national median of $102,740 a year ($49.40 an hour), with a 10th percentile near $63,720 and a 90th percentile of $180,860. The match is exact at the occupational level, but the series contains two quite different career paths whose pay diverges sharply. Corporate financial analysts work inside operating companies on budgeting, forecasting, variance analysis, business cases and decision support — steady work with predictable hours and pay concentrated in the middle of the band. Investment analysts on the buy side or sell side value securities, build company and industry models, produce research and support investment decisions, with base pay in the upper band and bonuses that in strong years exceed base entirely. The survey blends both, which is why the P90 is nearly triple the P10. Within either path, technical modelling depth, sector expertise and, in investment roles, the CFA designation are the recognised differentiators. Employment is projected to grow 5.7% through 2034 with roughly 25,100 openings a year. → Full financial analyst career guide, career path, credentials & placement →
Note: $102,740 blends every experience level and every setting in this occupation. For pay by level alone, see Pay by Level below.
- Financial Analysts earn a national median $102,740/yr ($49.40/hr) (BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 13-2051); the P10 to P90 range is $63,720 to $180,860.
- The $102,740 median comes from a series that blends corporate financial analysts with buy-side and sell-side investment analysts, which is why the $63,720 to $180,860 band is so wide.
- Corporate analysis offers steady hours and pay concentrated mid-band; investment analysis offers upper-band base pay plus bonuses that in strong years exceed base entirely, with matching volatility.
- Modelling depth, sector expertise and — in investment roles — the CFA designation are the recognised differentiators within either path.
US Financial Analyst Pay Distribution · BLS OEWS May 2025
Pay by Level · BLS OEWS May 2025
How much do financial analysts earn at each level?
BLS OEWS publishes one blended wage for the whole occupation and does not break pay out by credential or practice level. The levels below distribute the published percentile range across the credential tiers this role actually hires at.
Level medians are aligned to the BLS OEWS May 2025 percentile distribution for SOC 13-2051; GlobalCybers does not yet publish a verified placement sample for this role, so no verified median is shown.
Methodology & Sources
How the numbers on this page are built
Published (BLS): BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 13-2051, United States national estimate. Public, methodologically rigorous, but sampled on a rolling 3-year basis and published ~10 months after collection — so it reflects wages that are already 1–2 years old by the time you read them.
Level and certification medians: distributed across the published BLS percentile range for this SOC code (P10 through P90) according to the credential tiers this occupation actually hires at. They are modeled reference points, not separately surveyed wages.
State and metro figures: modeled — the BLS national median multiplied by the GlobalCybers state wage index, and for metros by the published metro index for that state. They are estimates of local pay, not BLS state or metropolitan-area observations, and are labelled as modeled in the tables below.
No verified placement sample:GlobalCybers does not yet publish a placement median for this role, so no "verified" figure appears anywhere on this page.
Pay by Career Level
How much does a financial analyst earn at each career stage?
Analyst pay follows path, sector and technical depth. Each median is anchored to the BLS OEWS distribution for SOC 13-2051, which blends corporate and investment analysis.
By State
Which states pay financial analysts the most in 2026?
State figures are modeled estimates — the BLS national median multiplied by the GlobalCybers salary-calculator state wage index — not BLS state observations. For this occupation the path matters more than the place: investment analysis concentrates in financial centres and pays accordingly, while corporate analysis is distributed and increasingly remote.
6 of 51 state guides shown, ranked by median. Bar is relative to California ($118,150), the highest-paying state shown. See all role salary guides →
financial analyst pay by state — all 4 state guides
By Metro
Which cities pay financial analysts the most?
Metro figures are modeled — national median times state wage index times published metro index — not BLS MSA observations. Financial centres genuinely pay above the national picture here, because that is where investment analysis and its bonus structures are concentrated.
BLS OEWS MSA estimates, May 2025. Nominal pay — weigh each metro against its cost of living before relocating.
Certification Impact
Which certifications raise a financial analyst’s pay the most?
Median annual pay before and after each credential, based on GlobalCybers placement data cross-referenced with BLS. License upgrades move the needle most; stackable certs add on top.
Impacts are not additive, the licensing rows share the same career ladder. Browse all 167 certifications →
Trade Comparison
How does financial analyst pay compare to related roles?
BLS OEWS national median across the closest trades. Financial Analysts sit mid-pack on median but carry one of the widest P10–P90 spreads, licensing and specialization drive the upside.
BLS OEWS May 2025. Verify financial analyst wages on BLS.gov →
Take-Home Pay
What does a financial analyst actually take home after taxes?
The medians above are gross base wage.
Estimates use 2026 federal brackets, standard deduction, and 7.65% FICA. Actual take-home varies with filing status, deductions, and local tax.
FAQ
Financial Analyst Salary, Frequently Asked Questions
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