Career comparison
Accountant vs. Financial Analyst
Side-by-side pay, training, growth and day-to-day duties to help you choose between two related careers.
Financial analysts earn more at the median ($102,740 vs. $83,680), while accountants usually get to work faster (4+ years of training). Accountants prepare and examine financial records, taxes and reports that guide business decisions. Financial analysts analyze financial data to guide business and investment decisions.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
| Accountant | Financial Analyst | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $83,680 ($40.23/hr) | $102,740 ($49.40/hr) |
| Pay range (10th–90th) | $56,020 – $144,090 | $63,720 – $180,860 |
| Job growth, 2025–35 | +5.0% (faster than average) | +7.2% (much faster than average) |
| Openings per year | 115,300 | 24,700 |
| Typical entry education | Bachelor's degree | Bachelor's degree |
| Training time | 4+ years | 4 years |
| Key credential | CPA | Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) |
| Work setting | Accountants work in public accounting firms, corporations, government agencies, nonprofits and their own practices. | Analysts work in offices or remotely at banks, corporations, investment firms, insurers and government agencies. |
What each job does
Accountant
- Prepare and analyze financial statements
- Record journal entries and reconcile accounts
- Prepare tax returns and tax planning
- Audit financial records and test internal controls
- Prepare budgets, forecasts and variance analyses
Financial Analyst
- Build financial models and forecasts
- Analyze financial statements and performance
- Prepare budgets and variance analyses
- Research companies, industries and markets
- Evaluate investments and projects
How they’re similar
Both careers involve working with information, desk work, indoor work, and working independently. Both are part of the business & office field, so many skills transfer between them.
Which should you choose?
Choose accountant if…
- I enjoy working with numbers and finding answers in data
- I’m detail-oriented and careful
- I value a stable, respected profession
Choose financial analyst if…
- I love numbers and spreadsheets
- I like finding the story in data
- I’m detail-oriented
Still torn? Take the Accountant fit quiz and the Financial Analyst fit quiz, or the full Career Match Quiz.
Quick comparisons
Which pays more, accountant or financial analyst?
Financial Analysts earn more at the median: $102,740 versus $83,680 for accountants, based on BLS May 2025 data.
Which takes less time to train for?
Accountants typically train faster (4+ years) than financial analysts (4 years).
Which career has better job growth?
BLS projects financial analysts to grow +7.2% from 2025–35, compared with +5.0% for accountants.