Career comparison
Financial Analyst vs. Financial Manager
Side-by-side pay, training, growth and day-to-day duties to help you choose between two related careers.
Financial managers earn more at the median ($166,570 vs. $102,740), while financial analysts usually get to work faster (4 years of training). Financial analysts analyze financial data to guide business and investment decisions. Financial managers guide an organization’s money, reports and financial plans.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
| Financial Analyst | Financial Manager | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $102,740 ($49.40/hr) | $166,570 ($80.08/hr) |
| Pay range (10th–90th) | $63,720 – $180,860 | $94,310 – $323,270 |
| Job growth, 2025–35 | +7.2% (much faster than average) | +9.7% (much faster than average) |
| Openings per year | 24,700 | 65,600 |
| Typical entry education | Bachelor's degree | Bachelor's degree |
| Training time | 4 years | 5+ years of experience |
| Key credential | Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) | CPA |
| Work setting | Analysts work in offices or remotely at banks, corporations, investment firms, insurers and government agencies. | Financial managers work in offices at companies, banks, governments and nonprofits.. |
What each job does
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
Financial Manager
- Prepare financial reports
- Lead budgeting and forecasting
- Manage cash and investments
- Oversee accounting staff
- Work with auditors
How they’re similar
Both careers involve working with information, desk work, problem-solving, and high-pay. Both are part of the business & office field, so many skills transfer between them.
Which should you choose?
Choose financial analyst if…
- I love numbers and spreadsheets
- I like finding the story in data
- I’m detail-oriented
Choose financial manager if…
- I love numbers
- I like advising leaders
- I’m detail-oriented
Still torn? Take the Financial Analyst fit quiz and the Financial Manager fit quiz, or the full Career Match Quiz.
Quick comparisons
Which pays more, financial analyst or financial manager?
Financial Managers earn more at the median: $166,570 versus $102,740 for financial analysts, based on BLS May 2025 data.
Which takes less time to train for?
Financial Analysts typically train faster (4 years) than financial managers (5+ years of experience).
Which career has better job growth?
BLS projects financial managers to grow +9.7% from 2025–35, compared with +7.2% for financial analysts.