Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA)

Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Job Description

Financial Analysts Conduct quantitative analyses of information affecting investment programs of public or private institutions. Personal Financial Advisors Advise clients on financial plans utilizing knowledge of tax and investment strategies, securities, insurance, pension plans, and real estate. Duties include assessing clients’ assets, liabilities, cash flow, insurance coverage, tax status, and financial objectives to establish investment strategies.

Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Salary Statistics as of 2015

Average annual salary for a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) is $81245 based on statistics in the U.S. as of 2015. The highest salary recorded was $120406. The lowest salary reported was $45028. These figures will vary on a state to state basis as these are averages across all 50 states.

Median hourly wage for a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) is $40.4 based on statistics in the U.S. as of 2015. The highest hourly rate recorded was $59.87. The lowest hourly rate recorded was $22.39. These figures will vary on a state to state basis as these are averages across all 50 states.

Bonuses for a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) are based on the years of experience using statistics from the U.S. as of 2015. The average bonus recorded was $0 from people with 15+ years of experience. The average bonus recorded was $1000 from people with under 1 year of experience.

These are the highest paying states for a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA). These numbers are based off the median annual salary as of 2015.
California – $49,405 – $101,189
Georgia – $59,322 – $80,000
Illinois – $63,669 – $90,757
New York – $39,149 – $141,366
North Carolina – n/a
Pennsylvania – n/a
Texas – $58,326 – $91,563

These are the highest paying cities for a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA). These numbers are based off the median annual salary as of 2015.
New York, New York –
Santa Monica, California –
Chicago, Illinois –
San Francisco, California –
Atlanta, Georgia –
Houston, Texas –
Charlotte, North Carolina –

This chart outlines the average annual salary of a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) from the past 5 years. In 2015 the average annual salary was $81245 while in 2007 it was just $75345.19

Specialized Fields

Those who have a CFA designation and are seeking a salary that is equivalent to a CFA salary may be surprised at how many options they have. In addition to investment banking, choices include insurance sales and underwriting, auditing and actuary work to name a few. There are numerous opportunities that may be explored, all which offer competitive wages and working conditions.

How To Become a CFA

These salaries may seem high to the unitiated, but make no mistake about it, CFA salary ranges are broad and are based on years of training. For those who are interested in becoming a chartered financial analyst, education is the first step to success.

Most people who have earned the CFA designation have completed as much as four years of school. Some classes that will be required include learning about investing, ethics in investing and statistics among others. There are four levels of testing that are required in order to obtain the CFA designation. Keep in mind, these requirements are in addition to a minimum of a Bachelor’s degree.

Job Outlook

The job market for a CFA was anticipated to grow as much as 20 percent between 2008 and 2018. However, this statistic may be misleading, the competition for these positions is often fierce. In some cases, those who hold a Master’s degree or have multiple degrees in accounting, finance or business may have better opportunities to chose from.