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The differences between acquisition analysts and finance analysts can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both an acquisition analyst and a finance analyst. Additionally, a finance analyst has an average salary of $69,887, which is higher than the $66,957 average annual salary of an acquisition analyst.
The top three skills for an acquisition analyst include DOD, program management and powerpoint. The most important skills for a finance analyst are financial analysis, financial models, and financial data.
| Acquisition Analyst | Finance Analyst | |
| Yearly salary | $66,957 | $69,887 |
| Hourly rate | $32.19 | $33.60 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 64,684 | 138,600 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
An acquisition analyst specializes in performing research and analysis to determine the feasibility and advantages of a company acquisition or merger. Their responsibilities revolve around coordinating with different departments to gather necessary data, assess risks and potential legal roadblocks, and analyze the impact of a business merger on the quality of services and client satisfaction. Moreover, an acquisition analyst may perform clerical tasks such as processing documentation, producing progress reports, managing schedules, distributing information materials, and maintaining extensive records.
A finance analyst is responsible for evaluating a company's financial data and historical reports to assess investment opportunities and provide accurate financial statements in support of business strategies and company performance prediction. A financial analyst's duties also include suggesting recommendations to boost operations efficiency and grow revenues, researching the current market performance and economic trends to adjust budget goals as needed, and managing client portfolios. Finance analysts must have excellent critical and analytical thinking skills to identify the best actions for the company's profitability.
Acquisition analysts and finance analysts have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Acquisition Analyst | Finance Analyst | |
| Average salary | $66,957 | $69,887 |
| Salary range | Between $47,000 And $93,000 | Between $46,000 And $104,000 |
| Highest paying City | Hartford, CT | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | Connecticut |
| Best paying company | AIG | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Finance |
There are a few differences between an acquisition analyst and a finance analyst in terms of educational background:
| Acquisition Analyst | Finance Analyst | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between acquisition analysts' and finance analysts' demographics:
| Acquisition Analyst | Finance Analyst | |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 64.1% Female, 35.9% | Male, 56.2% Female, 43.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 5.6% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.7% Asian, 14.1% White, 68.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 5.6% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.7% Asian, 14.1% White, 68.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 7% |