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The differences between credit analysts and investment bankers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a credit analyst, becoming an investment banker takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, an investment banker has an average salary of $162,715, which is higher than the $61,422 average annual salary of a credit analyst.
The top three skills for a credit analyst include customer service, credit analysis and customer accounts. The most important skills for an investment banker are financial services, discounted cash flow, and capital markets.
| Credit Analyst | Investment Banker | |
| Yearly salary | $61,422 | $162,715 |
| Hourly rate | $29.53 | $78.23 |
| Growth rate | -5% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 16,406 | 28,460 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Average age | 39 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 4 |
A credit analyst's role is to assess and determine a client's capacity to uphold financial obligations when applying for loans or credit programs. Working for creditors like banks and lending firms, a credit analyst must interpret and analyze financial data and personal records, identify inconsistencies and risks, and verify necessary documentation in support of loan committees. Furthermore, a credit analyst must also perform administrative tasks such as preparing reports and applications, fulfilling document requests, reaching out to clients, and coordinating with colleagues to assure accuracy in all operations.
An investment banker is responsible for selling and issuing securities and financial assets to the stock markets to generate money and raise capital for organizations and financial institutions. Investment bankers also work with private clients to advise them of investment options and financial transactions according to the market's condition and clients' interests. They handle the clients' investment portfolios and create propositions for acquisitions and company mergers. An investment banker must have excellent knowledge of the financial and stock industry, as well as having excellent analytical skills to review statistical data and determine the best financial strategies.
Credit analysts and investment bankers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Credit Analyst | Investment Banker | |
| Average salary | $61,422 | $162,715 |
| Salary range | Between $40,000 And $93,000 | Between $95,000 And $276,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | Boston, MA |
| Highest paying state | New York | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Apollo Global Management | Citi |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Real Estate |
There are a few differences between a credit analyst and an investment banker in terms of educational background:
| Credit Analyst | Investment Banker | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between credit analysts' and investment bankers' demographics:
| Credit Analyst | Investment Banker | |
| Average age | 39 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 44.2% Female, 55.8% | Male, 76.2% Female, 23.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.7% Unknown, 2.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.5% Asian, 10.5% White, 69.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 5.5% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 11.5% Asian, 12.4% White, 66.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 6% |