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The differences between credit analysts and portfolio managers 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 a portfolio manager takes usually requires 6-8 years. Additionally, a portfolio manager has an average salary of $114,671, 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 a portfolio manager are portfolio management, customer service, and risk management.
| Credit Analyst | Portfolio Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $61,422 | $114,671 |
| Hourly rate | $29.53 | $55.13 |
| Growth rate | -5% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 16,406 | 43,192 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Average age | 39 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 8 |
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.
A portfolio manager is responsible for managing the clients' investment portfolios to advise them of the best investment plans to achieve their financial goals and objectives. Portfolio managers determine the most suitable options by evaluating the clients' credit score and risk potential and the client's financial background. A portfolio manager should be highly knowledgeable and updated with the recent financial industry changes to decide on investment plans with maximum returns.
Credit analysts and portfolio managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Credit Analyst | Portfolio Manager | |
| Average salary | $61,422 | $114,671 |
| Salary range | Between $40,000 And $93,000 | Between $66,000 And $198,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | Stamford, CT |
| Highest paying state | New York | Connecticut |
| Best paying company | Apollo Global Management | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Finance |
There are a few differences between a credit analyst and a portfolio manager in terms of educational background:
| Credit Analyst | Portfolio Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between credit analysts' and portfolio managers' demographics:
| Credit Analyst | Portfolio Manager | |
| Average age | 39 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 44.2% Female, 55.8% | Male, 66.6% Female, 33.4% |
| 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, 7.5% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 14.4% Asian, 10.1% White, 63.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |