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The differences between finance analysts and finance executives can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a finance analyst, becoming a finance executive takes usually requires 6-8 years. Additionally, a finance executive has an average salary of $110,830, which is higher than the $69,887 average annual salary of a finance analyst.
The top three skills for a finance analyst include financial analysis, financial models and financial data. The most important skills for a finance executive are financial statements, financial services, and portfolio.
| Finance Analyst | Finance Executive | |
| Yearly salary | $69,887 | $110,830 |
| Hourly rate | $33.60 | $53.28 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 138,600 | 137,400 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Average age | 40 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 8 |
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.
Finance executives oversee an organization's money and profit. They are responsible for overseeing the income and expenses of the business' money transactions. These executives evaluate financial reports such as cash-flow statements, tax planning, and budgeting. Sometimes, finance executives manage a staff of finance clerks, hire new staff, and develop schedules. They work full-time in an office, but they also often work beyond regular business hours. As for qualifications, finance executives must have at least a bachelor's degree and a considerable length of work experience in the business field.
Finance analysts and finance executives have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Finance Analyst | Finance Executive | |
| Average salary | $69,887 | $110,830 |
| Salary range | Between $46,000 And $104,000 | Between $68,000 And $178,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | West Babylon, NY |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | New York |
| Best paying company | The Citadel | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Government |
There are a few differences between a finance analyst and a finance executive in terms of educational background:
| Finance Analyst | Finance Executive | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Most common major | Business | Accounting |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between finance analysts' and finance executives' demographics:
| Finance Analyst | Finance Executive | |
| Average age | 40 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 56.2% Female, 43.8% | Male, 63.3% Female, 36.7% |
| 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, 7.4% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 14.2% Asian, 10.0% White, 64.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 11% |