How long does it take to become a finance manager?

It takes 10 to 12 years to become a financial manager. Many financial managers spend around six years obtaining a finance education and another four to six years accumulating work experience.

How much do finance managers earn?

Finance managers earn around $130,000 a year. However, it can range from as high as $240,000 a year to as low as $64,000 a year. Factors such as location and the type of company can greatly impact earning potential.

How to become a finance manager at a car dealership

To become a finance manager at a car dealership, you need at least a bachelor's degree and five or more years of relevant experience in a related field, such as accounting or finance. A bachelor's degree is the minimum qualification, but you may choose to continue your education to make you a more competitive candidate.

Is being a finance manager hard?

Yes, being a finance manager is hard. To become a finance manager requires at least a bachelor's degree and around five years of experience working in a finance-related position, as well as several years working in a supervisor role.

What is the career path for a finance manager?

The career path for a finance manager includes jobs such as accountant, finance manager, and chief financial officer. Finance managers generally complete at least a bachelor's degree in finance or a related field before beginning work. Additional education may be required for different career paths.

What is the corporate finance hierarchy?

The corporate finance hierarchy is the organizational structure of job titles at a finance company. Here is a detailed look at the job titles in the corporate finance hierarchy, starting with the bottom-level roles and ascending towards the most senior positions:

What is a finance manager and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted Expert

Nate Peach Ph.D.

A finance manager oversees the financial operations of an organization. They are responsible for creating and implementing financial strategies, analyzing financial data, forecasting financial trends, managing budgets, and ensuring compliance with financial regulations. In addition, they work closely with other departments to provide financial advice and support for decision-making. Finance managers typically have a strong background in finance, accounting, or economics, and may hold advanced degrees such as an MBA or a CPA.

What general advice would you give to a Finance Manager?

Nate Peach Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Economics, George Fox University

Try to stay optimistic. You've invested your time, energy, and money on a precious degree. The pandemic has not changed the value of the skills you've acquired. What it has done is to make it challenging to find a job for the moment. Things are weird right now. Many companies are redesigning their hiring practices, which is bound to cause challenges for job seekers. The skills that you developed as an economist are precious to employers, be diligent in your job search, and you will be rewarded with a great career.

ScoreFinance ManagerUS Average

Salary

7.6

Avg. Salary $101,374

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

9.5

Growth Rate 17%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

3.3

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.34%

Asian 10.20%

Black or African American 7.61%

Hispanic or Latino 14.59%

Unknown 4.11%

White 63.16%

Gender

female 40.00%

male 60.00%

Age - 46

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 46

Stress Level

9.5

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

9.3

Complexity Level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

4.9

Work Life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a Finance Manager?

Pros

Opportunities for advancement and career growth
Exposure to different industries and business models
Important role in company decision-making processes
Ability to work independently and manage a team
Opportunity to develop strong analytical and financial modeling skills

Cons

Constant need to stay up-to-date on industry trends and regulations
Risk of making incorrect financial decisions that could negatively impact the company
Need to navigate complex financial systems and software programs
Risk of burnout due to the high demands of the job
Potential for conflicts with other departments or stakeholders over financial decisions

Key steps to become a finance manager

Explore finance manager education requirements

Most common finance manager degrees

Bachelor's

66.3 %

Master's

17.2 %

Associate

9.3 %

Start to develop specific finance manager skills

Skills	Percentages
Financial Analysis	6.79%
CPA	6.69%
Customer Service	6.28%
Hyperion	4.04%
Financial Models	3.86%

Complete relevant finance manager training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New finance managers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a finance manager based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real finance manager resumes.

Research finance manager duties and responsibilities

Manage the preparation of monthly reporting packs and board presentations with robust variance analysis, commentaries and forward looking KPIs.
Manage a team of sales persons, business managers, sales manager, A/R, A/P, and general managers.
Lead successful sales team and provide direct oversight on overall dealership business profitability.
Manage accounts payable/receivable, deposits, payroll preparation, purchasing and inventory management, liaison to accountant.

Prepare your finance manager resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your finance manager resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a finance manager resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

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