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Job outlook for finance vice presidents in the United States
Finance vice president job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected finance vice president job growth rate is 17% from 2018-2028.
About 123,100 new jobs for finance vice presidents are projected over the next decade.
Finance vice president salaries have increased 10% for finance vice presidents in the last 5 years.
There are over 145,941 finance vice presidents currently employed in the United States.
There are 111,219 active finance vice president job openings in the US.
The average finance vice president salary is $147,603.
Are finance vice president jobs in demand?
Finance vice president job and salary trends over time
Finance vice president jobs over time
Finance vice president job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 145,941 | 0.04% |
| 2020 | 139,786 | 0.04% |
| 2019 | 140,275 | 0.04% |
| 2018 | 130,562 | 0.04% |
| 2017 | 123,489 | 0.04% |
Average finance vice president salary over time
Finance vice president salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $147,603 | $70.96 | +3.3% |
| 2025 | $142,884 | $68.69 | +1.5% |
| 2024 | $140,794 | $67.69 | +2.3% |
| 2023 | $137,593 | $66.15 | +2.7% |
| 2022 | $133,929 | $64.39 | +3.2% |
Finance vice president jobs by state
Most common states for finance vice presidents
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 470 | 68% |
| 2 | Delaware | 961,939 | 298 | 31% |
| 3 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 1,945 | 28% |
| 4 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 683 | 22% |
| 5 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 2,574 | 20% |
| 6 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 1,701 | 20% |
| 7 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 1,127 | 20% |
| 8 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 209 | 20% |
| 9 | New York | 19,849,399 | 3,772 | 19% |
| 10 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 1,434 | 19% |
| 11 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 692 | 19% |
| 12 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 108 | 19% |
| 13 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 1,622 | 18% |
| 14 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 1,027 | 18% |
| 15 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 139 | 18% |
| 16 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 1,049 | 17% |
| 17 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 223 | 17% |
| 18 | California | 39,536,653 | 6,259 | 16% |
| 19 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 676 | 16% |
| 20 | Vermont | 623,657 | 99 | 16% |
Most common cities for finance vice presidents
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wilmington | 9 | 13% | $147,406 |
| 2 | Annapolis | 3 | 8% | $131,523 |
| 3 | Altamonte Springs | 2 | 5% | $117,237 |
| 4 | Bentonville | 2 | 4% | $111,054 |
| 5 | Alpharetta | 2 | 3% | $126,157 |
| 6 | Bethesda | 2 | 3% | $131,350 |
| 7 | Tempe | 4 | 2% | $148,562 |
| 8 | Boston | 9 | 1% | $141,312 |
| 9 | Atlanta | 6 | 1% | $126,158 |
| 10 | Tampa | 5 | 1% | $118,866 |
| 11 | Washington | 4 | 1% | $125,021 |
| 12 | Miami | 3 | 1% | $117,409 |
| 13 | Chicago | 13 | 0% | $119,323 |
| 14 | New York | 8 | 0% | $145,624 |
| 15 | Los Angeles | 5 | 0% | $150,573 |
| 16 | Baltimore | 3 | 0% | $131,593 |
| 17 | Phoenix | 3 | 0% | $148,664 |
Finance Vice President job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of finance vice president experts
Manhattan College
Fairfield University
Lynn University
Ferrum College
University of Oregon
King's College
American University
Albion College
Southwestern College
Pacific Lutheran University
University of Nevada - Las Vegas
Kean University
James Madison University
Western Washington University
University of Washington
What general advice would you give to a Finance Vice President?
Dr. Natalia Boliari PhD: First, learn everything about the company you just started working for - its historical path, management, the way it's dealt with crises, etc. Second, learn everything about the specific industry the company belongs to and see how the company has developed relative to the development of the industry domestically and internationally. Third, always be extremely alert to notice new opportunities and be prepared to take calculated risks. That is, actively look for opportunities to complete as many and diverse tasks as possible, and volunteer to complete any type of work regardless of whether it seems relevant to your assigned job or not. Opportunities to learn, grow, and improve and thus to maximize your income, will only come up if you are exposed to diverse situations.
What Finance Vice President skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Natalia Boliari PhD: Be open minded. Finance is the broad definition of an industry which provides opportunities for careers in financial consultancy, financial analysis, stock brokerage, foreign investment, modeling, exchange rate forecasts, and many more. While most of those careers are attributed to the banking industry, you can find those and others in other sectors of the economy, such as insurance, technology, health care/medical, government, and so on. So, be open and look beyond the banking sector, examine the current and predicted trends in the economy to hunt for exciting career options.
What general advice would you give to a Finance Vice President?
John McDermott Ph.D.: To maximize your salary potential, keep learning, investing in your human capital, and expanding your capabilities. Learn as much as you can about your new position and industry, work with a variety of people at your firm, and seek opportunities outside your comfort zone. Your salary potential will increase as you are recognized as a capable and hard working colleague.
What will help Finance Vice Presidents increase their earning potential?
David Spohn DBA, MBA, MJUR, CWM®: Likes:
- Intellectual Stimulation: Many finance analysts enjoy the challenge of solving complex financial puzzles and deriving insights from data. The role often requires staying updated with the latest economic trends and financial theories, providing continuous learning opportunities.
- Impact on Decision-making: Analysts often take pride in the fact that their work directly influences strategic business decisions. This can be highly rewarding, especially when their recommendations lead to successful outcomes.
- Career Opportunities: The field offers numerous pathways for career advancement. Analysts can ascend to roles in senior management, specialize in particular sectors such as fintech or healthcare, or move into investment roles.
Dislikes:
- High Pressure: The role can be highly stressful, with tight deadlines and significant implications tied to their analyses and recommendations. Financial markets are dynamic, and the pressure to provide accurate, timely insights can be intense.
- Monotony in Initial Stages: New entrants might find the work initially repetitive as they learn the ropes of data collection and basic analysis techniques. The intellectual rewards and more engaging tasks often come with increased responsibility.
- Work-Life Balance: Depending on the employer and the state of the market, long hours can be common, especially during financial reporting periods or significant market changes, which can impact work-life balance.
What general advice would you give to a Finance Vice President?
Clemens Kownatzki PhD, MBA: To be successful today requires essentially the same basic skills and behaviors that made people successful in the past. It’s a lot about who you know, not what you know. Having some basic skills is a necessary condition but it’s not sufficient. You have to be a good communicator, have to be likeable and be a good team player. And to do those things, you need to be around people enough, develop the most important social skills and remember the important things you learned in kindergarten. Show up on time, do what you say and not say what you do and be nice to people. Essentially the golden rule: “Do unto others…” But there are also some important practical things you should do. Think about getting a CFA license or others like CAIA, CMA, CPA, FRM etc. These professional designations won’t hurt you, they can be a requirement in some jobs or at least a differentiator as you apply for jobs. You can also take the Securities Industry Examination as a precondition to getting the more recognized Series 7, 63, 65 etc. But also consider some very easy things like getting certified with the Bloomberg Market Concepts. If your business school has a Bloomberg terminal (we’re lucky because we have 4 terminals), it’s a self-paced exam that’s free on the Bloomberg terminal. Also think about joining some associations to help with getting to know people in positions. You have to network every day and keep on working that network constantly. Lastly, don’t be afraid to negotiate. Yes, it is a competitive industry and there’s always more than just a handful applying for a position but you should know your worth. While you’re networking and having conversations with executives through your network, find out what reasonable expectations should be for the work being delivered.
What Finance Vice President skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Timothy Egan M.S. Marketing: -Understanding finance and how it impacts the operations of where you work, can help you have great insight into new opportunities or see the writing on the wall in tough times. -Don't be afraid to learn new technologies, especially ones that collect data. Enhance your tech-based skills as that will increase your value to the organization where you work and the business community at large. -Learn Spanish. While globalization may have you think about learning an Asian language, the Spanish speaking market is the faster growing in the US and has been since 2010.
Dr. Karen Carpenter
Associate Professor of Health & Human PerformanceFerrum College
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences
What Finance Vice President skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Karen Carpenter: Certifications!!!! Depending on the population you want to work with align yourself with a reputable organization. We are educational partners with ACE and NSCA and teach their curriculum as part of our program courses. Certified Strength and Conditioning Coaches are in high demand across the country, if athletes are your target population. If you are working in a fitness or rec club and have both the Personal Training and Group Fitness certifications you will be able to earn at a higher rate teaching and taking clients. Sport Coaching is another option that has tremendous opportunity, our program leans on Internship experiences to assist in introducing promising coaches to potential jobs.
Z. Jay Wang
Department Head, Associate Professor of FinanceUniversity of Oregon
Finance And Financial Management Services
What will help Finance Vice Presidents increase their earning potential?
Z. Jay Wang: Students who have a history of doing work in the field outside the classroom either through internships, industry projects, or school-sponsored clubs managing financial decisions are better poised to maximize starting salary potential. Starting early to secure internships with top companies will also position students well for higher earning potential. Most top banks and firms will post internships from April/May to August, and close by the end of September for the following summer. They are also rolling, so may fill the roles by as early as June of the sophomore year for the following summer after junior year. Finally, networking with industry and alumni professionals in the companies, firms, banks prior to applying for an internship or full-time position will have an impact. The candidate will learn more about the opportunity and company culture for their resume and potential interview, and most top companies in finance will have a referral program. If the candidate impresses the internal connection with excellent questions and strategic answers, they may get a referral that moves them up in the stacks of applicants.
What general advice would you give to a Finance Vice President?
Z. Jay Wang: As you onboard into your first roles in finance, a great work ethic and strong technical skills are obviously important for your long-term success. Moreover, your human skills will be as important as your technical skill. Ensure you practice and develop your communication, problem-solving, critical thinking, and project management skills. In terms of technical skills attention to detail, use of data analytics tools, and visualization will be very valuable. Another often overlooked skill is written communication. Many students fail to realize the importance of effective communications.
Peter Ibbott
Associate Professor of EconomicsKing's College
Economics
What will help Finance Vice Presidents increase their earning potential?
Peter Ibbott: If you are considering a career in economics or finance, it is best to get an MA in Economics or a Masters in Financial Economics. If you are considering a career in Business or Finance, it is best to develop your experience through work, while seeking additional educational opportunities throughout your career. Many find that accumulating micro-credentials can be useful. A more valuable path is to work towards obtaining a Chartered Financial Analyst designation. For strong students, taking a break later in your career to pursue an MBA or Masters of Finance can be useful in advancing your mid-career prospects.
Octavian Ionici PhD
Sr. Lecturer in FinanceAmerican University
Finance And Financial Management Services
What general advice would you give to a Finance Vice President?
Octavian Ionici PhD: The right education and training along with solid interpersonal skills should be at the top of their skill set. With those skills they can navigate potential disruptions to the workforce, future business trends and emerging technologies.
Hard core financial modeling skills are a must for finance, especially now with algorithmic business applications multiplying with the emergence of AI. Knowing how to develop a model that will answer multiple what-if scenarios for allocating resources, securing funding, managing risk, developing future plans, and making smart decisions overall.
Because AI, chatbots, blockchain and other "robots" will help companies simplify the workflows (preparing the reports and processes) faster, people will need to understand how to apply these technologies in order to analyze the results and to make decisions in real time.
People will also need to monitor the AI models and to constantly check for accuracy and biases. A big emphasis will be on collaboration of interdisciplinary teams of professionals working in IT, finance, accounting, HR and leadership. This means that companies will value employees that know how to find business information and deliver answers across functional areas proactively.
Finally, as they are working in a global interconnected world, they need to understand different cultures, regulations, and societal norms, so that they can respectfully communicate their ideas in cross-cultural situations. Along with the necessary technical skills, having an open mind and strong customer service focus will benefit them as the field continues to evolve.
What Finance Vice President skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Octavian Ionici PhD: The finance profession is lucrative, rewarding and very competitive. Graduates should do their research about the organization they are interviewing with and be able to discuss how their skills can contribute to the business. They should also know if they would rather interact with people and clients or if they are drawn to intellectual pursuits such as analysis. Do they value power, prestige status, risk, or something else? Ultimately our core values, personal goals, interests, aptitudes, and personality will shape our career paths.
Being able to articulate what sparked their interest in the financial field and why they are interested in a chosen role will be an advantage during the hiring process. While still in college, students should join a professional association like the Financial Management Association to give them more access to that broad network, as well as access to career development resources that can set them apart from the crowd.
It's also critical to get an internship (paid or unpaid) in order to show some real-life experience. They can do this while they are still in college, during the summers, or even afterwards, to get a foot in the door.
Reading the WSJ and FT daily, and listening to Bloomberg, or other financial programs as a regular practice will help them to have fluency in the language of our profession. Because the finance sector is heavily regulated and changes occur due to changing economic and political conditions, they will need to stay updated with those changes. Financial media sources will help bring them that context to stay up to date on all of these moving parts.
What will help Finance Vice Presidents increase their earning potential?
Octavian Ionici PhD: Try to understand what your boss or your company needs, then see if you can fill that gap with your skill set and work ethic. Finance constantly evolves. A career with lifelong learning will help keep you employable. Investing in continuous learning and skill development can increase your income potential down the road.
Plus, don't underestimate the power of a positive attitude and strong work ethic. You may not be an expert at the beginning, but you can take on every challenge given to you, work hard and try to turn it into a success for your organization. Each win will build your reputation and your portfolio of skills which you will then bring with you to your next job. As you do this, you will inevitably acquire specialized skills.
What general advice would you give to a Finance Vice President?
Noah Alatza: As you begin your career, there are two areas that are critical to your success. First, it is essential that you commit to continuous learning. Strive to become knowledgeable on a wide variety of issues and developments in the financial sector, and set yourself apart by becoming an expert in a few key areas of interest. Secondly, actively build your professional network. Always take the opportunity to make new connections, and commit dedicated time each week to building and maintaining those relationships.
What will help Finance Vice Presidents increase their earning potential?
Dr. Kimberly Gaither: Maximize your salary potential by asking questions and learning as quickly as possible. Be a good communicator with those above and below you as well as your peers. Be dependable. Persons who show up early and work hard will be valued and rewarded.
Dr. Jon Hooks Ph.D., CFA, CFP®
Professor of Economics and ManagementAlbion College
Economics
What general advice would you give to a Finance Vice President?
Dr. Jon Hooks Ph.D., CFA, CFP®: Do not underestimate the importance of your GPA. Work hard in every class to get a 4.0. An increasing number of employers are requesting students with at least a 3.7 or 3.8 GPA. Also, set yourself apart. Add some skill that distinguishes you from the huge number of other finance graduates.
Kevin Alston MBA
Doctoral Candidate DBASouthwestern College
Finance And Financial Management Services
What will help Finance Vice Presidents increase their earning potential?
Kevin Alston MBA: Acquire any many Industry Certifications as possible. Attend seminars and workshops to stay current within our industry.
Fang Lin
Assistant Professor of FinancePacific Lutheran University
Finance And Financial Management Services
What general advice would you give to a Finance Vice President?
Fang Lin: Proficiency in coding and statistical modeling is essential. At a minimum, individuals should be able to understand basic financial models. Ideally, they should be able to code or at least interpret code in languages such as Python and R. Additionally, soft skills such as communication, problem-solving, and critical thinking will continue to be invaluable.
What Finance Vice President skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Fang Lin: Don't be afraid to negotiate your starting salary. Young journalists have a lot to offer newsrooms through social media skills and a willingness to adapt to new technologies such as artificial intelligence. Technology skills have value and should not be undersold. Also, young journalism students should not discount the value of their student media and internship experiences. Young journalists must use everything on their resumes to show how they bring value to their position and ask to be compensated fairly for the work they will contribute to the newsroom's success.
What will help Finance Vice Presidents increase their earning potential?
Fang Lin: I believe that data analysis is becoming increasingly crucial for finance professionals. Therefore, proficiency in coding and statistical modeling is essential. At a minimum, individuals should be able to understand basic financial models. Ideally, they should be able to code or at least interpret code in languages such as Python and R. Additionally, soft skills such as communication, problem-solving, and critical thinking will continue to be invaluable.
Dhruba Banjade
Assistant Professor in Finance & Department Chair of Business AnalysisWhat Finance Vice President skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dhruba Banjade: Everyone's career journey is unique and different. As a finance professor, I suggest a few things to graduates beginning their careers.
i. Learning is a continuous process and essential. Even after graduation, learn and enhance new skills. The person must be familiar with the latest industry trends.
ii. Building a good network helps with career development. I suggest attending industry events and connecting with many friends and colleagues on social networks such as LinkedIn.
iii. I further suggest to improve verbal and written communication. It helps in career development.
iv. Understanding basic financial principles is essential. For example, the person must be familiar with economic and income statement analyses, budgeting, profit/loss, and savings.
John Clark Ph.D., CFA, CFP
Chair, Dept. of FinanceUniversity of Nevada - Las Vegas
Geological And Earth Sciences/Geosciences
What general advice would you give to a Finance Vice President?
John Clark Ph.D., CFA, CFP: Show you have experience. Doing an internship is a great way to increase your starting salary. I always advocate for doing applied research, this is research that you can show has implications for society - science for the sake of science is not good science! Obtaining an MS degree is also a good way to increase your salary, especially if your MS degree is relevant to your future job.
What Finance Vice President skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
John Clark Ph.D., CFA, CFP: GPA is not everything. Gaining real-life experience in industry through internships or undergraduate research projects is just as valuable. Taking on research or internships gives you a much greater understanding of a field than taking classes alone.
How do you envision technology impacting Finance Vice Presidents in the next 5 years?
Dr. Michael Tin Shan Suen: The field of finance will continue to embrace the advancement and application of the latest technology. Mastering the technology to analyze huge amounts of data is essential. This will turn the data into your competitive advantage.
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for Finance Vice Presidents in the next 3-5 years?
Dr. William Wood Ph.D.: I believe open-source software, such as R and Python, will become even more important and prevalent. But beyond learning as much R and Python as they can get, I think economics graduates should be alert to what replaces R and Python -- because no technological system or feature lasts forever. The useful life of technical systems seems to be getting shorter.
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for Finance Vice Presidents in the next 3-5 years?
Hart Hodges: I'm going to hedge a bit on this question and say it is partly a matter of identifying the technology that will become more important, but more than that is having the ability to use different technologies and to be a good consumer of data. The exact technology depends on the career path. Some may be part of new fintech, while others will include more machine learning and AI. I do think machine learning is changing the world of forecasting and analysis. But graduates need to understand layers.
They need to understand the strengths and weaknesses of different data sources and use technologies that let them combine data that are in different formats. For example, there are valuable economic data in GIS format that you may want to combine with data in a very different format. In the end, I think some coding skills (SQL, Python, etc.) are going to be useful - but coding skills alone do not make you a good consumer of data. Technologies that allow for scenario analysis and thinking about uncertainty in different ways will also be more common in the future.
Will there be an increase or decrease in demand for Finance Vice Presidents in the next 5 years?
Hart Hodges: I'm going to build off my last answer and say a slight increase. Economics is a social science but also relies on a solid analytical framework. Econ grads should be able to ask good questions and to work with that framework - regardless of the setting. And I think employers in different fields see value in that foundation. Students have to get away from looking for 'the right answers' and embrace economics as a way of thinking.
Employers want them for their thinking ability, not the answers they know or things they think are true. That is, students working at the intersection of social issues and analytics should be in demand. Companies like Amazon hire economists to work in data analytics because of the perspective they bring. Environmental economics, energy economics, etc. are all growing fields (think sustainability, ESG investing, and more). The demand for graduates should increase - IF departments like ours provide the right foundation.
Jarrad Harford Ph.D.
Professor of FinanceUniversity of Washington
Department of Finance and Business Economics
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for Finance Vice Presidents in the next 3-5 years?
Jarrad Harford Ph.D.: Data analytics, Robo-advising, applications of AI in finance will continue to increase dramatically. Mobile peer-to-peer and consumer-direct-to-business platforms will grow and take market share from traditional payment intermediation.