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What is an investment analyst and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Quoted Expert
Brian Meehan
introduction image

An investment analyst assesses financial data to make informed investment decisions. They analyze information from financial statements, market trends, and economic indicators to evaluate the risks and returns of investments. Investment analysts use their expertise to provide investment recommendations for institutional or individual clients. They may specialize in a particular industry or geographic region. Successful investment analysts have strong analytical skills and can clearly communicate complex financial information.

What general advice would you give to an Investment Analyst?

Brian MeehanBrian Meehan LinkedIn Profile

Assistant Professor of Economics, Campbell School of Business, Berry College

My advice would be to apply broadly for jobs and take advantage of the robust set of career opportunities a degree in economics provides. It also gives you a better gauge of the opportunity cost (next best alternative) of accepting a job. Try to determine what that best alternative is. Additional training can also be a good option. Those individuals interested in graduate schools, professional schools, law schools, MBAs, etc. should look into these opportunities. Improving your human capital stock (via training and education), while weathering a recession, and then capitalizing on a healthier job market at the end of this training, is a pretty good route (assuming the recession is short).
ScoreInvestment AnalystUS Average
Salary
6.2

Avg. Salary $79,056

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level
5.8

Growth Rate 9%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity
5.5
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.10%

Asian 14.09%

Black or African American 5.64%

Hispanic or Latino 7.67%

Unknown 4.50%

White 68.00%

Gender

female 29.93%

male 70.07%

Age - 38
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 - 38
Stress Level
5.8

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity Level
8.4

Complexity Level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance
4.3

Work Life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being an Investment Analyst?

Pros

  • High earning potential

  • Challenging and intellectually stimulating work

  • Potential for career advancement

  • Opportunities for international travel and work

  • Possibility of working remotely

Cons

  • High pressure and long hours

  • Constant need to meet deadlines

  • High level of competition for job opportunities

  • Risk of burnout due to heavy workload

  • Potential for conflicts of interest or ethical concerns

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Investment Analyst career paths

Key steps to become an investment analyst

  1. Explore investment analyst education requirements

    Most common investment analyst degrees

    Bachelor's

    76.4 %

    Master's

    17.8 %

    Associate

    3.1 %
  2. Start to develop specific investment analyst skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Portfolio Management7.25%
    Financial Statements6.38%
    Strong Analytical5.54%
    PowerPoint5.16%
    Real Estate4.75%
  3. Complete relevant investment analyst training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New investment analysts 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 an investment analyst based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real investment analyst resumes.
  4. Research investment analyst duties and responsibilities

    • Update weekly liquidity stress report and utilize VBA and SQL to automate the process
    • Manage and update early engagement processes daily through SharePoint.
    • Manage trade executions and broker relationships for all portfolio positions across several banks, prime brokerage accounts and electronic commodities exchanges.
    • Perform financial analyses including discount cash flow, leverage buyout, public market comparable trading and precedent transaction-base valuations
  5. Prepare your investment analyst resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your investment analyst 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 an investment analyst resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose From 10+ Customizable Investment Analyst Resume templates

    Build a professional Investment Analyst resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Investment Analyst resume.
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    Investment Analyst Resume
  6. Apply for investment analyst jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for an investment analyst job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How Did You Land Your First Investment Analyst Job

Zippi

Are you an Investment Analyst?

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Average investment analyst salary

The average Investment Analyst salary in the United States is $79,056 per year or $38 per hour. Investment analyst salaries range between $44,000 and $140,000 per year.

Average Investment Analyst Salary
$79,056 Yearly
$38.01 hourly

What Am I Worth?

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How do investment analysts rate their job?

5/5

Based On 1 Ratings

5 Stars

4 Stars

3 Stars

2 Stars

1 Star

Investment Analyst reviews

profile
5.0
A zippia user wrote a review on Feb 2020
Pros

It really gets my mind engaged, which is good for my mental exercise.

Cons

Having tight schedules.


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Feb 2019
Cons

Lots of sitting.


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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