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The differences between investment banking associates and finance analysts can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both an investment banking associate and a finance analyst. Additionally, an investment banking associate has an average salary of $119,967, which is higher than the $69,887 average annual salary of a finance analyst.
The top three skills for an investment banking associate include capital markets, healthcare and discounted cash flow. The most important skills for a finance analyst are financial analysis, financial models, and financial data.
| Investment Banking Associate | Finance Analyst | |
| Yearly salary | $119,967 | $69,887 |
| Hourly rate | $57.68 | $33.60 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 39,516 | 138,600 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
An investment banking associate is in charge of performing support tasks for clients, ensuring efficiency and client satisfaction. They are primarily responsible for identifying and meeting clients' needs, assisting them in reaching their financial goals. They typically determine investment opportunities for clients, putting financial histories and records into consideration. They must thoroughly discuss terms, helping clients gain a deep understanding of the subject while building positive relationships. Furthermore, an investment banking associate may perform clerical tasks such as processing documentation and payments, producing progress reports, and performing calls and correspondence.
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.
Investment banking associates and finance analysts have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Investment Banking Associate | Finance Analyst | |
| Average salary | $119,967 | $69,887 |
| Salary range | Between $73,000 And $195,000 | Between $46,000 And $104,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Oregon | Connecticut |
| Best paying company | Bloomberg | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Finance |
There are a few differences between an investment banking associate and a finance analyst in terms of educational background:
| Investment Banking Associate | Finance Analyst | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Most common major | Finance | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between investment banking associates' and finance analysts' demographics:
| Investment Banking Associate | Finance Analyst | |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 78.6% Female, 21.4% | Male, 56.2% Female, 43.8% |
| 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, 5.6% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.7% Asian, 14.1% White, 68.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 7% |