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The differences between investment officers and investment advisors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-8 years to become an investment officer, becoming an investment advisor takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, an investment officer has an average salary of $126,952, which is higher than the $105,377 average annual salary of an investment advisor.
The top three skills for an investment officer include portfolio management, asset allocation and risk management. The most important skills for an investment advisor are exceptional client, risk management, and client relationships.
| Investment Officer | Investment Advisor | |
| Yearly salary | $126,952 | $105,377 |
| Hourly rate | $61.03 | $50.66 |
| Growth rate | 17% | 15% |
| Number of jobs | 63,096 | 63,438 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Average age | 46 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 8 | 4 |
Investment officers determine possible opportunities for businesses and investments that can promote the interest of a company. They are usually responsible for managing and marketing different financial programs, handling money transactions, and providing partnership with clients. Also, they manage the financial investment and approval process. This position typically requires a master's degree in business administration.
An investment advisor is responsible for managing the clients' financial portfolios, advising them of investment options according to their financial goals and objectives, and their ability to handle risks. Investment advisors should have excellent knowledge of the investment policies, providing the clients with the best financial strategies according to their interests. They also determine their expenses, income, and credit scores to identify a comprehensive financial plan. An investment advisor helps the clients with cash management techniques, as well as conducting data analysis on financial market projections.
Investment officers and investment advisors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Investment Officer | Investment Advisor | |
| Average salary | $126,952 | $105,377 |
| Salary range | Between $69,000 And $232,000 | Between $60,000 And $184,000 |
| Highest paying City | Albany, NY | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | New York |
| Best paying company | Matthews International | McKinsey & Company Inc |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Telecommunication |
There are a few differences between an investment officer and an investment advisor in terms of educational background:
| Investment Officer | Investment Advisor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Most common major | Finance | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Minnesota - Twin Cities |
Here are the differences between investment officers' and investment advisors' demographics:
| Investment Officer | Investment Advisor | |
| Average age | 46 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 76.7% Female, 23.3% | Male, 72.3% Female, 27.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.5% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 14.4% Asian, 10.1% White, 63.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 5.6% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 9.4% Asian, 8.2% White, 72.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 5% |