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Program finance analyst vs finance analyst

The differences between program finance analysts 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 a program finance analyst and a finance analyst. Additionally, a finance analyst has an average salary of $69,887, which is higher than the $57,254 average annual salary of a program finance analyst.

The top three skills for a program finance analyst include financial analysis, variance analysis and program management. The most important skills for a finance analyst are financial analysis, financial models, and financial data.

Program finance analyst vs finance analyst overview

Program Finance AnalystFinance Analyst
Yearly salary$57,254$69,887
Hourly rate$27.53$33.60
Growth rate9%9%
Number of jobs154,305138,600
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 78%Bachelor's Degree, 76%
Average age4040
Years of experience44

What does a program finance analyst do?

A program finance analyst is an individual who supports the execution of program financial services to ensure effective and transparent utilization of financial resources. Program finance analysts must obtain and compile information regarding the credit history of loan applicants, corporate financial statements, and other financial information. They communicate with faculty members and business administrators about the company's financial status and provide recommendations for strategic planning. Program finance analysts must also monitor the financial performance of a project and provide analysis for project managers concerning burn rates and potential overruns.

What does a finance analyst do?

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.

Program finance analyst vs finance analyst salary

Program finance analysts and finance analysts have different pay scales, as shown below.

Program Finance AnalystFinance Analyst
Average salary$57,254$69,887
Salary rangeBetween $42,000 And $76,000Between $46,000 And $104,000
Highest paying CitySan Francisco, CASan Francisco, CA
Highest paying stateCaliforniaConnecticut
Best paying companyMicrosoftThe Citadel
Best paying industryTechnologyFinance

Differences between program finance analyst and finance analyst education

There are a few differences between a program finance analyst and a finance analyst in terms of educational background:

Program Finance AnalystFinance Analyst
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 78%Bachelor's Degree, 76%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common collegeUniversity of PennsylvaniaUniversity of Pennsylvania

Program finance analyst vs finance analyst demographics

Here are the differences between program finance analysts' and finance analysts' demographics:

Program Finance AnalystFinance Analyst
Average age4040
Gender ratioMale, 53.5% Female, 46.5%Male, 56.2% Female, 43.8%
Race ratioBlack 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 Percentage7%7%

Differences between program finance analyst and finance analyst duties and responsibilities

Program finance analyst example responsibilities.

  • Develop, maintain financial models/applications (VBA Excel/Access) to automate and streamline business processes and perform financial analysis.
  • Prepare monthly accounts payable accruals as well as researching and analyzing account variances.
  • Provide monthly and quarterly accruals of channel programs and MDF to revenue accounting team.
  • Ensure accurate forecasting in using Hyperion.
  • Perform monthly contract invoicing/billings, program account reconciliations, and sales forecasting.
  • Develop, maintain financial models/applications (VBA Excel/Access) to automate and streamline business processes and perform financial analysis.
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Finance analyst example responsibilities.

  • Manage company asset accounts, wire funds to clients and record and structure amounts into QuickBooks.
  • Manage the UAT team involve in the testing of an enterprise accounting and project management software.
  • Manage customer portfolio to department KPI's, target balance, aging metrics, cash recovery and write-off tolerance.
  • Manage contract database and SalesForce for historical research and financial reporting purposes.
  • Manage and maintain information in worldwide-military database which include exemptions, transfers, retirements, and payroll records.
  • Accomplish project accounting functions including project costing, time reporting, project accruals and proper capitalization of development costs.
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Program finance analyst vs finance analyst skills

Common program finance analyst skills
  • Financial Analysis, 13%
  • Variance Analysis, 5%
  • Program Management, 5%
  • Financial Data, 4%
  • Earned Value Management, 3%
  • Strong Analytical, 3%
Common finance analyst skills
  • Financial Analysis, 9%
  • Financial Models, 5%
  • Financial Data, 5%
  • Strong Analytical, 4%
  • Variance Analysis, 4%
  • Hyperion, 3%

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