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The differences between project finance analysts and finance managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a project finance analyst, becoming a finance manager takes usually requires 6-8 years. Additionally, a finance manager has an average salary of $101,374, which is higher than the $77,005 average annual salary of a project finance analyst.
The top three skills for a project finance analyst include financial analysis, project management and financial data. The most important skills for a finance manager are financial analysis, CPA, and customer service.
| Project Finance Analyst | Finance Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $77,005 | $101,374 |
| Hourly rate | $37.02 | $48.74 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 106,230 | 125,345 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 40 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 8 |
A project finance analyst is responsible for analyzing the financial needs and reports of an organization's project management system. Project finance analysts review project terms and expense forecasting and identify strategies to minimize financial loss. They also resolve account discrepancies and file accurate financial statements upon the assessment of project plans, resources, and timetables. A project finance analyst must have excellent communication and analytical skills to determine potential risks and enhance the company's portfolio for business proposals.
A finance manager is responsible for monitoring the financial system of a company. Their tasks include handling their organization's financial status, generating cost estimates and budget goals, identifying business opportunities to increase revenues and profitability, improving financial strategies, reducing costs, analyzing account statements, processing invoice as needed, analyzing market trends, searching potential partnerships, and presenting reports. A finance manager must have excellent analytical skills and knowledge of the accounting and financial industry. They are responsible for providing the best recommendations for the organization's growth.
Project finance analysts and finance managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Project Finance Analyst | Finance Manager | |
| Average salary | $77,005 | $101,374 |
| Salary range | Between $54,000 And $108,000 | Between $71,000 And $144,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Pennsylvania | New York |
| Best paying company | Barclays | |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Finance |
There are a few differences between a project finance analyst and a finance manager in terms of educational background:
| Project Finance Analyst | Finance Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between project finance analysts' and finance managers' demographics:
| Project Finance Analyst | Finance Manager | |
| Average age | 40 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 48.8% Female, 51.2% | Male, 60.0% Female, 40.0% |
| 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, 7.6% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 14.6% Asian, 10.2% White, 63.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 11% |