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Job outlook for senior investment analysts in the United States
Senior investment analyst job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected senior investment analyst job growth rate is 9% from 2018-2028.
About 31,900 new jobs for senior investment analysts are projected over the next decade.
Senior investment analyst salaries have increased 9% for senior investment analysts in the last 5 years.
There are over 11,023 senior investment analysts currently employed in the United States.
There are 69,002 active senior investment analyst job openings in the US.
The average senior investment analyst salary is $108,564.
Are senior investment analyst jobs in demand?
Senior investment analyst job and salary trends over time
Senior investment analyst jobs over time
Senior investment analyst job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 11,023 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 8,612 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 8,635 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 11,343 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 10,864 | 0.00% |
Average senior investment analyst salary over time
Senior investment analyst salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $108,564 | $52.19 | +2.6% |
| 2025 | $105,785 | $50.86 | +1.7% |
| 2024 | $104,050 | $50.02 | +1.6% |
| 2023 | $102,398 | $49.23 | +3.1% |
| 2022 | $99,313 | $47.75 | +1.8% |
Senior investment analyst jobs by state
Most common states for senior investment analysts
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 314 | 45% |
| 2 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 949 | 11% |
| 3 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 748 | 11% |
| 4 | Delaware | 961,939 | 98 | 10% |
| 5 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 1,093 | 9% |
| 6 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 562 | 9% |
| 7 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 503 | 9% |
| 8 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 603 | 8% |
| 9 | New York | 19,849,399 | 1,449 | 7% |
| 10 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 388 | 7% |
| 11 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 238 | 7% |
| 12 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 74 | 7% |
| 13 | Alaska | 739,795 | 52 | 7% |
| 14 | Vermont | 623,657 | 44 | 7% |
| 15 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 39 | 7% |
| 16 | California | 39,536,653 | 2,532 | 6% |
| 17 | Georgia | 10,429,379 | 664 | 6% |
| 18 | Arizona | 7,016,270 | 429 | 6% |
| 19 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 237 | 6% |
| 20 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 179 | 6% |
Most common cities for senior investment analysts
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Waltham | 3 | 5% | $121,617 |
| 2 | Novi | 2 | 3% | $118,196 |
| 3 | Southfield | 2 | 3% | $118,627 |
| 4 | Annapolis | 1 | 3% | $103,503 |
| 5 | Livonia | 2 | 2% | $118,213 |
| 6 | Bethesda | 1 | 2% | $102,951 |
| 7 | Bridgewater | 1 | 2% | $104,963 |
| 8 | Madison | 2 | 1% | $81,564 |
| 9 | Chattanooga | 1 | 1% | $77,985 |
| 10 | Chicago | 2 | 0% | $90,836 |
| 11 | Los Angeles | 2 | 0% | $119,826 |
| 12 | Minneapolis | 2 | 0% | $99,432 |
| 13 | Washington | 2 | 0% | $107,590 |
| 14 | Atlanta | 1 | 0% | $79,732 |
| 15 | Baton Rouge | 1 | 0% | $81,208 |
| 16 | Boston | 1 | 0% | $121,710 |
Senior Investment Analyst job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of senior investment analyst experts
Manhattan College
Fairfield University
Lynn University
University of Akron
University of Oregon
American University
Cedar Falls
Southwestern College
University of Wisconsin - La Crosse
Lawrence Technological University
Pacific Lutheran University
University of Nevada - Las Vegas
Texas A&M University–Central Texas
Kean University
William Paterson University of New Jersey
Keith Kerr Prof.
What Senior Investment Analyst skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Keith Kerr Prof.: There are two basic ways that most people in the US find financial success: Either find a job that pays a high salary, or find a career that you love, regardless of the salary, and make a habit of saving and investing part of your income each month starting with your first paycheck.
If you invest only $90 a month starting at 21 and ending at retirement, you would have a bit over 1 million dollars (assuming a 10% annual gain). Wait just 5 years and start doing this at 26 and your 5 years of time will have cost you $400,000 by retirement. This is the power of compounding. Start early and even with a lower salary, you still can find financial success while pursuing careers that are meaningful to you.
What will help Senior Investment Analysts increase their earning potential?
Keith Kerr Prof.: Grant writing is perhaps the most important skill for sociology majors to acquire. Not all sociology programs offer such skills (luckily my department at Quinnipiac does), but all sociology programs offer courses in research methodology. These skills are all skills that are needed to successfully write grants.
More so, with the research skills and practice in grant writing, one is in a position to approach potential employers as a hire that will more than pay for itself in the grant money that the potential employee can bring into the organization.
What general advice would you give to a Senior Investment Analyst?
Dr. Natalia Boliari PhD: First, learn everything about the company you just started working for - its historical path, management, the way it's dealt with crises, etc. Second, learn everything about the specific industry the company belongs to and see how the company has developed relative to the development of the industry domestically and internationally. Third, always be extremely alert to notice new opportunities and be prepared to take calculated risks. That is, actively look for opportunities to complete as many and diverse tasks as possible, and volunteer to complete any type of work regardless of whether it seems relevant to your assigned job or not. Opportunities to learn, grow, and improve and thus to maximize your income, will only come up if you are exposed to diverse situations.
What Senior Investment Analyst skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Natalia Boliari PhD: Be open minded. Finance is the broad definition of an industry which provides opportunities for careers in financial consultancy, financial analysis, stock brokerage, foreign investment, modeling, exchange rate forecasts, and many more. While most of those careers are attributed to the banking industry, you can find those and others in other sectors of the economy, such as insurance, technology, health care/medical, government, and so on. So, be open and look beyond the banking sector, examine the current and predicted trends in the economy to hunt for exciting career options.
What will help Senior Investment Analysts increase their earning potential?
Dr. Natalia Boliari PhD: Skills in research, programming, and modeling. Research skills are difficult to develop and many students don't have the patience or even the desire to acquire them. But they are critical for careers in finance and remain a top set of skills for employers. Programming and modeling helps with decision making by reducing (potentially) the degree of economic and market uncertainties as well as with forecasts. So definitely invest time in learning and continuously developing research and programming skills in the career niche you are pursuing.
What general advice would you give to a Senior Investment Analyst?
John McDermott Ph.D.: To maximize your salary potential, keep learning, investing in your human capital, and expanding your capabilities. Learn as much as you can about your new position and industry, work with a variety of people at your firm, and seek opportunities outside your comfort zone. Your salary potential will increase as you are recognized as a capable and hard working colleague.
What will help Senior Investment Analysts increase their earning potential?
David Spohn DBA, MBA, MJUR, CWM®: Likes:
- Intellectual Stimulation: Many finance analysts enjoy the challenge of solving complex financial puzzles and deriving insights from data. The role often requires staying updated with the latest economic trends and financial theories, providing continuous learning opportunities.
- Impact on Decision-making: Analysts often take pride in the fact that their work directly influences strategic business decisions. This can be highly rewarding, especially when their recommendations lead to successful outcomes.
- Career Opportunities: The field offers numerous pathways for career advancement. Analysts can ascend to roles in senior management, specialize in particular sectors such as fintech or healthcare, or move into investment roles.
Dislikes:
- High Pressure: The role can be highly stressful, with tight deadlines and significant implications tied to their analyses and recommendations. Financial markets are dynamic, and the pressure to provide accurate, timely insights can be intense.
- Monotony in Initial Stages: New entrants might find the work initially repetitive as they learn the ropes of data collection and basic analysis techniques. The intellectual rewards and more engaging tasks often come with increased responsibility.
- Work-Life Balance: Depending on the employer and the state of the market, long hours can be common, especially during financial reporting periods or significant market changes, which can impact work-life balance.
What general advice would you give to a Senior Investment Analyst?
Clemens Kownatzki PhD, MBA: To be successful today requires essentially the same basic skills and behaviors that made people successful in the past. It’s a lot about who you know, not what you know. Having some basic skills is a necessary condition but it’s not sufficient. You have to be a good communicator, have to be likeable and be a good team player. And to do those things, you need to be around people enough, develop the most important social skills and remember the important things you learned in kindergarten. Show up on time, do what you say and not say what you do and be nice to people. Essentially the golden rule: “Do unto others…” But there are also some important practical things you should do. Think about getting a CFA license or others like CAIA, CMA, CPA, FRM etc. These professional designations won’t hurt you, they can be a requirement in some jobs or at least a differentiator as you apply for jobs. You can also take the Securities Industry Examination as a precondition to getting the more recognized Series 7, 63, 65 etc. But also consider some very easy things like getting certified with the Bloomberg Market Concepts. If your business school has a Bloomberg terminal (we’re lucky because we have 4 terminals), it’s a self-paced exam that’s free on the Bloomberg terminal. Also think about joining some associations to help with getting to know people in positions. You have to network every day and keep on working that network constantly. Lastly, don’t be afraid to negotiate. Yes, it is a competitive industry and there’s always more than just a handful applying for a position but you should know your worth. While you’re networking and having conversations with executives through your network, find out what reasonable expectations should be for the work being delivered.
What will help Senior Investment Analysts increase their earning potential?
Clemens Kownatzki PhD, MBA: As a beginner in any field, it pays to listen more than to talk. Be humble, pay attention, be nice to folks and probably most helpful is having a mentor who can guide you along and show you some best practices for navigating your career. You should take advantage of your education, not just to show a piece of paper that says you graduated but think of every single project, essay or paper that you write as part of a portfolio that demonstrates your skill sets. Especially in finance where we can sometimes be enamored with the beauty of a mathematical model, think about how any model should be applied in the real world. In some cases that might mean that you have to “get your hands on the wheel and learn how to drive.” I am not suggesting that you should put all your savings at risk and buy the next iteration of the latest cryptocurrency, but If you’re interested in a career in investing, put a small amount of money at risk and trade a stock, or if you must trade a few dollars’ worth of Bitcoin or Ether – as much as you would risk for a movie ticket seems reasonable. There are lots of virtual trading apps where you can trade with paper money, but there’s nothing like understanding risk when your own dollars are at stake, even if it’s just a few dollars. You should also absorb all the workshops, seminars and resources available out there. Follow Prof. Aswath Damodaran who has a YouTube Channel and hundreds of spreadsheets with financial models, all for free! Also follow some good content providers on various channels to get additional insights – in the field of finance, you need to be up-to-date on all events because those influence markets and the economy. Be ready to continue learning and update your skills and understanding while you’re working. Education doesn’t end after you finish your degree. All successful people are life-long learners.
What Senior Investment Analyst skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Timothy Egan M.S. Marketing: -Understanding finance and how it impacts the operations of where you work, can help you have great insight into new opportunities or see the writing on the wall in tough times. -Don't be afraid to learn new technologies, especially ones that collect data. Enhance your tech-based skills as that will increase your value to the organization where you work and the business community at large. -Learn Spanish. While globalization may have you think about learning an Asian language, the Spanish speaking market is the faster growing in the US and has been since 2010.
What will help Senior Investment Analysts increase their earning potential?
Timothy Egan M.S. Marketing: -Under promise and over deliver. -Know your value, self-assess your skills, your knowledge and your role. Understand when and when not a company can give increases. -Build an internal support system. Make sure you have people who will go to bat for you when you want to move up internally. -After succeeding don't be afraid to ask for an increase. -And remember, stay humble. The minute you think you know everything; you haven't learned anything.
What Senior Investment Analyst skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Eric Brisker Ph.D.: Skills that are necessary for graduates to obtain to enjoy a successful career in the finance industry include data analytics and digital proficiency skills. Jobs in private equity, private credit, and other private financial markets are becoming the most competitive jobs to obtain in the finance industry. Developing a very deep knowledge of how these private markets work compared to public markets is essential for those interested in entering this realm.
Z. Jay Wang
Department Head, Associate Professor of FinanceUniversity of Oregon
Finance And Financial Management Services
What general advice would you give to a Senior Investment Analyst?
Z. Jay Wang: As you onboard into your first roles in finance, a great work ethic and strong technical skills are obviously important for your long-term success. Moreover, your human skills will be as important as your technical skill. Ensure you practice and develop your communication, problem-solving, critical thinking, and project management skills. In terms of technical skills attention to detail, use of data analytics tools, and visualization will be very valuable. Another often overlooked skill is written communication. Many students fail to realize the importance of effective communications.
What will help Senior Investment Analysts increase their earning potential?
Z. Jay Wang: Students who have a history of doing work in the field outside the classroom either through internships, industry projects, or school-sponsored clubs managing financial decisions are better poised to maximize starting salary potential. Starting early to secure internships with top companies will also position students well for higher earning potential. Most top banks and firms will post internships from April/May to August, and close by the end of September for the following summer. They are also rolling, so may fill the roles by as early as June of the sophomore year for the following summer after junior year. Finally, networking with industry and alumni professionals in the companies, firms, banks prior to applying for an internship or full-time position will have an impact. The candidate will learn more about the opportunity and company culture for their resume and potential interview, and most top companies in finance will have a referral program. If the candidate impresses the internal connection with excellent questions and strategic answers, they may get a referral that moves them up in the stacks of applicants.
Octavian Ionici PhD
Sr. Lecturer in FinanceAmerican University
Finance And Financial Management Services
What Senior Investment Analyst skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Octavian Ionici PhD: The finance profession is lucrative, rewarding and very competitive. Graduates should do their research about the organization they are interviewing with and be able to discuss how their skills can contribute to the business. They should also know if they would rather interact with people and clients or if they are drawn to intellectual pursuits such as analysis. Do they value power, prestige status, risk, or something else? Ultimately our core values, personal goals, interests, aptitudes, and personality will shape our career paths.
Being able to articulate what sparked their interest in the financial field and why they are interested in a chosen role will be an advantage during the hiring process. While still in college, students should join a professional association like the Financial Management Association to give them more access to that broad network, as well as access to career development resources that can set them apart from the crowd.
It's also critical to get an internship (paid or unpaid) in order to show some real-life experience. They can do this while they are still in college, during the summers, or even afterwards, to get a foot in the door.
Reading the WSJ and FT daily, and listening to Bloomberg, or other financial programs as a regular practice will help them to have fluency in the language of our profession. Because the finance sector is heavily regulated and changes occur due to changing economic and political conditions, they will need to stay updated with those changes. Financial media sources will help bring them that context to stay up to date on all of these moving parts.
What will help Senior Investment Analysts increase their earning potential?
Octavian Ionici PhD: Try to understand what your boss or your company needs, then see if you can fill that gap with your skill set and work ethic. Finance constantly evolves. A career with lifelong learning will help keep you employable. Investing in continuous learning and skill development can increase your income potential down the road.
Plus, don't underestimate the power of a positive attitude and strong work ethic. You may not be an expert at the beginning, but you can take on every challenge given to you, work hard and try to turn it into a success for your organization. Each win will build your reputation and your portfolio of skills which you will then bring with you to your next job. As you do this, you will inevitably acquire specialized skills.
What will help Senior Investment Analysts increase their earning potential?
Dr. Kimberly Gaither: Maximize your salary potential by asking questions and learning as quickly as possible. Be a good communicator with those above and below you as well as your peers. Be dependable. Persons who show up early and work hard will be valued and rewarded.
Brett Olsen
Department Head and Professor of FinanceCedar Falls
Finance And Financial Management Services
What will help Senior Investment Analysts increase their earning potential?
Brett Olsen: To succeed as a Finance Analyst, one needs to be interested in math, willing to solve problems, and driven by both. Those who dislike math or problem-solving may find the career challenging.
Kevin Alston MBA
Doctoral Candidate DBASouthwestern College
Finance And Financial Management Services
What general advice would you give to a Senior Investment Analyst?
Kevin Alston MBA: Ensure that you are marketable and are considered a commodity. What that means is the firm that you are interested in joining should consider your skills and knowledge an invaluable commodity. One who stands head and shoulders above the competition.
What will help Senior Investment Analysts increase their earning potential?
Kevin Alston MBA: Acquire any many Industry Certifications as possible. Attend seminars and workshops to stay current within our industry.
Dr. Adam Stivers
Chair and Associate Professor, Department of Finance at the University of Wisconsin – La CrosseUniversity of Wisconsin - La Crosse
Finance And Financial Management Services
What will help Senior Investment Analysts increase their earning potential?
Dr. Adam Stivers: AI prompt engineering will likely become increasingly vital in finance. However, while AI tools will likely be able to handle a lot of quantitative tasks in the financial services industry, professionals will still need to be able to interpret and explain its output to others. That means communication skills and other soft skills will be important, but you still need to understand the quantitative aspects.
Matthew Cole Ph.D.
Interim Dean, College of Business and Information TechnologyLawrence Technological University
Architecture And Related Services
What Senior Investment Analyst skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Matthew Cole Ph.D.: Maximizing Salary Potential: Specializing in high-demand areas like tax or forensic accounting, demonstrating strong technology skills, negotiating based on industry salary standards, and pursuing professional development and additional credentials will maximize salary potential.
Fang Lin
Assistant Professor of FinancePacific Lutheran University
Finance And Financial Management Services
What general advice would you give to a Senior Investment Analyst?
Fang Lin: Proficiency in coding and statistical modeling is essential. At a minimum, individuals should be able to understand basic financial models. Ideally, they should be able to code or at least interpret code in languages such as Python and R. Additionally, soft skills such as communication, problem-solving, and critical thinking will continue to be invaluable.
What Senior Investment Analyst skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Fang Lin: Don't be afraid to negotiate your starting salary. Young journalists have a lot to offer newsrooms through social media skills and a willingness to adapt to new technologies such as artificial intelligence. Technology skills have value and should not be undersold. Also, young journalism students should not discount the value of their student media and internship experiences. Young journalists must use everything on their resumes to show how they bring value to their position and ask to be compensated fairly for the work they will contribute to the newsroom's success.
Dhruba Banjade
Assistant Professor in Finance & Department Chair of Business AnalysisWhat general advice would you give to a Senior Investment Analyst?
Dhruba Banjade: i. The industry technology is changing fast. Specific skills will be more critical in the finance field in the next 3-5 years. Some of these are:
ii. Data analysis/ data mining skills. Knowledge of Excel, R, Python, data visualization, Tableau, RapidMiner, machine learning, and financial modeling skills are essential in finance and business.
iii. Skills and knowledge of artificial intelligence and machine learning will give more opportunities and help career development.
iv. Network security and cybersecurity are essential to protect financial transactions and digital data.
v. Knowledge of financial regulations and risk management will be in high demand in the next 3-5 years.
vi. Soft skills such as politeness, ability to work in a diverse group, good communication, learning attitude, etc, are also necessary.
vii. Many industry and business companies today focus on sustainable development and environmental, social, and governance activities. Knowledge of sustainability and ESG measures is also helpful.
viii. Broad knowledge of global financial markets, international finance, global economy, etc., will be valuable in the next 3-5 years.
What Senior Investment Analyst skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dhruba Banjade: Everyone's career journey is unique and different. As a finance professor, I suggest a few things to graduates beginning their careers.
i. Learning is a continuous process and essential. Even after graduation, learn and enhance new skills. The person must be familiar with the latest industry trends.
ii. Building a good network helps with career development. I suggest attending industry events and connecting with many friends and colleagues on social networks such as LinkedIn.
iii. I further suggest to improve verbal and written communication. It helps in career development.
iv. Understanding basic financial principles is essential. For example, the person must be familiar with economic and income statement analyses, budgeting, profit/loss, and savings.
John Clark Ph.D., CFA, CFP
Chair, Dept. of FinanceUniversity of Nevada - Las Vegas
Geological And Earth Sciences/Geosciences
What general advice would you give to a Senior Investment Analyst?
John Clark Ph.D., CFA, CFP: Show you have experience. Doing an internship is a great way to increase your starting salary. I always advocate for doing applied research, this is research that you can show has implications for society - science for the sake of science is not good science! Obtaining an MS degree is also a good way to increase your salary, especially if your MS degree is relevant to your future job.
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Senior Investment Analysts?
Dr. Rebecca McPherson Ph.D.: Professional services are a large segment of the job market encompassing multiple career domains, including business, commerce, accounting, marketing, human resource management, just to name a few. Understanding the most sought-after industry certifications is important to demonstrating professional identity, career commitment, and understanding of your chosen career field. Certifications and licenses can also demonstrate a specific level of knowledge or ability when it is widely recognized by employers. For example, in the human resource management field, SHRM offers the SHRM-CP, and the Human Resource Certification Institute offers the PHR. Both certifications are widely recognized in the human resource management profession. The preferences for these certifications can be found in multiple job announcements for entry-level and mid-career professional opportunities. Investigating job announcements to understand and pursue the certifications and licenses that are in demand will help position you as one of the most qualified applicants.
When considering which courses will have the most impact on job prospects, consider those courses that include applied or experiential learning. These courses allow you to take the knowledge and practice that knowledge on a project or in a setting. This will enable you to discuss the application of critical thinking to a specific skill with a particular outcome that translates as a potential accomplishment on your resume. Again, check out the job postings for your desired career to ensure that the types of courses you are pursuing are desirable by the organizations offering jobs in your career field.
How do you envision technology impacting Senior Investment Analysts in the next 5 years?
Dr. Michael Tin Shan Suen: The field of finance will continue to embrace the advancement and application of the latest technology. Mastering the technology to analyze huge amounts of data is essential. This will turn the data into your competitive advantage.
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for Senior Investment Analysts in the next 3-5 years?
Dr. Francis Cai Ph.D.: Microsoft Excel will still be one of the vital tools for finance graduates. In the meantime, junior finance professionals should also pay attention to new technology to improve financial performance. Companies have increased their focus on big data, especially topics such as artificial intelligence and statistics. Learning programming languages such as R or Python, or similar programming language, will help office automation improve financial performance.
How would you rate the starting salaries for Senior Investment Analysts, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Dr. Francis Cai Ph.D.: The latest data from the website Payscale.com indicates that graduates with finance majors generally have a higher starting salary than the average college graduate salary. There are many career advancement opportunities in finance, either on Wall Street or within finance and treasury departments at corporates.