The Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) credential is one of the most popular and respected designations in the finance industry. Earning the CFA brings several major benefits. However, the process is still quite an investment. Because you must spend a lot of time and effort getting the CFA, knowing how much you’ll make as a CFA can be encouraging. The CFA position comes with a surplus of significant duties. For this reason, the Chartered Financial Analyst salary is quite high. Consequently, the CFA pays for itself very quickly. So, if you’re curious to know how much you can make as a Chartered Financial analyst, learn more about the responsibilities and salaries of CFAs.
Chartered Financial Analyst Responsibilities
A CFA or Chartered Financial Analyst is a chartered professional responsible for looking after all the financial matters of a company. Their responsibilities include making financial predictions, analyzing the future outcomes of the company based on the current and past economic conditions, and providing recommendations accordingly. Furthermore, the job responsibilities of a Chartered Financial Analyst also include:
- Reviewing and analyzing the available financial instruments
- Providing interpretation and recommendation to the company
- Assisting with decisions in personal finance, corporate investments, initial public offers, and more
- Studying a company’s financial statement
- Studying the latest economic and business trends
- Meeting with investors
Additionally, CFAs also provide information to the investors or the employers about the particular company’s stock. For this reason, CFAs must be well aware of the latest market movements. Due to such heavy job obligations, the pay scale of a Chartered Financial Analyst is generally higher compared to other financial jobs. As a result, it is becoming a popular career choice among today’s generation.
Chartered Financial Analyst Salary Influences
The amount of the Chartered Financial Analyst salary depends on a number of factors. These factors include:
- Experience
- Job profile
- Type and size of the company
- Market value
Therefore, you can get a better sense of how much CFAs by considering the different Chartered Financial Analyst salary amounts that each of these criteria
Chartered Financial Analyst Salary by Job Roles
After completing your Chartered Financial Analyst course, you’ll discover a lot of job opportunities. But of course, the salaries will be different for every job. Consequently, the average annual salary a CFA earns ranges from $53,000 to $118,000. This table compares the Chartered Financial Analyst salary to the salaries of other financial occupations.
| Job | Annual Average Salary |
| Chief financial officer | $167,000 |
| Portfolio Managers | $101,000 |
| Senior Financial Analysts | $83,000 |
| Financial Analysts | $62,500 |
| Securities or Investment Analysts | $70,000 |
| Research Analysts | $72,000 |
Chartered Financial Analyst Salary by Experience
The basic salary of a CFA also depends upon their experience. Therefore, the more experience you have, the higher your salary will be. As mentioned above, the Chartered Financial Analyst earns somewhere between $53,000 to $118,000 a year. However, an analyst with less than 1 year of experience may earn less than those with 1-4 years of experience. Furthermore, CFAs with 1-4 years of experience may earn a middle amount on average.
| Years of Experience | Average Salary/year |
| Less than 1 year | $51,050 |
| 1 to 4 years | $63,900 |
| 5 to 9 years | $93,452 |
| 10 to 19 years | Up to $127,000 |
| 20+ years of experience | $156,000 |
Chartered Financial Analyst Salary by Industry
The average salary of a CFA also depends on the type of employer or company for whom they work.
| Type of Employer | Average Salary/Year |
| Self-employed | $170,900 |
| Contractors | $142,400 |
| Foundations and Trusts | around $100,000 |
| Private practices | around $85,000 |
| Federal, State or Local Governmental Entities | between $81,400 and $87,000 |
| Hospitals | around $92,600 |
| Colleges and Universities | around $75,000 |
Chartered Financial Analyst Salary by Company Size
The size of a company also affects a Chartered Financial Analyst’s pay. Naturally, larger companies will likely pay more than smaller companies.
| Company Size | Average Salary/Year |
| Less than 10 employees | $84,500 |
| 200 to 599 employees | around $81,500 |
| Between 10 and 49 employees | $88,100 |
| 50 to 199 employees | around $90,300 |
| Between 20,000 and 49,999 employees | around $102,200 |
| Larger companies | about $97,900 |
In addition, the geographical location of the company also plays an important role in determining the average salary of a CFA. For example, companies situated in metropolises tend to pay more than those in rural areas. Moreover, if your company is increasing sales and expanding their revenue, eventually, you will earn more as well.
What’s more, some companies may even provide regular bonuses and incentives to their employers based on the individual’s performance. As a result, Bonuses, profit sharing, and other allowances will ultimately add on to your current salary.
The Path to the Chartered Financial Analyst Salary
As you can see, the CFA leads to really lucrative job options. So, if you’re looking for a secure position that also pays well, then a career as a Chartered Financial Analyst is the right choice. However, you must fulfill the CFA requirements to earn the designation and land such a how much role. Because the CFA is worth all of the hard work, learn more about how to become a CFA so you can secure the Chartered Financial Analyst salary.