Are you embarking on a finance career in 2025? Our comprehensive guide details the top five entry-level finance jobs that promise competitive salaries and significant opportunities for career growth. Explore such roles as Financial Analyst and Investment Banking Analyst, understand the skills you’ll need, and gain valuable tips on securing your first position in entry-level finance jobs.

1. Financial Analyst

Financial analysis is a sought-after entry-level career for those entering finance.

Key Responsibilities

A financial analyst in entry-level finance jobs transforms raw data into actionable insights—often working extensively with spreadsheets, reports, and models to forecast company or industry performance. They also evaluate investments, assess risks, and optimize budgets to increase profits.

Education & Salary

A bachelor’s degree in finance, accounting, or economics is usually required, and a strong command of Excel and financial modeling is highly valued. Though not always mandatory, the CFA Level 1 exam can enhance competitiveness.

Entry-level salaries for the financial analyst range from $64,000 to $75,000 annually, varying by location and industry.

Career Path

This role promises substantial career progression, with paths leading to senior analyst, finance manager, portfolio manager, or CFO positions.

2. Investment Banking Analyst

If you’re seeking a lucrative, dynamic entry-level finance job right out of college, consider becoming an investment banking analyst. This role offers substantial earning potential despite its demanding workload.

Key Responsibilities

A banking analyst in entry-level finance jobs contributes to significant financial transactions, such as mergers, acquisitions, IPOs, and capital raising. Their responsibilities include creating intricate financial models, analyzing market trends, and crafting reports influencing critical business decisions. Much of their day involves refining PowerPoint presentations and Excel spreadsheets before presenting them to executives and investors.

Education & Salary

Entering investment banking requires a finance, economics, or business degree, plus excellent financial modeling skills. It’s a competitive sector that demands a high GPA, internships, and networking.

The starting salaries of an investment banking analyst range from $85,000 to $100,000, with substantial bonuses lifting first-year earnings above $150,000. But be prepared for long workweeks of 70 to 100 hours.

Career Path

The career trajectory in investment banking is highly promising for those in entry-level finance jobs. Analysts can advance to associate, vice president, and director or managing director roles. Some also pivot to roles in private equity, hedge funds, or corporate finance, which may offer a better work-life balance.

3. Accountant

This job provides a superior work-life balance compared to investment banking, along with robust career advancement opportunities.

Key Responsibilities

An accountant in entry-level finance jobs records, analyzes, and maintains financial records to ensure a company’s finances are precise and meet regulatory standards. This involves preparing financial statements, monitoring expenses, and revenues, and sometimes managing tax filings.

Education & Salary

To become an accountant, you generally need a bachelor’s degree in accounting or finance. While initial positions may not require certification, many acquire a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) license later, enhancing prospects for higher salaries and leadership roles.

Entry-level accountants earn between $60,000 and $65,000 annually, varying by industry and location.

Career Path

The career progression of an accountant is promising, with opportunities to advance to senior accountant, accounting manager, or CFO, which command higher salaries.

4. Credit Analyst

Credit analysts play a crucial role in the financial industry by safeguarding against potential risks.

Key Responsibilities

As a credit analyst in entry-level finance jobs, you’ll assess financial data to determine a borrower’s creditworthiness. You’ll aid lenders in deciding about loans and credit limits based on risk factors such as income, debt, and repayment history.

Education & Salary

To begin a career in this field, a bachelor’s degree in finance, accounting, or economics is typically required—along with strong analytical skills, problem-solving abilities, proficiency in Excel, and financial modeling expertise. While not mandatory, some professionals enhance their qualifications with certifications like the Credit Risk Certification (CRC) to advance their careers.

Entry-level credit analysts earn approximately $60,000 to $70,000 annually.

Career Path

Career progression options include roles as a senior credit analyst, credit risk manager, or investment banking and asset management positions.

5. Financial Advisor

This job is more about building relationships and guiding clients than analyzing financial data behind the scenes.

Key Responsibilities

Financial advisors help people make smart money decisions. They guide clients on saving, investing, and planning for big goals like retirement or buying a home. They also help with insurance, taxes, and wealth protection to ensure their clients feel financially secure.

This role in entry-level finance jobs differs from others because it often requires building a client base. Some financial advisors work at banks or wealth management firms, but many start out by networking and attracting their own clients—so having strong interpersonal and sales skills is just as important as financial knowledge.

Education & Salary

To become a financial advisor, you’ll typically need a bachelor’s degree in finance, economics, or business. More importantly, financial advisors must obtain Series 7 and 66 licenses to offer investment advice in the US legally. Many advisors also work toward the highly respected Certified Financial Planner (CFP) designation.

Entry-level financial advisors often start with a base salary of around $50,000 to $60,000 in entry-level finance jobs. Many work, however, on commission-based or fee-based compensation structures—their income grows as they build a more extensive client base. Experienced advisors can easily make six figures, and top performers earn well over $250,000 per year.

Career Path

A financial advisor’s career typically progresses from gaining experience in junior roles to specializing in specific financial areas and advancing into senior management positions.

Download our free guide to discover various finance careers and their roles.

Launching Your Finance Career in 2025

Embarking on a finance career in 2025 opens up diverse and lucrative entry-level finance jobs. From Financial Analysts to Financial Advisors, the industry offers various roles with substantial earning potential. With proper education, certifications, and networking, you can secure a promising entry-level position that sets the stage for a successful, dynamic career in finance—all of which is possible by joining the 365 Financial Analyst platform today.

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