Professionals who work in the financial sector earn above-average annual salaries compared to occupations across most other industries. And they certainly earn their pay.  

From entry-level roles to the top-ranking and best-paying jobs in finance, competition is fierce for the most sought-after jobs with leading employers. It takes a lot of effort to get in and move up. The work is challenging and demanding, long hours are common, and most high-paying finance careers require a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree, specific skills and qualifications, certifications in many cases, and deep experience. Plus, in several sectors, the growing integration between finance and technology (fintech) requires professionals to stay current in an evolving field. 

But none of that deters those who are passionate about a rewarding career in the finance industry. With persistence, their hard work is well invested in a multifaceted industry with numerous avenues to pursue ideal finance jobs, not to mention high earning potential and job security for decades to come.  

The finance industry runs deep and wide  

The finance industry comprises an expansive range of sectors, each focused on specific types of financial products and services. As you might imagine, identifying the highest-paying jobs across such a broad spectrum of sectors, and narrowing down the list to 15, is complex. Consider the major industry sectors: 

1. Banking – retail banking, commercial banking, investment banking, private banking  
2. Asset Management – mutual funds, hedge funds, pension funds 
3. Insurance – life, health, property and casualty, reinsurance 
4. Investment Management – securities and assets for individuals, companies, governments 
5. Private Equity – capital for private startups or buying public companies to take them private 
6. Venture Capital – subset of private equity, investing in early-stage companies with promise  
7. Real Estate Finance – financing, investing, management   
8. Hedge Funds – private investment funds for earning returns for investors 
9. Financial Analyst, Planning, and Advisory – investing advice, retirement planning, tax planning 
10. Risk Management – identify, assess, and mitigate financial risks   
11. Treasury and Cash Management – manage liquidity, maximize returns on surplus cash 
12. Corporate Finance – capital structure investing, maximizing shareholder value 
13. Forex (Foreign Exchange) Market – currency trading and risk management 
14. Brokerage Services – buying and selling of financial securities   
15. Fintech (Financial Technology) – online banking and payments, cryptocurrency, blockchain 
16. Public Finance – government financial operations for budgeting, taxation, debt issuance 
17. Accounting and Auditing – recording, management, compliance with laws and regulations 
18. Compliance and Regulatory – adherence to industry laws and regulations   
19. Wealth Management – advice tailored to high-net-worth individuals, families, businesses  

Many factors have bearing on salary ranges  

It’s important to note that the salary ranges below represent base annual pay. They do not include overall compensation, such as company benefits, bonuses, profit sharing, stock options, performance-based incentives, or other income that is part of an employer’s total compensation package.  

That said, total compensation packages and the following factors come into play in determining salaries:    

• Varying portfolios of products and services: Companies offer diverse combinations of products and services, and this can impact the salaries they offer. Market conditions and economic trends can also affect salary ranges. 
• Location of the company or job: Salary ranges can vary based on the geographic location of the company or the area for which an employee is responsible. This is common across most industries. 
• Job requirements and qualifications: As mentioned, high-paying finance jobs require advanced degrees, along with certifications and accumulated years of experience, including significant leadership or consulting experience for many roles. Salaries differ based on a given professional’s bona fides.  

For these reasons, salaries for the full-time finance jobs below reflect a wide range for each position.  

How we identified the best paying jobs in finance  

Goodwin Recruiting is a 25-year-old U.S. talent acquisition firm and a specialist in finance talent recruiting. From our work in connecting professionals and executives with finance industry companies nationwide, we have extensive data on salary ranges for roles across multiple industry sectors. To identify the 15 highest-paying jobs, we isolated data within our proprietary database and drew insights from other reputable sources for salary ranges, such as the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).  

We’re sharing what we found for two reasons. There is steep competition for top talent in the finance industry and employers need to know how competitive their salaries are in the hiring market. Our insights are instructive. We also want to give job candidates an insider’s view of current salary ranges for top-paying jobs. This is helpful for professionals on a mission to fine-tune their career paths and meet personal and professional financial goals.  

The highest-paying finance jobs  

1. Chief Executive Officer (CEO) or Managing Director (for financial services companies): $135,000 – $300,000     
2. Chief Financial Officer (CFO): $130,000 – $300,000   
3. Chief Compliance Officer: $130,000 – $200,000   
4. Vice President of Legal and/or Vice President of Compliance: $150,000 – $500,000   
5. Vice President of Finance & Accounting: $150,000 – $300,000    
6. Director of Finance & Accounting: $130,000 – $210,000     
7. Corporate Controller: $120,000 – $225,000    
8. Financial Manager or Financial Advisor: $90,000 – $220,000  
9. Investment Banker: $105,000 – $200,000  
10. Hedge Fund Manager: $140,000 – $300,000  
11. Private Equity Associate: $120,000 – $250,000 
12. Portfolio Manager: $90,000 – $150,000  
13. Risk Manager: $90,000 – $150,000  
14. Insurance Advisor: $100,000 to $180,000  
15. Associate Attorney – Tax: $100,000 – $300,000 

Stay current and connected with a finance industry insider   

Make a connection today with Goodwin Recruiting and allow us to be your trusted source for top talent, top jobs, and factual data about competitive annual salaries. We can help you dive deeper into job compensation structures that are tailored to your specific finance industry sector, region, or city. 

• For companies seeking more salary insights and access to top talent, reach out to us today. Our finance recruiting experts can find the talent you need to move your business forward. 

• For finance professionals looking for the best job opportunities, explore the finance industry job openings currently available with leading employers through Goodwin Recruiting.