The highest-paying finance jobs are often occupied by MBA graduates, and it's a highly popular choice for business school students considering their future career paths. According to the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC), it is the second most popular industry among Gen-Z prospective business school students.
An MBA or specialist master's degree can help accelerate your career in finance, qualifying you for higher-level managerial and director roles. And some of the top employers of b-school students are big-name finance firms like Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan.
So what are the highest paying finance jobs?
Considering A Career In Finance?
Download Our Free Careers In Finance Guide
The Highest Paying Finance Jobs
9. Finance Associate
Average base pay $71k+ | Top recruiters: Meta, BlackRock
A finance associate creates budgets, advises on fiscal procedure, and handles payments. Average salaries for experienced associates hover around $71,000. There are opportunities across a variety of industries and regions, which are increased with an MBA or specialist degree such as a Master's in Finance.
8. Financial Analyst
Average base pay $79k+ | Top recruiters: Google, Meta
Financial analysts examine data to create better opportunities and to identify financial issues. Pursuing a financial analyst role could eventually see you earning a comfortable average salary of around $79,000.
Companies such as PayPal, Amazon, and Google are seeking financial analysts with business experience and a relevant understanding of data analytics. These roles come with impressive benefits and mobility opportunities often enhanced further by an MBA or top master's degree.
7. Accounting Manager
Average base pay $97k+ | Top recruiters: Airbnb, Stripe
Every company has to handle its accounts, which means there are ample opportunities in accounting management across industries.
Experienced accounting managers can earn around $97,000, and even more with an MBA. This role requires management qualities, firm accounting knowledge and understanding of payroll, payments and collections, and a strong understanding of reporting and compliance.
6. Senior Account Executive
Average base pay $103k+ | Top recruiters: Google Cloud, Intel Corporation
Account executives are a key link between the product, client, and company. They also directly manage client relationships and satisfaction.
A senior account executive will have a lot of responsibility for growing a company’s revenue, and they will oversee a wider team of account executives. With some experience, they can earn around $162,000 on average.
5. Financial Manager
Average base pay $106k+ | Top recruiters: Apple, LinkedIn
MBAs and experienced master's grads are a good fit for financial management roles. Average salaries for these hotly sought-after jobs can reach an impressive $106,000, depending on experience, region, and department.
Financial managers play an integral role in monitoring internal spending, creating regular reviews and leading planning and analysis of benefits and budgets.
4. Financial Controller
Average base pay $127k+ | Top recruiters: Amazon, eBay
One of the highest-paying finance jobs, controllers are responsible for the financial and regulatory compliance of the organization.
With a serious focus on corporate finance and accounting, corporate controller roles require extensive experience, which an MBA can be a great indicator of. Experienced Master in Accounting grads can also secure these roles.
Average salaries for financial controller roles are typically around $127,000.
3. Finance Director
Average base pay $153k+ | Top recruiters: Chevrolet, Intuit
The finance director is the board member who oversees the day-to-day financial running of a business, creating a stable foundation and framework upon which the company can expand.
As they advance in their career, finance directors can expect even larger salaries, with the average salary for a senior finance director totaling $162,000.
2. VP of Finance
Average base pay $156k+ | Top recruiters: Jasper AI, Qlik
A dream role for many MBAs, the VP of finance supervises and projects the company’s financial activities and actions. While positions vary between companies, A VP of Finance can work at the same level as the CFO or one step below them, however, they typically have different responsibilities.
As a major leader within the business, the VP of finance is one of the highest-ranking executives, and they manage, guide, and direct focus. As a VP of finance, you can also expect to receive a generous bonus, with the average totalling $84,000.
1. Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
Average base pay $198k+ | Top recruiters: Cobb EMC, Dragos
One of the most senior finance jobs within a company, the CFO is the senior executive in charge of the management of financial actions across the company as a whole. The average CFO salaries are huge at $198,000.
Got a passion for finance? Discover the skills you need and learn how to acquire them with GMAC Advancery. Join the Free Beta.
*2024 average base pay provided by Glassdoor, US average figures are provided
