Best Entry-Level Finance Jobs

The finance industry is famously hard-driving and high-paying. Even those starting on the bottom rung can expect to earn a good wage compared with other fields.

You may not walk into your dream job right away, but once you’re in the door there’s plenty of room to evolve, move up, and find your niche.

First, you have to get your foot in the door.

Education Requirements

An undergraduate college degree is required for nearly all positions at financial institutions. Ideally, your degree should demonstrate an aptitude for working with numbers. An academic background in economics, applied mathematics, accounting, business, or computer sciences is preferred for most jobs in finance.

When you’re just starting out in finance, a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree is not critical. Several years of financial or business work experience before acquiring an MBA helps your career move forward.

Internships Are a Steppingstone

Internships are as prized as degrees. Many financial firms visit campuses to recruit for summer internships. Some hold symposia, workshops, or networking opportunities for potential hires. An example is the Goldman Sachs Possibilities Summit.

Internships are tough to secure, but they’re invaluable. They not only provide contacts and experience but often lead directly to a spot in the company’s training program after graduation—or, at least, into the inner circle of applicants.

Continuing Financial Education

If you have already graduated, continuing education is a way to boost your qualifications and demonstrate your commitment to a financial sector career. Industry-specific credentials such as a chartered financial analyst (CFA), certified public accountant (CPA), or certified financial planner (CFP) designation can help your job prospects, depending on the particular area of finance that you are targeting.

In the U.S., professionals who plan to deal with investments and finance must pass a series of licensing exams. In the past, you had to be sponsored by a financial institution even to take one of these tests. However, since 2018, when the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) finalized the Securities Industry Essentials (SIE) exam, it can be taken without sponsorship.

The 75-question, 105-minute SIE exam is ideal for “demonstrating basic industry knowledge to prospective employers,” according to the FINRA website.

Lack of Diversity in the Financial Industry

Progress is slowly being made in the historic lack of diversity in the financial industry.

According to the CFP Board, the professionals who received CFP certification in 2024 made up its most diverse group ever. The number of ethnic minorities who received certification totaled 10,239, a growth rate of 8.8% over the previous year. They now make up only 9.9% of all CFP-certified professionals.

The number of women in the group grew by 1,720, giving them 23.8% representation in the industry.

Nonprofits and advocacy groups like the Alliance of Black Women Accountants and the National Association of Black Accountants support people of color who are working in finance or want to work in it. 100 Women in Finance, the Greenwood Project, and Blackstone Future Women Leaders Program provide support to people of color and women in the workplace.

There are grants and scholarships designed to help finance majors earn their degrees. Among them are:

• National Association of Black Accountants National Scholarship
• Minorities in Government Finance Scholarship
• The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants Scholarship Award for Minority Accounting Students
• The Tang Scholarship

Looking for Finance Jobs: Best Entry-Level Positions

The key is to identify the most rewarding entry-level jobs in terms of salary and future career prospects and think hard about which might be the best fit for your abilities and interests. When you have narrowed down which interests you the most, you can begin your search.

Aside from your network of friends and family, online job sites are a logical place to search for entry-level finance roles. LinkedIn, Indeed, and Monster are among the biggest job sources.

You might also scour sites that specialize in financial industry jobs or resources, such as eFinancialCareers, BrokerHunter, or 10X EBITDA (for investment banking).

Below are some of the job titles that include positions for entry-level candidates.

Financial Analyst

Financial analysts work for investment companies, insurance companies, consulting firms, and other corporate entities.

They are responsible for consolidating and analyzing budgets and income statement projections. They prepare reports, conduct business studies, and develop forecast models. Financial analysts research economic conditions, industry trends, and company fundamentals.

Financial analysts often recommend a course of action for corporate investing, reducing costs, and improving financial performance.

Along with a bachelor’s degree in finance, accounting, or economics, a candidate should have robust information technology (IT) skills.

The BLS estimated that there were about 404,800 financial analyst jobs in the American economy in 2023, and projects an average growth rate of 9% for the profession through 2032. According to the BLS, financial analysts earned a median salary of $99,890 in 2023.

Investment Banking Analyst

Investment banking is one of the most prestigious areas of the financial sector. These institutions (or divisions of bigger institutions) help corporations, venture capital firms, wealthy individuals, and even governments with their capital requirements.

Investment banks underwrite new debt and equities, prepare for issuing securities, manage the process of taking companies public, facilitate mergers and acquisitions, and broker trades.

An investment banking analyst usually fills an entry-level role at an investment bank, hedge fund, or venture capital firm. The analysts produce deal-related materials, perform industry research and financial analyses of corporate performance, and collect materials for due diligence.

Their recommendations based on the interpretation of financial data often play a role in determining whether certain deals will go forward.

The average investment banking analyst’s starting salary was $81,207 in 2025, according to Payscale, a compensation analysis site.

Candidates should have a bachelor’s degree in economics, finance, or management, and this is one job for which a master’s degree helps.

Junior Tax Associate/Accountant

Financial services professionals with a deep knowledge of taxation are in constant demand given the need to comply with changing Internal Revenue Service (IRS) regulations as well as local and state laws.

Accountants routinely calculate and estimate payments, conduct research, review internal fiscal systems, prepare returns and other tax documents, and work with auditors.

They may also develop and propose tax-related company policies.

Tax-related jobs can lead to higher-level corporate positions such as controller (or comptroller), accounting manager, budget director, and even treasurer or chief financial officer (CFO).

Candidates need a bachelor’s degree in accounting or other evidence of accounting skills. A CPA license is necessary if you want to advance, but many companies offer the opportunity to obtain a license on the job.

With this in mind, a junior tax associate’s role is ideal for college graduates seeking work experience in the financial sector.

According to the BLS, the annual median salary was $58,530 in 2023. The field is expected to grow a lower-than-average 2% per year by 2033.

Personal Financial Advisor

Personal financial advisors evaluate the financial priorities of individuals and help them make decisions about investing, budgeting, and saving over the long term.

Advisors help clients strategize for short- and long-term financial goals, such as tax planning, retirement planning, and estate planning. Many provide tax services or sell insurance in addition to providing financial counsel. They might offer financial products such as mutual funds, directly manage investments, or serve as a liaison between the individual and an asset manager.

The BLS estimated the median annual wage in 2023 for personal financial advisors was $99,580, and it projects a much faster-than-average growth of 17% per year through 2033.

The BLS cites demographic trends such as the retirement of the baby boomer generation, the growing numbers of self-employed people, and the dwindling of private-sector employer pension plans as driving a need for financial advisory services.

Candidates need to be good communicators because they must interpret and explain complex subjects to their clients. The profession doesn’t require any specific bachelor’s degree. Economics, math, or finance degrees all look good on a resume. However, the critical thinking and writing skills honed in liberal arts fields can be helpful, too.

Personal financial advisors who directly buy or sell stocks, bonds, or insurance policies or provide specific investment advice must pass various licensing examinations. Most of these will be acquired on the job because you have to be employed or sponsored by a securities or investment firm to take them.

The exception is the basic SIE exam, which should be taken before your job hunt begins.

The Bottom Line

Getting your foot in the finance door takes serious preparation and commitment. It’s a highly competitive industry, so treat the process as a job in itself, leave no networking stone unturned, and keep up to date with all the latest finance news.

Develop your knowledge, pursue further education if required, be as proactive as possible, and remember to stay positive.