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Financial manager: pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 26, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$166,570median pay per year, or $80.08 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $94,310lowest 10% earn less
  2. $125,49025th percentile
  3. $166,570median
  4. $219,98075th percentile
  5. $323,270top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[3]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[4]

The median pay for financial managers was $166,570 a year in May 2025[1]. The usual path takes a bachelor's degree and 5 years or more of related experience[2].

Job growth, 2025–35
+9.7%[5]
Openings per year
65,600[6]
Typical entry education
Bachelor's degree[2]

How much do financial managers make?

In May 2025, the median wage for financial managers was $166,570 a year, or $80.08 an hour[1]. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. The average was $186,910 a year, or $89.86 an hour[7].

The median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980[4]. The financial manager median is well above it.

Pay spreads widely:

Percentile Annual Hourly
10th[3][8] $94,310 $45.34
25th[3][8] $125,490 $60.33
Median[1] $166,570 $80.08
75th[3][8] $219,980 $105.76
90th[3][8] $323,270 $155.42

The lowest-paid 10% of workers earned less than $94,310[3]. BLS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary[9].

These figures cover people paid a wage or salary. They leave out the self-employed and do not include benefits or nonproduction bonuses[10]. About 841,710 wage and salary jobs existed in May 2025[11].

Pay by state and city

Among 50 states and DC with published data, New York was listed first on median pay at $219,880[12]. Massachusetts followed at $206,760 and New Jersey at $199,110[12]. The lowest median in the list was Mississippi at $111,390[12].

The most jobs were in California (93,310), New York (80,810), Texas (71,870), Illinois (52,720) and Florida (48,910)[13].

Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara was listed first for pay at $225,280[14]. New York-Newark-Jersey City came next at $221,010, then San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont at $216,150[14]. The New York metro also had the most jobs, at 89,960[15].

Show median pay in 50 states and DC
StateMedian per yearJobs
New York[12]$219,88080,810
Massachusetts$206,76026,150
New Jersey$199,11032,510
District of Columbia$188,8808,930
Virginia$185,22020,850
Colorado$182,69010,640
Delaware$181,5802,810
California$180,77093,310
Washington$174,84012,930
Connecticut$174,83020,040
Rhode Island$166,9402,570
Georgia$166,79021,390
North Carolina$166,78022,460
Illinois$165,88052,720
Texas$164,86071,870
Minnesota$163,41016,680
South Dakota$159,7001,000
Kansas$159,3805,190
Maryland$158,75019,770
Oregon$156,4607,610
Florida$153,28048,910
Utah$150,4508,860
Pennsylvania$145,61032,180
New Hampshire$144,7304,330
Missouri$143,46013,330
Tennessee$141,01017,630
Ohio$140,87027,360
Alabama$140,5007,200
Nebraska$140,3605,630
Arizona$139,83014,900
Wisconsin$139,72015,530
Michigan$139,37022,490
South Carolina$136,1609,020
North Dakota$135,8902,140
Indiana$135,84012,560
Hawaii$134,2103,790
New Mexico$133,7002,530
Maine$133,6103,120
Iowa$133,3209,130
Nevada$132,4908,090
Oklahoma$132,4606,670
Montana$131,0601,510
Kentucky$130,6506,630
Vermont$128,6901,790
Idaho$127,2103,120
Alaska$127,0302,020
Louisiana$126,8007,070
Wyoming$124,910730
Arkansas$116,5707,120
West Virginia$113,1402,610
Mississippi$111,3903,470

How to become a financial manager

BLS describes the typical path like this[2]:

In some cases, companies give management training to skilled financial workers to prepare them to become managers[18].

In an O*NET survey of 17 workers, 56% said a bachelor's degree was required, 21% said a post-baccalaureate certificate, and 14% said a high school diploma or equivalent[19]. The survey is small, so read these as survey shares only.

Professional certification is not required, though it shows competence. Earning it takes a bachelor's degree, exams and professional experience in government financial management[20]. Certified public accountants are licensed by a state board and must pass an exam[21].

Experienced financial managers may advance to chief financial officer[22].

What financial managers do

O*NET describes the work as planning, directing or coordinating financial activities such as accounting, investing, banking, insurance and securities for a branch, office or department[23]. Typical tasks include:

Workers report titles such as branch manager, credit manager and financial planning manager[25]. BLS lists analytical, communication, detail and math skills as important[26][27][28][29].

Where they work

Financial managers partner with senior executives and with the teams that prepare data for analysis[30]. Finance and insurance was the largest employer group at 32% in 2025[31]. Full-time work is the norm, and for some the week runs past 40 hours[32]. About 1.4% were self-employed in 2025[33].

Job outlook

BLS projects employment of financial managers to grow 9.7% from 2025 to 2035, from about 879,700 to 964,600 jobs[5]. Those counts include self-employed workers[5]. For all occupations, the projected growth is 3.5%[34].

About 65,600 openings a year are projected[6]. Openings include jobs that come up when people leave the labor force or switch occupations, not only new jobs. Each year, 2.2% of workers leave the labor force and 4% move to a different occupation[35].

BLS expects more demand from trends such as greater emphasis on risk management and growth in corporate cash holdings[36].

Is it a good fit?

The facts show pay well above the national median, at $166,570 against $50,980[1][4]. Growth is projected at 9.7%, faster than the all-occupation rate of 3.5%[5][34]. The tradeoff is the entry path, which asks for a bachelor's degree and 5 years or more of related experience[2]. That makes this more of a step up from another finance job than a first job.

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[37].

Frequently asked questions

How much does a financial manager make an hour?
The median was $80.08 an hour in May 2025[1]. The 10th percentile was $45.34 and the 90th was $155.42[8].
What degree do you need to be a financial manager?
BLS lists a bachelor's degree as the typical entry education[2]. It is typically in business, economics or a related field[16].
How long does it take to become a financial manager?
The facts give a bachelor's degree and 5 years or more of related work experience[2]. They do not state a total length.
Are financial managers in demand?
Employment is projected to grow 9.7% from 2025 to 2035[5]. About 65,600 openings a year are projected[6].
What is the highest paying state for financial managers?
New York was listed first at a median of $219,880[12]. California had the most jobs at 93,310[13].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Financial Managers in the US was $166,570 per year and $80.08 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Financial Managers: education needed for entry: Bachelor's degree; work experience in a related occupation: 5 years or more; typical on-the-job training: None. BLS Employment Projections
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Financial Managers: 10th percentile $94,310, 25th percentile $125,490, 75th percentile $219,980, 90th percentile $323,270. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Financial Managers is projected to grow 9.7% from 2025 to 2035, from about 879,700 to 964,600 jobs (a change of +84,900). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  6. BLS Employment Projections: about 65,600 openings for Financial Managers are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Financial Managers was $186,910 per year and $89.86 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Financial Managers: 10th percentile $45.34, 25th percentile $60.33, 75th percentile $105.76, 90th percentile $155.42. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 841,710 people were employed as Financial Managers in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. Median annual wage for Financial Managers in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Financial Managers jobs: California 93,310; New York 80,810; Texas 71,870; Illinois 52,720; Florida 48,910. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Financial Managers (areas with at least 100 jobs): San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $225,280; New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $221,010; San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $216,150; Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT $211,000; Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $209,780; Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO $193,400; Boulder, CO $192,970; Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $185,550. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Financial Managers jobs: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 89,960 (median $221,010); Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN 41,590 (median $168,810); Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 34,480 (median $175,310); Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 26,600 (median $169,200); Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 26,430 (median $185,270); Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH 21,650 (median $209,780). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  17. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  18. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Work Experience in a Related Occupation. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  19. O*NET 11-3031.00 survey of workers (17 respondents), education level they say is required: Bachelor's Degree 56%, Post-Baccalaureate Certificate 21%, High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) 14% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
  20. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  21. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  22. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Advancement. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  23. O*NET description of Financial Managers. O*NET OnLine
  24. O*NET task list for Financial Managers. O*NET OnLine
  25. O*NET 11-3031.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Accounting Supervisor, Banking Center Manager (BCM), Branch Manager, Business Banking Manager, Credit Administration Manager, Credit Manager, Financial Center Manager, Financial Planning Manager. O*NET OnLine
  26. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  27. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  28. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  29. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  30. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  31. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, largest employers of financial managers in 2025: Finance and insurance 32%. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  32. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  33. BLS Employment Projections: 1.4% of Financial Managers were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
  34. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  35. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Financial Managers: 2.2% of workers leave the labor force each year and 4% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  36. BLS Employment Projections, factor affecting employment of Financial Managers: Demand change - share increases as several economic trends, including a greater emphasis on risk management and increases in corporate cash holdings, will increase demand for financial managers. BLS Employment Projections
  37. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers.

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.