Financial Managers
SOC code 11-3031 · O*NET-SOC 11-3031.00 · Considerable preparation needed
Bright Outlook — O*NET expects rapid growth for this occupation
Financial managers own an organisation's money: reporting, budgeting, forecasting, cash and compliance. The role typically follows years as an accountant or analyst, and it sits near the top of the business pay scale for that reason. Controllers, treasurers and finance directors are all branches of this occupation.
Financial Managers pay
U.S. national figures, May 2025 BLS survey · How we got this number
Median pay
$166,570
a year
Hourly
$80.08
per hour
The solid band is the middle 50% of workers; the bar spans the 10th to 90th percentile.
Average pay
$186,910
$89.86 per hour
Middle 50%
$125,490 – $219,980
25th to 75th percentile
Full spread
$94,310 – $323,270
10th to 90th percentile
People employed
841,710
nationwide
National U.S. figure, May 2025. Local pay can be higher or lower.
- 10th percentile
- $94,310
- $45.34/hr
- 25th percentile
- $125,490
- $60.33/hr
- Median percentile
- $166,570
- $80.08/hr
- 75th percentile
- $219,980
- $105.76/hr
- 90th percentile
- $323,270
- $155.42/hr
Job outlook · federal projection 2024–34
+15%
Growing much faster than average
868,600
jobs in 2024
997,400
projected for 2034
About 128,800 more jobs
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics employment projections, 2024–34. Projections describe the broader occupation group and are estimates, not guarantees.
What does a financial manager do?
Plan, direct, or coordinate accounting, investing, banking, insurance, securities, and other financial activities of a branch, office, or department of an establishment.
The tasks that matter most day to day
- Establish procedures for custody or control of assets, records, loan collateral, or securities to ensure safekeeping.
- Establish and maintain relationships with individual or business customers or provide assistance with problems these customers may encounter.
- Communicate with stockholders or other investors to provide information or to raise capital.
- Oversee the flow of cash or financial instruments.
- Develop or analyze information to assess the current or future financial status of firms.
- Plan, direct, or coordinate the activities of workers in branches, offices, or departments of establishments, such as branch banks, brokerage firms, risk and insurance departments, or credit departments.
- Approve, reject, or coordinate the approval or rejection of lines of credit or commercial, real estate, or personal loans.
- Prepare financial or regulatory reports required by laws, regulations, or boards of directors.
How to become a financial manager
Most people in this role hold bachelor's degree — 56% of workers surveyed reported it as their level of education.
Preparation level: zone 4 — Considerable preparation needed
- Education
- Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
- Experience
- A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
- Training
- Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
Education reported by people doing this job
- Bachelor's Degree56%
- Post-Baccalaureate Certificate21%
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)14%
- Some College Courses5%
Common questions
How much does a financial manager earn?
The national median is $166,570 a year. The full range runs from $94,310 at the 10th percentile to $323,270 at the 90th — entry pay sits closer to the lower figure, and experience, licensing and specialisation move you up the range.
Can you become a financial manager without a degree?
Not usually — this occupation sits in preparation zone 4, where the typical entry route is most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not. The education breakdown above shows what people in the role actually reported.
Is financial manager in demand?
Federal projections expect employment to grow by about 15% between 2024 and 2034 — growing much faster than average. Openings also come from people retiring or changing jobs, which the growth figure does not count.
Skills and knowledge you need
Core skills
- Reading Comprehension4.0/5
- Active Listening4.0/5
- Speaking4.0/5
- Critical Thinking4.0/5
- Writing3.8/5
- Monitoring3.8/5
Knowledge areas
- Customer and Personal Service4.7/5
- Administration and Management4.3/5
- Economics and Accounting4.1/5
- Mathematics3.7/5
- Administrative3.7/5
- Law and Government3.6/5
- Personnel and Human Resources3.5/5
- Sales and Marketing3.4/5
Transferable strengths: Social Perceptiveness, Coordination, Service Orientation, Complex Problem Solving.