Careers in this cluster often require a mix of technical and interpersonal skills. A major focus of jobs in this industry is to make decisions or help others make decisions based on financial trends and related information.
Explore careers by their typical level of education below. Click on a career title for an occupation profile with average pay, typical tasks, and more, plus links to training programs that can help you prepare.
High school diploma or less, plus some training
You can get started in some financial services careers without any higher education. Here are some examples to explore:
Property managers
New accounts clerks
Bill and account collectors
Credit authorizers, checkers, and clerks
Insurance claims and policy processing clerks
Tellers
Real estate agents
Tax preparers
Some experience, short-term certificate, or associate’s degree
There are many careers in financial services that you can begin without a four-year college degree. Depending on the employer, requirements could range from some work experience to some college credits or an associate’s degree. Building skills in accounts payable or receivable, along with using accounting software, can help people advance in these careers.
Bookkeeping, accounting and auditing clerks
Brokerage Clerks
Insurance appraisers, auto damage
Loan interviewers and clerks
Apprenticeships
Apprenticeship is a great way to earn a wage while gaining recognized credentials for a career. An apprenticeship is a paid work-based training program that combines on-the-job learning with classroom instruction. Apprenticeships are sometimes available for careers such as General Insurance Associate, Bank Teller, Customer Service Representative, Risk Consultation, or Operations Assistant. Visit Apprenticeship.gov and select "Financial services" to learn more.
Bachelor's degree
Many careers in financial services require a four-year college degree. Here is a sample of those careers:
Accountants and auditors
Actuaries
Budget analysts
Business intelligence analysts
Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
Credit analysts
Financial and investment analysts
Financial managers
Financial risk specialists
Fraud examiners, investigators and analysts
Insurance sales agents
Insurance underwriters
Loan officers
Personal financial advisors