Careers
Job paths, compensation data, interview prep, and certifications for breaking into and advancing in finance.
Career Paths16 guides
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Interview Prep16 guides
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Certifications & Licenses10 guides
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Salary Guides10 guides
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Where Are You in Your Career?
Pick your situation. We’ll point you to the right guides.
Most Popular Career Paths
The finance roles people search for most — with salary ranges and key skills.
Build Your Skills
The technical knowledge that gets you hired — and helps you perform once you’re in.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about finance careers.
How do I break into investment banking?
The standard path is a top undergrad or MBA program, followed by a summer analyst internship that converts to a full-time offer. If you’re not at a target school, networking is essential — cold outreach, alumni connections, and demonstrating technical skills through modeling tests. Start with our breaking into finance guide, then work through the IB interview questions.
What’s the highest-paying finance career?
In terms of total compensation at senior levels, private equity and hedge funds top the list — senior PE professionals and portfolio managers can earn well into the millions with carried interest and performance fees. Investment banking pays extremely well at the VP+ level but has brutal hours. Quantitative finance also pays very well, especially at top firms. Check our PE salary guide and hedge fund salary guide for detailed breakdowns.
Do I need a finance degree?
Not necessarily. Many people in investment banking, PE, and hedge funds have degrees in economics, math, engineering, or even liberal arts. What matters more is demonstrating technical competence (financial modeling, accounting, valuation) and having relevant internship experience. A finance degree helps, but it’s not a hard requirement at most firms.
What certifications are worth getting?
It depends on your career path. The CFA is the gold standard for asset management, equity research, and portfolio management. The CPA is essential for accounting and strong for corporate finance. The FRM is valued in risk management. Series 7 and 63/66 are required licenses for selling securities. Don’t collect certifications — pick the one that matches your target role.