Financial analyst
Analyse financial data, forecast performance and recommend investment or strategic decisions.
Salary
Cited figures only: median full-time weekly earnings for the ANZSCO unit group Financial Investment Advisers and Managers (2223) from Your Career (Jobs and Skills Australia), and where available the QILT graduate starting salary for the matching study area.
| Figure | AUD | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Median full-time weekly earnings | $2320 | Your Career (2026-09-23) |
| Graduate starting salary | $74,000 | QILT (2026-08-31) |
What a financial analyst actually does
Financial analysts spend most of the day in spreadsheets and finance systems. In corporate or commercial finance, mornings often go to updating a rolling forecast, refreshing variance reports, and chasing business unit owners for forecast inputs. Afternoons can be deeper modelling for a capital decision, a new product launch, or a board paper. In investment banking, equity research or M&A, the rhythm is similar but client-driven: building DCF, comparables and LBO models through the day and into the evening when a live deal is on. Most in-house roles run 38-45 hours a week with peaks at month-end, half-year and full-year reporting plus annual budget. Investment banking and corporate finance roles regularly hit 55-70 hour weeks during live transactions.
Typical tasks
- Build financial models in Excel and Python.
- Prepare investment memoranda and management packs.
- Monitor market data and update forecasts.
Skills you'll use
- Three-statement financial modelling in Excel
- Discounted cash flow, comparables and precedent transaction analysis
- SQL for pulling source data from finance and operations systems
- Power BI, Tableau or similar dashboarding
- Reading and applying AASB / IFRS accounting standards
- Writing investment memos and board papers
- Presenting analysis to senior leaders without burying the message
How to become one
- 1Finish Year 12 with English plus Maths Advanced or Methods (Maths Standard is accepted at some unis but limits competitive courses)
- 2Complete a Bachelor of Commerce, Bachelor of Finance, or Bachelor of Business with a finance major (3-4 years)
- 3Build modelling and analytics skills outside class through case competitions, finance clubs and internships
- 4Apply for a graduate role in corporate finance, FP&A, equity research, investment banking, or fund management (most banks recruit a year before graduation)
- 5Consider further credentials such as CFA Program (3 levels, typically 3-4 years part-time), CPA, or CA ANZ depending on the path
Where you can work
- Investment banks (M&A, ECM, DCM and research)
- Asset managers, super funds and private equity firms
- Corporate finance / FP&A teams in ASX-listed companies
- Big-four corporate finance and transaction-services teams
- Federal and state Treasury and government-business enterprises
- Banks (commercial, retail and business banking)
- Tech and start-up finance teams
Career progression
Typical stages and roles. Years of experience are a rough guide; pay at each stage depends on the employer, award or agreement.
- Analyst0-3 yearsTypical roles: Junior financial analyst, FP&A analyst, Investment banking analyst
- Senior analyst3-6 yearsTypical roles: Senior financial analyst, Senior FP&A analyst, Associate (banking)
- Manager / VP7-11 yearsTypical roles: Finance manager, Vice President (banking), Head of FP&A
- Director / CFO12+ yearsTypical roles: Finance director, Director (banking), Chief Financial Officer
Is this for you?
You might love this if
- You like building models and pressure-testing the numbers behind a big decision
- You're comfortable working long hours during deal or reporting peaks
- You can summarise a 30-tab model in three slides for an executive
- You can spot when an assumption looks too clean and dig into why
- You're patient with multi-year exam programmes like the CFA
This might not suit you if
- You hate sitting at a desk modelling for hours at a time
- You want a strict 9-to-5 rhythm year-round
- You can't tolerate long deal cycles where a project may not close
- You dislike attention-to-detail review cycles from senior people
Ways in
Uni and TAFE routes for financial analyst. We only list pathways that actually lead to this occupation.
University
Bachelor degrees that lead to this career.
TAFE / VET
Nationally accredited Certificate and Diploma qualifications.
No direct TAFE pathway to this career.
Sources
ExamExplained does not publish predictive salary figures. For current Australian earnings data check Your Career (yourcareer.gov.au) directly. Career classifications follow the ABS ANZSCO 2022 release.