Top 15 Best Paying Jobs in Finance Consumer Services (Updated 2023)
Financial consumer services, which give customers access to essential services, are essential to the economy. Professionally and financially lucrative careers can be found in the consumer finance sector.
Working in finance and consumer services is your profession if you want a career at the forefront of global financial markets. Numerous career opportunities are available in this field for both skilled and inexperienced workers.
Finance consumer services go far beyond traditional bank and credit union positions specifically dealing with checking and savings accounts. In fact, the majority of the top 15 best paying jobs in finance consumer services have little to nothing to do with those kinds of positions.
In this detailed guide we are going to highlight some of the best careers you can pursue in this industry. These careers are going to challenge you mentally, reward you in more ways than just financially, and help you build the kind of career that you can grow into for years to come.
What is a Job in Finance Consumer Services?
As highlighted a moment ago, finance consumer services are sometimes linked to the bank services you can leverage at a local branch – but they often go beyond that, too.
The services also encompass traditional loans, payday loans, credit sales, accounting, and so much more.
At the end of the day, if it is a financial service that doesn’t specifically deal with the business and commercial side of things it usually falls under the umbrella of finance consumer services.
Are Finance Consumer Service Jobs a Good Career Path?
It’s tough to imagine there being a better career field today than one in the finance consumer services industry.
Not only are all of the top 15 best paying jobs in finance consumer services in demand right now, they are likely to be in high demand as long as people are transacting with money.
This kind of job security is invaluable!
Top 15 Best Paying Jobs in Finance Consumer Services
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1. Accountant
Median Salary – $59,454
Education – Bachelor’s Degree and Professional Certifications
Projected Growth – 11% Over 10 Years
As you might imagine, accountants are a huge piece of the success puzzle for any business operating in the finance consumer services world.
Accountants are critically important employees, responsible for managing absolutely everything and anything that has to do with financial transactions. We are talking about management of “the books”, handling things like annual budgets and budgeting forecasts, drawing up financial statements, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
These positions do require specific skills and specific knowledge. Most entrance into this career have a bachelor’s degree in finance or accounting as well as professional certifications.
2. Chief Financial Officer
Median Salary – $142,619
Education – Advanced Degrees
Projected Growth – 4% Over 10 Years
One of the top 15 best paying jobs in finance consumer services for sure – particularly if you are looking for a high salary – this might not be the most entry-level position in the world, but it is certainly one that a lot of people aspire to.
The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of any organization is a hugely influential part of the leadership team. They make up a core element of the “C Suite” of positions at major businesses and organizations, and that means they have a ton of responsibility but are also well compensated for their work, too.
Achieving a CFO position can unlock the kind of financial freedom in the finance consumer services world that a lot of people never even dream of. You’ll have to work hard to achieve this title, but it’ll pay big dividends almost straightaway.
3. Client Relations Associate
Median Salary – $55,029
Education – Bachelor’s Degree
Projected Growth – 5% Over 10 Years
Client relations associates are the main interface between customers and clients and the finance consumer service itself.
These employees often have very strong personal skills, great abilities to communicate, are very organized and very charming, but also are problem solvers that think on their feet. Their main responsibility is to make sure that clients are happy, satisfied, and eager to continue working with the organization.
4. Compliance Analyst
Median Salary – $62,675
Education – Bachelor’s Degree
Projected Growth – 6% Over 10 Years
Compliance analyst positions might not necessarily be the most glamorous in the finance consumer services, but they play an essential role in the financial world and are very well compensated.
These are the employees that are responsible for making sure that companies are operating within all regulatory standards, following financial rules and mandates, and never running afoul of financial laws – state or federal.
On top of those responsibilities, compliance analysts also often work with auditors to closely review financial records, come up with improved compliance plans and strategies, and even work with HR to better train employees in compliance as well.
5. Financial Analyst
Median Salary – $67,900
Education – Bachelor’s Degree
Projected Growth – $12% Over 10 Years
Financial analysts are a major linchpin part of every financial institution, but especially so in the finance consumer services realm.
These are the employees that offer strategic and concrete investment guides to clients, working to evaluate the stock market and other investment opportunities so that they can provide intel and briefings that lead to smart moves in the market.
It’s important to be incredibly comfortable with crunching a lot of data, a lot of numbers, and a lot of different facts and figures – many of them often seemingly unrelated – to be very good at this job.
Top financial analysts, though, are always rewarded financially for their work.
6. Financial Software Developer
Median Salary – $85,000
Education – Bachelor’s Degree
Projected Growth – 22% Over 10 Years
The Financial Technology (FinTech) world has absolutely exploded in just the last few years, in large part because of the heavy lifting done by world-class financial software developers.
These software developers not only have to be familiar with the latest development tools and technologies, but also have to be able to build safe, secure, and trustworthy apps and technological infrastructure for financial organizations or their customers.
On top of that, these are the employees called in to troubleshoot, upgrade, or overhaul all of the financial software that a company is running. These careers are usually closely linked to big banks, accounting firms, and large financial services organizations.
7. Hedge Fund Manager
Median Salary – $85,727
Education – Bachelor’s Degree
Projected Growth – 9% Over 10 Years
Hedge fund managers sometimes work 100% on their own, with total independence, but often work with larger investment firms on behalf of individual investors.
These kinds of financial professionals really cater to the higher net worth individuals and investors that are looking to maximize their wealth through specific and strategic investment goals.
All hedge fund managers need to be very decisive, need to be strategic and tactical thinkers, and need to have a real feel for the financial world in general as well as their finger on the pulse of the investments that they recommend.
8. Insurance Adviser
Median Salary – $54,392
Education – Bachelor’s Degree
Projected Growth – 9% Over 10 Years
Insurance advisors assist clients with picking the right insurance packages and policies for their specific needs.
Finding the right insurance is often a lot more challenging than most people think, even in a world where insurance is available over the phone, on the internet, or just by firing up an app on your mobile device.
These professionals will work with clients to figure out where you need insurance coverage, how to best leverage coverage options available, and how to find ways to fit that coverage in a client’s budget.
They also work to assess risk, protect their own insurance operations, and help better streamline the services their employers offer.
9. Investment Banker
Median Salary – $161,605
Education – Bachelor’s Degree
Projected Growth – 10% Over 10 Years
Investment bankers aren’t just for the ultra-wealthy any longer.
Sure, there’s still a small segment in this career field that only caters to the super affluent. But nowadays these careers are a bit more wide open, with investment bankers providing their services to institutions, organizations, and businesses large and small.
Many of these professionals are going to work at investment banks, but independent firms that offer these services are starting to crop up – and that’s helping to drive a lot of the growth in this industry.
Those serious about getting involved in investment banking will need a bachelor’s degree in business, economics, or finance at a minimum.
10. IT Auditor
Median Salary – $93,446
Education – Bachelor’s Degree
Projected Growth – 10% Over 10 Years
Almost all finance consumer services today run on sophisticated information technology infrastructure. This technology is getting more impressive and more complex by the day, though – and that means that IT auditors need to be involved to make sure that the systems are working correctly.
IT auditors will monitor all information technology infrastructure used by a finance consumer service. They’ll run reports, look for weak spots and vulnerabilities, check for opportunities to streamline and simplify, and also recommend new pieces of IT infrastructure that might work well with the system, too.
This is one of the top 15 best paying jobs in finance consumer services for folks that are looking to work with technology and finance in a hybrid kind of relationship.
11. Loan Officer
Median Salary – $63,000
Education – Bachelor’s Degree
Projected Growth – 8% Over 10 Years
Believe it or not, some of the most valuable employees at any lending institution are the people working in the loan officer career field.
This job might not sound all that glamorous on the surface, but these professionals are responsible for interviewing potential loan customers, reviewing their application, assessing their risk, and making a business decision to either invest in those loans or to pass on them.
Entry-level positions in this field start at around $63,000 or so because of the importance to a lending institution, but it’s not at all uncommon for loan officers in the early years of their career to start making low six figures (and that’s just the beginning).
These professionals have a lot of responsibility on their shoulders – the loans they choose to give out can make or break an institution – but they are rewarded financially for the work they do.
12. Member Services Representative
Median Salary – $35,010
Education – High School or Equivalent
Projected Growth – 10% Over 10 Years
A great job in the finance consumer services for those that do not have a college education under their belt, the member services representative is going to handle all interactions with financial institution members.
These professionals are friendly, open, engaging, and crystal-clear communicators. They have to be able to keep their emotions in check during stressful and sometimes confrontational situations, and they have to prioritize the relationship between the member and the financial institution above all else.
There’s a lot of potential for this to grow into a multi-decade career, though, with lots of promotion opportunities, too.
13. Private Equity Associate
Median Salary – $135,782
Education – Bachelor’s Degree
Projected Growth – 4% Over 10 Years
When investors want to more closely assess potential investments – identifying them more effectively, researching them more thoroughly, and better understanding the risks associated more completely – they often reach out to finance consumer services with private equity associates on board.
Aside from working with investment clients, though, these associates are also often charged with helping investment firms find smarter investments, too. Everything about these jobs are geared around improving financial performance.
14. Senior CPA Accountant
Median Salary – $76,000
Education – Advanced Degrees and Professional Certifications
Projected Growth – 6% Over 10 Years
Senior CPA accountants share some of the same responsibilities as your more entry-level accountants, but are almost always in a leadership or managerial role.
You’ll find that senior CPAs are also tasked with more complex financial accounting responsibilities. They usually work to monitor incoming payments and outgoing cash flow, supervising the work done by junior accountants along the way.
To get a job in this career, though, individuals will not only have to have advanced college degrees (usually a Master’s), but will even have to pursue professional certifications, successfully complete the CPA exam, and undergo regular professional training to keep their skills razor-sharp.
15. Stockbroker
Median Salary – $71,550
Education – Bachelor’s Degree
Projected Growth – 10% Over 10 Years
In a world where it’s possible to buy and sell stocks with nothing more than a free mobile application and a smart phone it seems like stockbrokers would be going the way of the dodo, but nothing could be further from the truth.
Stockbrokers might be more in demand today than ever before simply because investors want to kind of put their investing on autopilot, but don’t necessarily trust apps or technology to do right by them 100% of the time.
Stockbrokers buy and sell stocks and securities on behalf of their clients. Sometimes working for brokers, sometimes working for larger banks, and sometimes working for investment firms, these professionals have a lot of career opportunities in front of them.
Becoming a stockbroker in the United States does involve securing a license to buy and sell securities, though. This involves passing the Series 7 examination – not exactly the easiest test in the world to pass, either.
The good news here, though, is that anyone that takes this test seriously (including those with nothing more than a high school education or equivalency) can become stockbrokers and start making some serious money in the finance consumer services world.
Closing Thoughts
As long as people are transacting in money – banking, saving, investing, etc. – there’s going to be a need for people to fill out the top 15 best paying jobs in finance consumer services.
You can see from the info we highlighted above all of these career fields are growing, some of them faster than a lot of other industries, showing you just how much potential these careers have not just today but tomorrow and for years to come.
One of the coolest things about the finance consumer services world is that a lot of the top firms in this industry will pay for your continuing education, your professional training, and your professional certifications as you build and grow your career.
That’s not something you’re going to find in every other industry under the sun, that’s for sure.
If you love finance and want to make a fantastic living these are careers well worth pursuing.
FAQs
How competitive is the financial consumer services industry?
Because there is so much money in the financial consumer services industry these jobs are some of the most competitive in the world. That doesn’t mean your chances of landing one of these jobs are slim to none, but it does mean that you’ll need to have some initiative when you’re looking to break in.
Can you find high paying jobs in this field without a lot of education?
You bet you can! There are a lot of high-paying jobs in the finance consumer services field that don’t require you to have a lot of college education, advanced degrees, or professional certifications. You may have to start at lower level or entry-level positions, but even these careers have a lot of room for growth and a lot of room to make large salaries.
Are these careers safe, secure, and long term options?
It’s hard to imagine there being a career field that is safer, more secure, and filled with more long-term options than the finance consumer services world. After all, as long as money is being used to facilitate trade around the world there’s going to be a lot of demand for people to fill these types of positions. You’re not going to find a ton of careers that are more future – and recession – proof than this one.
