Explore national salary, projected growth, education requirements, and career opportunities across the United States.
A concise view of this occupation’s national scale, compensation, and projected demand.
National median annual wage for this occupation.
Estimated jobs currently supported nationwide.
Projected employment change through 2034.
Estimated openings created each year.
The typical education, prior experience, and on-the-job training associated with entry into this career.
Bachelor's degree
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These are the highest-rated capabilities associated with success in this occupation. Scores are derived from occupational skill analysis and are measured on a 100-point scale.
Based on skills, knowledge, and work activities, these occupations are the closest match to your current career.
Explore the states and metropolitan areas offering the strongest combination of salary, employment, demand, and long-term opportunity.
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Understand the salary, outlook, education, and geographic opportunities shaping this career.
Financial specialists, all other, work across a range of financial functions and niches that are not captured in more narrowly defined finance roles. Nationally, this occupation employs about 137,000 people, with a national median annual salary of $80,190. The field is projected to grow 3.1%, with about 10,000 annual openings, indicating a steady stream of opportunities for new entrants and experienced professionals. Typical roles in this category draw heavily on strong quantitative, analytical, and problem-solving abilities, supported by skills in mathematics, computers and information technology, and project management. Communication-focused skills such as speaking and listening, writing and reading, and interpersonal abilities also play a key role, along with leadership and attention to detail. Overall, this career path can appeal to people who enjoy working with numbers, analyzing information, and making decisions in financially focused environments, and who want options across different financial specialties rather than a single narrowly defined job type.
The national median annual salary for financial specialists, all other, is $80,190, but pay levels vary meaningfully by location. Among states, New York shows a notably higher median salary at $107,490, followed by Virginia at $92,930 and Colorado at $87,430. California and Washington are closer to the national median, at $80,810 and $80,930 respectively. At the metro level, several areas stand out for higher median pay. The Washington–Arlington–Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro reports a median salary of $120,580, while New York–Newark–Jersey City, NY-NJ is at $109,580 and San Jose–Sunnyvale–Santa Clara, CA is at $100,950. These figures suggest that professionals in certain large metro areas can see significantly higher earning potential than the national median, while still working within the same broad occupational category.
Financial specialists, all other, have national employment of about 137,000 and a projected employment growth rate of 3.1%. This same 3.1% growth rate appears in multiple states and metro areas listed, indicating a consistent projected expansion across several key regions rather than growth concentrated in only one place. With approximately 10,000 annual openings, the occupation offers a steady flow of opportunities for new graduates, early-career professionals, and experienced workers seeking a change. The combination of a defined national employment base, positive projected growth, and recurring openings points to a labor market that offers room for both entry and progression. Job seekers considering this path can expect an environment where new positions and replacement openings arise regularly, across a variety of financial specializations bundled within this broad occupational group.
Location makes a significant difference for financial specialists, all other, both in terms of pay and overall opportunity scores. Among states, California and New York rank highest by opportunity score, at 67.38 and 65.78 respectively, with sizable employment levels of 14,290 in California and 9,750 in New York. New York’s median salary of $107,490 is higher than California’s $80,810, while both share the same 3.1% projected growth rate. Colorado, Washington, and Virginia also show solid opportunity scores between roughly 55 and 57, with median salaries ranging from about $80,930 in Washington to $92,930 in Virginia. At the metro level, San Jose–Sunnyvale–Santa Clara, CA and New York–Newark–Jersey City, NY-NJ have the highest opportunity scores, both above 77. The Washington–Arlington–Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro offers the highest listed median salary at $120,580, alongside strong employment. These patterns highlight that some large metro areas combine high salaries with strong overall opportunity scores.
The typical education requirement for financial specialists, all other, is a bachelor’s degree. This educational foundation supports a skill set that blends quantitative, technical, and communication strengths. Core abilities include mathematics and computers and information technology, which underpin many analytical and data-related aspects of financial work. Problem solving and decision making, along with critical and analytical thinking, are central to evaluating information and choosing among options in financial contexts. Project management skills support organizing tasks and timelines, while being detail oriented helps ensure accuracy. Strong writing and reading skills, together with speaking and listening and interpersonal abilities, enable clear communication with colleagues and stakeholders. Leadership skills can become increasingly important as professionals advance or take on responsibility for projects or teams. For students and career changers, building this mix of technical, analytical, and communication skills alongside a bachelor’s degree aligns well with the profile of this occupation.
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