Choosing a career path has got to be one of the hardest decisions you will have to make in your life. Naturally, you’ll want to choose a reliable and secure career that allows you to enjoy what you do. If you have a degree in Finance, numerous job positions are available to you but finding a job in investment management could be the ideal business opportunity.

If you’ve been researching jobs in investment management, you’ve probably asked yourself – how many jobs are available in investment managers’ professions?

This article covers everything you need to know about working in investment managers’ professions. From the general job market overview to the best-paying positions in the industry, here you can find all about careers in investment management.

What are the positions in investment management?

You can see how many jobs are available in investment managers’ professions by taking a closer look at the positions available in investment management. This financial sector is quite large, and there are many different positions, so we’ve decided to include only the most popular ones on this list.

• Finance managers oversee all financial functions and ensure the financial health of the organization remains intact.
• Finance analysts analyze different investment opportunities and help companies make data-driven decisions.
• Finance advisors assess financial goals and advise on the best ways to achieve them.
• Research assistants collect and analyze research data.
• Wealth managers offer expert advice on finances, investment opportunities, tax planning, and estate planning.
• Credit analysts examine and decide on customer credit applications using various creditworthiness criteria.
• Traders execute bonds, equities, foreign exchange, and commodities trades, usually on behalf of investment banks.
• Investment banking analysts connect investors seeking new profitable opportunities with businesses looking for funding.
• Portfolio managers manage clients’ portfolios and help them make profitable financial decisions.

What kinds of services do investment managers provide?

It’s well known that working in investment management doesn’t provide your customers with products but rather with services. Considering that not all investment managers have the same obligations and duties, their services can also vary. For instance, financial advisors, analysts, traders, and consultants can all be considered to work in investment management.

Nevertheless, let’s see what kinds of services are generally provided by investment managers.

First things first, investment managers help their clients make informed, smart, and profitable financial decisions. They advise their clients on where and how to invest their money to secure fruitful investments. Sometimes, investment managers even make decisions on behalf of their clients.

Additionally, investment managers make buying and selling decisions daily. They also oversee all financial transactions to ensure they’re trusted and secured, maintain portfolios, manage rewards, and so much more.

Job market overview

Investment management is a large sector, and approximately 992,100 investment fund managers currently employed in the United States are here to prove that. The job market for investment managers is expected to grow even bigger. According to some, this market will grow by 8.0% between 2016 and 2026.

By state

The investment manager job market varies from state to state, so we will look at the number of investment fund managers currently employed in every U.S. state:

• California – 53,390 employed investment managers;
• District of Columbia – 20,010 employed investment managers;
• New Jersey – 19,170 employed investment managers;
• Florida – 18,960 employed investment managers;
• Virginia – 16,740 employed investment managers;
• Texas – 16,570 employed investment managers;
• New York – 14,730 employed investment managers;
• Maryland – 12,680 employed investment managers;
• Wisconsin – 11,860 employed investment managers;
• Georgia – 11,520 employed investment managers;
• North Carolina – 11,400 employed investment managers;
• Ohio – 11,250 employed investment managers;
• Tennessee – 10,570 employed investment managers;
• Pennsylvania – 10,490 employed investment managers;
• Washington – 10,140 employed investment managers;
• Minnesota – 9,350 employed investment managers;
• Arizona – 8,790 employed investment managers;
• Oregon – 8,520 employed investment managers;
• Indiana – 8,190 employed investment managers;
• Louisiana – 8,170 employed investment managers;
• Colorado – 7,930 employed investment managers;
• Massachusetts – 7,180 employed investment managers;
• Michigan – 6,950 employed investment managers;
• Connecticut – 6,380 employed investment managers;
• Puerto Rico – 6,250 employed investment managers;
• Nevada – 5,970 employed investment managers;
• Missouri – 5,080 employed investment managers;
• Iowa – 3,380 employed investment managers;
• Kentucky – 3,330 employed investment managers;
• Arkansas – 3,230 employed investment managers;
• New Mexico – 2,900 employed investment managers;
• Kansas – 2,710 employed investment managers;
• Utah – 2,490 employed investment managers;
• Hawaii – 2,090 employed investment managers;
• Alabama – 2,080 employed investment managers;
• Oklahoma – 1,720 employed investment managers;
• South Carolina – 1,710 employed investment managers;
• Alaska – 1,550 employed investment managers;
• Nebraska – 1,480 employed investment managers;
• New Hampshire – 1,360 employed investment managers;
• Maine – 1,210 employed investment managers;
• Idaho – 1,210 employed investment managers;
• Montana – 1,110 employed investment managers;
• North Dakota – 1,100 employed investment managers;
• Mississippi – 1,060 employed investment managers;
• Delaware – 910 employed investment managers;
• Wyoming – 790 employed investment managers;
• Rhode Island – 720 employed investment managers;
• Vermont – 480 employed investment managers;
• South Dakota – 340 employed investment managers;
• Guam – 150 employed investment managers;
• Virgin Islands – 70 employed investment managers.

Job growth

While the exact job growth of investment manager professions depends on numerous factors related to the current state of the economy, it’s safe to say job opportunities in this field are growing.

In fact, around 44% of institutional investors are planning on increasing the number of manager employees over the next five years, which shows that the demand for investment managers will grow in the future.

Moreover, 71% of wealth and asset managers plan on investing in private assets and expanding their operations over the next three years, which is also expected to grow the demand for investment management positions. Overall, the job growth for investment managers’ professions looks promising, and experts in this field shouldn’t experience trouble finding work.

By role

• Finance manager: 16% job growth rate for 2020-2030 with 135,000+ job openings. More than 388,000 people currently work as finance managers in the U.S.
• Finance analyst: 6% job growth rate for 2020-2030 with 160,000+ job openings. More than 387,000 people currently work as financial analysts in the U.S.
• Finance advisor: 7% job growth rate for 2020-2030 with 116,000+ job openings. More than 203,000 people currently work as financial advisors in the U.S.
• Research assistant: 20% job growth rate for 2020-2030 with 58,000+ job openings. More than 201,000 people currently work as research assistants in the U.S.
• Wealth manager: 7% job growth rate for 2020-2030 with 152,000+ job openings. More than 92,000 people currently work as wealth managers in the U.S.
• Credit analyst: -4% job growth rate for 2020-2030 with 25,000+ job openings. More than 65,000 people currently work as credit analysts in the U.S.
• Trader: 4% job growth rate for 2020-2030 with 15,000+ job openings. More than 30,000 people currently work as traders in the U.S.
• Investment banking analyst: 6% job growth rate for 2020-2030 with 52,000+ job openings. More than 22,000 people currently work as investment banking analysts in the U.S.
• Equity trader: 4% job growth rate for 2020-2030 with 15,000+ job openings. More than 22,000 people currently work as equity traders in the U.S.
• Portfolio manager: 16% job growth rate for 2020-2030 with 45,000+ job openings. More than 15,000 people currently work as portfolio managers in the U.S.

Factors that affect the number of jobs

How many jobs are available in investment managers’ professions largely depends on multiple factors, including the current state of the economy, the capital available for investment, the financial sector regulations, and many others.

The state of the economy is one of the largest factors that affect the number of jobs in investment management. During economic growth, individuals and businesses are interested in investing their money to increase their profits, so the demand for investment managers is high.

Contrary to that, economic uncertainty or downturn leads to lower demand for investment managers simply because people choose to save their money rather than invest it.

Another key factor is the amount of capital available for investment. With a large amount of capital available, businesses and individuals have more profit potential, so the demand for investment managers is higher. Therefore, a low amount of capital leads to difficulties in generating returns, so people don’t seek investment management services as much.

Lastly, the level of regulation in the financial sector that investment managers need to follow is also a crucial factor. With strict regulations in the sector, fewer people are motivated to become investment managers, and they generally have limited opportunities for employment.

On the other hand, relaxed and flexible regulations give investment managers more freedom, so more financial experts are bound to enter the field.

Best-paying investment management positions

While any job in the investment management sector is well-paid, some jobs have higher salaries than others. Here are some of the best-paying investment management positions you can find in this field.

• Portfolio assistants

A portfolio assistant is responsible for documenting financial processes and preparing reports for portfolios. Since they need to work with large amounts of data daily, portfolio assistants are among the best-paying investment management positions.

• Financial analysts

A financial analyst keeps track of current market trends and the overall market status to make smart decisions and give insightful recommendations for future investment moves. As such, financial analysts are also among the best-paying jobs in the investment managers industry.

• Financial traders

Most financial traders work in stock markets. Their job is to make market forecasts and trades that will result in fruitful outcomes. Financial traders are familiar with different trade types.

• Investment bankers

As one of the most popular positions for making large amounts of money, this list wouldn’t be complete without mentioning investment bankers. They usually work with government offices, banks, and other financial institutions to give financial advice and help with finances. Investment bankers are true experts in making your money work for you, which is why they’re so highly paid.

How to find a job

Although finding a job in investment management may seem challenging at first glance, you can easily score the position of your dreams if you follow a few tips.

The first step to finding a good job in investment management is finding where to look. Numerous sites and platforms focus on investment management job ads, allowing you to browse different positions in the industry from the comfort of your home.

Another great way to find a job in the field is through networking. Meetups, events, seminars, and fairs are all outstanding opportunities to meet new people from the industry and connect with them.

Plenty of recruitment firms are looking for investment management candidates too. These companies are an excellent solution if you can’t seem to find job positions in the sector on your own.

Whichever option you go with, these pieces of advice will help you achieve success with your job-hunting.

1. Get a degree in Finance, Economics, Business, Accounting, or any other related field that will provide you with a solid foundation for a career in investment management.
2. Work on your experience by interning or working in a financial company or institution. Not only will this journey provide you with much-needed hands-on experience, but it’ll also allow you to make valuable contacts.
3. Think about getting a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Institute certificate. Even if you have a degree, this highly-respected certification will take you a long way in investment management.

Conclusion

Now that you know how many jobs are available in investment managers’ professions and what you can expect from a career in this sector, it’ll be easier for you to decide whether investment management is the right career path for you. Nevertheless, with well-paid and secure positions, investment managers’ professions are a dream job for many.