CFA Scope: Salary, Job Roles, Career after Chartered Financial Analyst

CFA full form is Chartered Financial Analyst, a postgraduate professional certification program offered internationally by the US-based CFA institute (formerly AIMR) to investment and financial professionals. Candidates who complete the program while meeting other requirements are awarded a "CFA Charter" and become a "CFA Charter-Holder".

Employers value the CFA designation for positions and responsibilities in all areas of the Global Finance Industry, such as Private Wealth, Analysis, Portfolio Management, and Consulting. Along with this, professionals also seek CFA career scope in Asset Management, Private Wealth Management, Commercial Banking, Investment Banking, and Insurance sectors.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average median pay for a Financial Analyst is INR 83.8 LPA, which makes it one of the highest-paid professions worldwide. However, CFA certification requires candidates to study rigorously and fulfil all the requirements. IMS ProSchool, Narayana Business School, CCOFP, and Miles Education are some of the top institutes that help candidates prepare for CFA exams.

The CFA eligibility criteria to become a CFA Charter-Holder is to obtain a bachelor's degree or to be in the final year of the bachelor's program, have 4,000 hours or over a minimum of 3 years of relevant professional experience, and pass all three levels of the CFA course, i.e., CFA Level 1, CFA Level 2, and CFA Level 3. Exams for all three levels are conducted by asking questions related to Economics, Security Analysis, Accounting, and Wealth Management.

Interested candidates can continue reading the article to get more CFA career scope details.

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Top Job Profiles and Salaries of CFA

The Banking, Finance, and Insurance (BFSI) sector has endless fields for employment such as Banking, Portfolio Management, Compliance Management, Corporate Finance, Risk Management, and more. CFA Charters can opt for any field depending on their interest and expertise, attracting a good salary package. Among countless CFA jobs for freshers and experienced professionals, here are some top job profiles one can seek employment for.

Entry-Level CFA Jobs

Here are some entry-level popular CFA jobs and salary options for new graduates and freshers in India:

Job Profiles	Average Salary
Financial Associates	INR 4.7 LPA
Financial Analysts	INR 6.2 LPA
Internal Auditors	INR 5.3 LPA

Note: The salary information is taken from Ambitionbox.com.

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Mid-Level CFA Jobs

Here are some mid-level popular CFA jobs and salary options for professionals who have certain work experience in the industry:

Job Profiles	Average Salary
Depositary Compliance Consultants	INR 7.9 LPA
Relationship Managers	INR 5.1 LPA
Portfolio Managers	INR 12.9 LPA
Investment Officers	INR 9.9 LPA
Actuarial Analysts	INR 7.7 LPA

Note: The salary information is taken from Ambitionbox.com.

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Senior-Level CFA Jobs

Here are some senior-level popular CFA jobs and salary options for professionals who have gained relevant good years of experience, say 5-10 years in the industry:

Job Profiles	Average Salary
Chief Investment Officers	INR 50 LPA
Director of Operations	INR 38.9 LPA
Finance & Accounts Head	INR 27.3 LPA

Note: The salary information is taken from Ambitionbox.com.

Departments-Wise CFA Salary

CFA Charters are required in almost every department of a company and can kick-start their career in any financial department according to their skills and interests. But the salary package for every department and designation varies. Candidates can check out the table below to find the average salary offered in different Financial departments:

Financial Departments	Average Salary Offered
Financial & Accounting	INR 4 LPA
Procurement & Supply Chain	INR 3.8 LPA
BFSI, Investments & Trading	INR 4.5 LPA
Customer Success, Service & Operations	INR 3 LPA
Marketing & Communication	INR 2.1 LPA
Human Resources	INR 4.5 LPA
Healthcare & Life Science	INR 5 LPA

Note: The salary information is taken from Ambitionbox.com.

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CFA Core Industries

The title of “Chartered Financial Analyst” is the name only, the career paths available are broad and varied. CFA Charters can choose from a range of job sectors. Here are some CFA core industries options:

CFA Core Industries
Accounting/Audit/Tax	Economics	Investment Advisor/Consultant
Banking	Equities Research: Buy Side	Management Consulting
Compliance/Regulatory	Equities Research: Sell-Side	Multimanager Strategies
Corporate Finance	Fixed Income Research: Buy Side	Marketing and Public Relations
Credit Analysis	Insurance	Operations
Performance Analysis	Portfolio Management: Fixed Income	Relationship Management
Portfolio Management: Alternatives	Portfolio Management: Multi-Asset	Risk Management
Portfolio Management: Equities	Private Equity/Venture Capital	Wealth Management

Note: The information is sourced from external sites and may vary.

CFA Top Recruiters

There are countless banks, financial firms, CA firms, MNCs, etc., that hire CFA Charters for numerous job roles. Here are some top CFA recruiters:

CFA Top Recruiters
HDFC	Kotak Mahindra Bank
Goldman Sachs	Deloitte Consulting
Max Life Insurance Co. Ltd.	Aditya Birla Sun Life Insurance Co. Ltd.
McKinsey & Company	JP Morgan
ICICI Bank	TATA AIA Life Insurance Co. Ltd.
EY (Ernst & Young)	KPMG

Note: The information is sourced from external sites and may vary.

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Pros and Cons of a CFA Certification

Earning the CFA may be a lengthy, expensive, and extremely difficult process and not be appropriate for every financial professional. Candidates who are planning to pursue the certification can take a look at this section to make an informed decision:

Pros:

• Globally Recognized: Chartered Financial Analyst certification is globally recognized, hence, professionals can seek career opportunities anywhere in the world.
• Knowledge Gain: CFA students get a solid, comprehensive, and updated financial grounding.
• No Career Pause: CFA preparation can be done while doing another desk job.
• Career Options: CFA aspirants can choose employment options from a variety of job sectors like Accounting/Audit/Tax, Banking, Compliance/Regulatory, Corporate Finance, Credit, Analysis, Economics, and more.

Cons:

• Huge Time Investment: Becoming a CFA is a huge investment in time, between studying for and taking the exams and logging the minimum 4,000 hours of experience required over 36 months.
• Higher Cost: A level I candidate will pay a one-time program enrollment fee plus an exam registration fee. Level II and III candidates will pay a registration fee as well. There is also the cost of the books and study programs.
• Lesser Possibilities: There is are 50% probability of not earning the CFA charter after investing time, money, and effort in the certification, which sometimes leads to discouragement among students.

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Scholarships for Commerce Students

Following are the most popular CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) Level 1,2 & 3 Colleges in India. Learn more about these CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) Level 1,2 & 3 colleges (Courses, Reviews, Answers & more) by downloading the Brochure.

Following are the most popular CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) Level 1,2 & 3 Specializations . You can explore the top Colleges offering these Specializations by clicking the links below.