Key facts
- The BLS gives a bachelor’s degree and no related work experience as the typical entry route for financial and investment analysts.
- About 24,700 jobs a year are projected to open for US financial and investment analysts from 2025 to 2035; only about 11% of them are new jobs, by our arithmetic.
- Financial managers typically need five years or more of related work experience, so Level I is not a route straight into management.
- On a CV: you may state that you passed a level of the CFA® Program, with the year, or that you are a CFA® Program participant; “candidate” is only for people registered for an upcoming exam, there is no partial designation, and only charterholders may add the designation after their name (check the official website).
- UK full-time finance and investment analysts and advisers earned a median £53,940 in the tax year to April 2026 (ONS, provisional).
- Pay tables describe occupations, not the effect of passing Level I.
Level I of the CFA® Program does not qualify you for a job on its own. For financial and investment analysts, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics gives a bachelor’s degree and no related work experience as the typical entry route, with about 24,700 openings a year to 2035. Level I adds evidence of finance knowledge and commitment. (BLS, Employment Projections 2025–35, Table 1.2)
Passing Level I is a real achievement, and it is natural to wonder what it is worth on the job market. The honest answer: it can strengthen an application for the roles below, but it is not a licence, not a designation and not a substitute for a degree or experience. This page shows which occupations fit, how many jobs open each year, what they pay in the US and the UK, how to describe Level I correctly, and a plan for the weeks after your result. It is general information, not careers advice.
Which jobs can Level I candidates realistically aim for?
Level I’s topic areas – among them financial statement analysis, equity, fixed income, derivatives and ethics – match the daily work of several occupations. The BLS publishes for each how people typically enter it, how many jobs open and what it pays:
| Occupation (SOC code) | Typical education for entry | Related work experience | Openings a year | Lowest 10% earned less than | Median |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Financial and investment analysts (13-2051) | Bachelor’s degree | None | 24,700 | $63,720 | $102,740 |
| Financial risk specialists (13-2054) | Bachelor’s degree | None | 4,800 | $64,820 | $117,330 |
| Credit analysts (13-2041) | Bachelor’s degree | None | 3,100 | $56,250 | $83,510 |
| Personal financial advisors (13-2052) | Bachelor’s degree | None | 17,100 | $50,190 | $105,070 |
| Accountants and auditors (13-2011) | Bachelor’s degree | None | 115,300 | $56,020 | $83,680 |
| Financial managers (11-3031) | Bachelor’s degree | 5 years or more | 65,600 | $94,310 | $166,570 |
| All occupations | – | – | 17,461,800 | $31,200 | $50,980 |
By our arithmetic from these figures, the 24,700 yearly openings for financial and investment analysts are about one job in 15 (6.5% of the 377,200 jobs in 2025). Only about 11% of them are new jobs; the rest replace people who retire or move on. Credit analysts are projected to shrink (−4.3%), yet every one of their 3,100 openings a year replaces a leaver. (BLS, Employment Projections 2025–35, Table 1.2) (BLS, OEWS May 2025) Wages exclude year-end bonuses and cover employees, not the self-employed (BLS, OEWS questions and answers); they describe occupations, not the effect of passing Level I.
What does Level I add to an application?
For financial analysts, the BLS writes that “although not always required, certification may enhance professional standing”, and that they typically need a bachelor’s degree in finance or a related field such as business. (BLS, Occupational Outlook Handbook) Level I is a step towards the charter, not a certification in its own right. What it can show an employer:
- that you know the vocabulary and methods across investment topics, tested by an outside exam;
- that you can plan and finish months of study beside other commitments;
- if your degree is not in finance, that you have closed part of that gap.
What it cannot show is experience. No public data measure how much passing Level I changes the chance of an offer, so treat the rest of this page as a way to use it well, not a promise.
How should you describe Level I on your CV?
The rule in short: you may state that you passed a level of the CFA® Program, with the year, or that you are a CFA® Program participant; “candidate” is only for people registered for an upcoming exam, there is no partial designation, and only charterholders may add the designation after their name (check the official website). In practice:
| Where | What to write | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Education or qualifications | That you passed Level I of the CFA® Program, with the year | Abbreviations that read like a designation, or letters after your name |
| Once you have registered for Level II | That you are a Level II candidate in the CFA® Program | Keeping “candidate” after a registration lapses |
| Interviews | One topic area you found useful and how it applies to the job | Reciting the whole syllabus |
What do these occupations pay in the UK?
The closest UK occupations, with the same caution: ONS does not record experience, so the lower percentiles show what the lower-paid tenth and quarter of jobs earn – not starting salaries.
| Occupation (SOC 2020) | 10th percentile | 25th percentile | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Finance and investment analysts and advisers (2422) | £29,743 | £39,666 | £53,940 |
| Chartered and certified accountants (2421) | £28,314 | £36,210 | £50,745 |
| Financial accounts managers (3534) | £31,948 | £37,792 | £49,830 |
| Actuaries, economists and statisticians (2433) | £36,117 | £45,004 | £60,263 |
| Financial managers and directors (1131) | £35,570 | £52,043 | £80,000 |
| All full-time employee jobs | £25,288 | £30,600 | £40,911 |
Finance and investment analysts and advisers (SOC 2422) also include financial advisers, and the figures are provisional until the ONS revises them. (ONS, ASHE 2026 provisional, Table 14) Source: Office for National Statistics, under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Regional medians and the US metro areas are in the finance salary explorer.
What does Level I not open?
- Management straight away. For financial managers the BLS gives five years or more of related work experience as the typical entry route. (BLS, Employment Projections 2025–35, Table 1.2)
- The charter. Levels II and III follow, and the charter also needs 4,000 hours of qualified work experience in investment decision-making over at least 36 months, gained before, during or after the exams (check the official website). What counts: work in any previous or current job that was directly part of the investment decision-making process or fed into it; the hours need not be continuous and part-time work and relevant internships can count, but managing your own or your family’s investments does not (check the official website).
- Regulated roles on its own. In the US, some positions need licences from the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, and most of these require sponsorship by an employer. (BLS, Occupational Outlook Handbook)
What should you do in the twelve weeks after your Level I result?
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| Week 1 | Update your CV and profile within the wording rule above. Note the topic areas you were strongest in. |
| Weeks 2–3 | Pick two or three occupations from the US table. Read ten adverts for each and list what they ask for beyond Level I. |
| Week 4 | Decide on Level II. The 2027 windows are 18–22 May 2027 (check the official website), 23–27 August 2027 (check the official website) and 20–24 November 2027 (check the official website); the charter timeline calculator shows what each choice means. |
| Weeks 4–8 | Apply, and ask two or three people in those jobs what their week looks like. Include occupations that are shrinking: they still replace leavers. |
| Weeks 8–12 | Start a log of work hours that may count towards the charter, with what you did and who can confirm it. |
Common mistakes after Level I
- Writing Level I as if it were a designation, or putting letters after your name.
- Applying only to jobs called “investment analyst” when risk, credit and advisory roles draw on the same topics.
- Waiting for the charter before applying, when the BLS lists no related experience for analyst entry.
- Reading the lower pay percentiles as starting salaries.
- Ignoring a shrinking occupation entirely: it still has openings every year.
What this means for you
Level I is worth putting to work straight away – on your CV, in applications and in interviews – but as evidence, not as a ticket. The occupations in the tables hire every year, mostly to replace people who leave. Pay by percentile and industry is in what investment analysts earn, the cost-benefit question in is the CFA Program worth it?, and if you are coming from another field, read the CFA Program for career changers. The full route is in from Level I to the charter.
What this page covers
- Last updated
- Based on
- BLS Employment Projections 2025–35 (Table 1.2), BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025) and the Occupational Outlook Handbook (public domain); ONS ASHE 2026 provisional, Table 14.7a (Open Government Licence v3.0); CV wording and charter rules from our register, read from secondary sources and linked to CFA Institute
- Includes
- Occupations that match Level I topics, typical entry, openings and how many are new, US and UK pay, CV wording, what Level I does not open, a twelve-week plan
- Not included
- Pay by qualification or for new entrants, job adverts or employer names, countries other than the US and the UK, personal careers advice
Frequently asked questions
What jobs can you get after Level I of the CFA® Program?
Occupations that match Level I topics include financial and investment analysts, financial risk specialists, credit analysts, personal financial advisors and accountants. For analysts, the BLS gives a bachelor’s degree and no related work experience as the typical entry route.
Does passing Level I get you a job?
Not on its own. It is evidence of finance knowledge and commitment that can strengthen an application, but no public data measure how much it changes the chance of an offer, and it does not replace a degree or experience.
How do you put Level I on your CV?
The rule in short: you may state that you passed a level of the CFA® Program, with the year, or that you are a CFA® Program participant; “candidate” is only for people registered for an upcoming exam, there is no partial designation, and only charterholders may add the designation after their name (check the official website).
How many jobs open for financial analysts each year?
The BLS projects about 24,700 openings a year for financial and investment analysts from 2025 to 2035. By our arithmetic only about 11% are new jobs; the rest replace people who retire or move to another occupation.
What do jobs after Level I pay?
In May 2025, US financial and investment analysts earned a median $102,740, and the lowest-paid 10% less than $63,720 (BLS). UK full-time finance and investment analysts and advisers earned a median £53,940 in the tax year to April 2026 (ONS, provisional). These are occupation figures, not starting salaries.
Should you wait for the charter before applying?
There is no need to wait for analyst roles: the BLS lists no related work experience for entry. The charter itself needs Levels II and III and 4,000 hours of qualified work experience in investment decision-making over at least 36 months, gained before, during or after the exams (check the official website), so work you start now may count towards it.
Related tools and pages
Sources
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain): Employment Projections, Table 1.2: Occupational projections, 2025–35, and worker characteristics, 2025 – rows 00-0000, 11-3031, 13-2011, 13-2041, 13-2051, 13-2052, 13-2054, 15-2051 and 43-3031 (employment 2025 and 2035, change, openings, median wage, typical entry education, related work experience, on-the-job training) (27 August 2026). Accessed 30 October 2026.
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain): Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 – national estimates for 13-2051 Financial and Investment Analysts, 13-2052 Personal Financial Advisors, 13-2054 Financial Risk Specialists, 11-3031 Financial Managers, 13-2011 Accountants and Auditors, 13-2041 Credit Analysts and 00-0000 All Occupations, and metropolitan area estimates for CBSA 35620 (New York) and CBSA 14460 (Boston) (employment, mean and percentiles of annual wages, read through the BLS Public Data API) (15 May 2026). Accessed 30 October 2026.
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain): OEWS frequently asked questions – what the wage estimates include and exclude, and the 2,080-hour year. Accessed 30 October 2026.
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain): Occupational Outlook Handbook: Financial Analysts – pay, median wages by industry (May 2025), job outlook 2025–35, how to become one (27 August 2026). Accessed 30 October 2026.
- Office for National Statistics (Open Government Licence v3.0): Earnings and hours worked, occupation by four-digit SOC: ASHE Table 14 – 2026 provisional, Tables 14.7a (annual pay, gross), 14.7b (coefficients of variation) and 14.9a (paid hours worked, total), full-time employee jobs, United Kingdom (22 October 2026). Accessed 30 October 2026.
- UWorld Finance (exam prep provider, secondary source): How to Put Your CFA Designation on Your Resume. Accessed 30 October 2026.
- CFA Institute: Sharing your CFA Institute achievements and trademark usage guidelines.
- 300Hours (finance careers website, secondary source): CFA Requirements: How to Become A CFA Charterholder (15 September 2026). Accessed 30 October 2026.
- CFA Institute: CFA Program: eligibility, exams, work experience and membership.
- 300Hours (finance careers website, secondary source): CFA Work Experience Requirements: A Crystal Clear Guide (14 September 2026). Accessed 30 October 2026.
- UWorld Finance (exam prep provider, secondary source): CFA Exam Fees and Registration Guide for 2027. Accessed 30 October 2026.
- CFA Institute: CFA exam dates and fees. Accessed 26 October 2026.
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