Financial Analyst

5 stops · self-paced · a common path, not the only one

1. 📍

   You are here

   Today — wherever you're starting from

2. 🔨
   Build skillsNext stop →

   Build strong Excel and math skills — these are the daily tools of the trade

   Excel isn't optional here — it's the daily tool. Get genuinely fast with it (formulas, pivot tables, modeling) before anything fancier.

   ⏱ self-paced · 💵 free–low cost

3. 🎓
   Education

   Earn a bachelor's in Finance, Economics, Accounting, or a related field

   The degree matters less than the skills, but Finance/Econ/Accounting opens the most doors and teaches the vocabulary employers expect.

   ⏱ ~4 years · 💵 varies — community college first is cheapest

4. 📚
   Learn

   Learn financial modeling through free or low-cost courses online

   Financial modeling is a learnable, teachable skill — free and low-cost courses cover it well. A model you built beats a line on a résumé.

   ⏱ self-paced · 💵 free–low cost

5. 💼
   Break in

   Pursue the CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) designation for investment roles

   The CFA is a serious multi-year, three-exam commitment — worth it for investment roles, overkill for corporate analyst jobs. Don't start it until you know which path you want.

6. 💼
   Break in

   Start in entry-level analyst roles at banks, corporations, or investment firms

   First jobs (bank, corporate FP&A, investment firm) are competitive. Networking and a modeling sample often matter more than GPA.

7. 🏁

   Financial Analyst

   Your destination