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Before You Sit for the CFA Exam eBook
Get advice from CFA Charterholders for a successful exam day.CFA Career Insights
October 5, 2026
The CFA® charter is a globally recognized financial designation representing knowledge, commitment, perseverance, skill, and hard work. Recognized as the professional standard of choice by more than 31,000 investment firms worldwide, earning the charter positions professionals for high-level career growth across more than 160 markets. Read on to learn all about what you can do with the CFA Charter.
Below is information to help you understand the long term viability of a career in financial services with the CFA designation next to your name.
While no position is entirely immune to macroeconomic downturns, core finance jobs, like a portfolio manager, is a stable position even during recessions. During challenging economic times, organizations depend on financial professionals for things such as:
capital allocation
liquidity management
regulatory compliance
risk monitoring
budgeting
and financial reporting
Occupations centered on risk management, corporate restructuring, and compliance remain in high demand even when broader consumer spending and credit markets contract.
Earning the CFA Charter is a significant buffer against career instability during market contractions. According to the Kaplan Schweser 2024 CFA Program Survey, 76% of candidates pursue the CFA charter for career advancement and 73% for personal growth. The technical expertise required to earn the CFA designation equips charterholders with specialized skills in asset valuation, portfolio stress-testing, and risk management, which are skills that are particularly important during market downturns and helps provide job security.
During economic contractions, the demand for data-driven, strategic financial stewardship can increase across both buy-side and sell-side institutions. Risk managers, credit analysts, and portfolio managers are actively relied upon to mitigate portfolio downside, reassess corporate balance sheets, and reallocate capital effectively. The Kaplan Schweser 2024 CFA Program Survey shows that 68% of CFA candidates feel capable of handling more challenging projects and 66% feel more valuable to their employer after passing CFA exams. These particular skill sets ensure CFA charterholders remain core assets when organizations freeze general hiring or streamline staff.
The overall career outlook for financial professionals holding or pursuing the CFA designation is exceptionally strong:
Employment of financial analysts is projected to grow by 7% over the decade, faster than the average for all occupations according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects approximately 32,000 annual openings for financial analysts on average over the decade.
The median annual wage for financial and investment analysts is $103,570 according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Data from the Kaplan Schweser 2024 CFA Program Survey illustrates the direct financial and professional returns experienced by CFA charterholders.
Career Metric | CFA Charterholders | Source |
|---|---|---|
Received Salary Increase | 42% | |
Received a Career Promotion | 20% | |
Agreed Curriculum Was Valuable to Career | 84% | |
Increased Career Trajectory Satisfaction | 60% |
Earning the CFA charter opens doors across multiple financial sub-sectors. The 2024 CFA Institute Compensation Study provides official global membership distribution data across specific job roles and focus areas. Based on a total global base of more than 190,000 CFA charterholders, these percentage distributions reflect the specific roles held by CFA Institute members.
Job Function | Member Share (%) | Est. Global Charterholders |
|---|---|---|
Portfolio Management | 26% | ~49,400 |
Research / Quantitative Analysis | 11% | ~20,900 |
Consulting | 8% | ~15,200 |
Investment Strategy | 7% | ~13,300 |
Risk Analysis / Management | 6% | ~11,400 |
Individual Investment / Relationship Management | 6% | ~11,400 |
Credit Analysis | 6% | ~11,400 |
Chief Investment Officer (CIO) | 5% | ~9,500 |
Trading | 4% | ~7,600 |
Financial Planner | 3% | ~5,700 |
Accounting / Audit | 3% | ~5,700 |
Investment Performance Analysis | 3% | ~5,700 |
Chief Financial Officer (CFO) | 2% | ~3,800 |
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) | 2% | ~3,800 |
Information Technology | 2% | ~3,800 |
Compliance | 1% | ~1,900 |
Research Sales | 1% | ~1,900 |
Regulator / Financial Examiner | 1% | ~1,900 |
Professor / Academic | 1% | ~1,900 |
Economist | 1% | ~1,900 |
Within the portfolio management function, members specialize across several key asset classes and account types according to CFA Institute:
Equities: 22%
Fixed Income: 21%
Multi-Asset Class: 21%
Individual & Trust Accounts: 10%
Manager of Managers: 7%
Private Equity: 7%
Other: 7%
For analysts operating in research roles, the division between buy-side and sell-side is heavily weighted toward institutional asset buyers according to CFA Institute:
Buy-Side Research: 77%
Sell-Side Research: 23%
As you get ready for your next CFA exam, consider making Kaplan Schweser CFA study materials—complete with classes, study tools, Kaplan Schweser Community forum access, exam prep study packages, and mock exams—the centerpiece of your mission to earn a passing grade.
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*Earnings increases are dependent on numerous factors other than, or in addition to, earning the CFA® charter, including specific employment conditions and individual experience. Kaplan Schweser does not guarantee any earnings increase resulting directly from such designation. These are the findings of a quantitative survey conducted by Kaplan between May 2 and May 27, 2024. For this survey, a sample of 728 CFA Level I, II, and III candidates was interviewed online, of which 305 are CFA charterholders and were employed at the time of the survey.
**These are the findings of a quantitative survey conducted by Kaplan between May 2 and May 27, 2024. For this survey, a sample of 728 CFA® Level I, II, and III candidates was interviewed online, of which 307 are CFA charterholders.
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