| Important Core Job Duties (in order of importance) For the Top 5 most important - How can you build experience and skill doing these? This will help now, to begin preparing for this type of occupation. |
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| Importance (%) | Description |
| Importance: 100 (%) | Description: Research or develop analytical tools to address issues such as portfolio construction or optimization, performance measurement, attribution, profit and loss measurement, or pricing models. |
| Importance: 100 (%) | Description: Interpret results of financial analysis procedures. |
| Importance: 100 (%) | Description: Define or recommend model specifications or data collection methods. |
| Importance: 100 (%) | Description: Produce written summary reports of financial research results. |
| Importance: 100 (%) | Description: Maintain or modify all financial analytic models in use. |
| Importance: 100 (%) | Description: Research new financial products or analytics to determine their usefulness. |
| Importance: 100 (%) | Description: Devise or apply independent models or tools to help verify results of analytical systems. |
| Importance: 100 (%) | Description: Apply mathematical or statistical techniques to address practical issues in finance, such as derivative valuation, securities trading, risk management, or financial market regulation. |
| Importance: 95 (%) | Description: Confer with other financial engineers or analysts on trading strategies, market dynamics, or trading system performance to inform development of quantitative techniques. |
| Importance: 95 (%) | Description: Consult traders or other financial industry personnel to determine the need for new or improved analytical applications. |
| Importance: 95 (%) | Description: Provide application or analytical support to researchers or traders on issues such as valuations or data. |
| Importance: 90 (%) | Description: Collaborate in the development or testing of new analytical software to ensure compliance with user requirements, specifications, or scope. |
| Importance: 90 (%) | Description: Develop core analytical capabilities or model libraries, using advanced statistical, quantitative, or econometric techniques. |
Master Degree Careers and Jobs
Explore Careers and Jobs Predominantly Filled by Those with a Master's Degree with or without Certificates - All On One Page
Sorted by median annual U.S. salary and including percentage of job holders with Master's Degree.
A master's degree deepens expertise and often unlocks specialized, supervisory, or higher-paying roles beyond a bachelor's degree. For people weighing whether advanced study will meaningfully expand their career options. Compare careers ranked by salary, review degree-holder and experience percentages, and access preparation resources for each role.
Here is a short Helper Video 
.
This page will take you through 4 steps, relative to an Doctorate Degree, to (1) Select a career, (2) Find active job listings, (3) Prepare for the career you chose, and (4) Provide web resources specific to the career you chose.
Step 1: Select a Career: You will be presented with a listing of Doctorate Degree careers. The list may be quite long. There are two ways you might like to use this list:
1) Filter - As you enter a word, you will filter (limit) the list of careers below
2) Browse the list (Don't Filter) - You can simply browse the list of careers. There may be many that you might never have considered. This may help you to discover careers that might be of interest.
Once you have identified a career of interest, simply click on it.
Step 2: Find a Job: After you have selected a career/job title above, you will see a form asking for your location. You will see several radio selection choices to utilize the job search site of your choice.
Step 3: Prepare For a Career: In this section you will gain access to detailed information to help you prepare for the career you selected. Information includes core and supplemental duties, general and specific work activities, knowledge required, essential and transferable skills required, day-in-the-life summaries, knowledge required, software skills required, preparation required, educational requirements, training and work experience required, local salary information, certifications, professional associations, current job listings for the job selected along with multiple similar job titles, and related careers (related to what they do, what they know, and what they're called).
Step 4: Career-Specific Resources (detailed and constantly updated): Continue to scroll down the page and you will find tabs that will provide detailed (updated) links to occupational information specific to the career you selected. This information includes:
Videos: Provides a listing of video links related to this career. A great way to get a quick overview of the occupation.
Resumes: Sources for resume materials and techniques. This can help to get you started.
Job Description: Sources that provide job descriptions, which are vital to resume and interview preparation.
Interviews: Provides links that can help you to prepare for and successfully complete the job interview.
Step by Step: Provides links to resources that can help to organize the career search process.
LinkedIn: One of the best professional social media sites that provides links, opportunities, and networking specifically for careers and career development.
Step 1 of 4: Select a Career
Leading Books About Master Degree Jobs
What jobs can you get with a Master's Degree? Scroll through the picklist (below). These are careers related to the Master's Degree level, with at least 30% of job holders having a Master's Degree. - 105 specific careers are listed, with matching jobs currently available. Select those careers that may be of interest - you will then get links to matching active job listings, and detailed resources to help you prepare.
You can use this form two ways:
1) Enter a Keyword - As you enter a keyword, you will filter (limit) the listing to those careers that contain the keyword entered
2) Browse the list (Don't enter a keyword) - You can simply browse the list of careers. There may be many that you might never have considered. This may help you to discover jobs that might be of interest.
OR - leave blank and scroll through the choices:
Select a Job Title - Sorted by Annual Salary -(scroll and Select) :
Legend: Career Title Link / (% having Masters Degree) / (Median Annual U.S. Salary)
Step 2 of 4: Find a Job
Job Listings for: Financial Quantitative Analysts.
Step 3 of 4: Prepare For a Career
Prepare for the "Financial Quantitative Analysts" Career
The details below will provide a pathway to your specific job goal and help you to identify an appropriate career ladder.
Financial Quantitative Analysts
Description: Develop quantitative techniques to inform securities investing, equities investing, pricing, or valuation of financial instruments. Develop mathematical or statistical models for risk management, asset optimization, pricing, or relative value analysis.
Please click on a section below to expand and see detailed occupational information related to "Financial Quantitative Analysts":
Core Duties
Supplemental Duties
| Important Supplemental Job Duties (in order of importance)
For the Top 5 most important - How can you build experience and skill doing these? This will help now, to begin preparing for this type of occupation. |
|
| Importance (%) | Description |
| Importance: 95 (%) | Description: Develop methods of assessing or measuring corporate performance in terms of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues. |
| Importance: 90 (%) | Description: Collaborate with product development teams to research, model, validate, or implement quantitative structured solutions for new or expanded markets. |
| Importance: 90 (%) | Description: Prepare requirements documentation for use by software developers. |
| Importance: 80 (%) | Description: Identify, track, or maintain metrics for trading system operations. |
| Importance: 80 (%) | Description: Develop tools to assess green technologies or green financial products, such as green hedge funds or social responsibility investment funds. |
| Importance: 60 (%) | Description: Assess the potential impact of climate change on business financial issues, such as damage repairs, insurance costs, or potential disruptions of daily activities. |
| Importance: 55 (%) | Description: Analyze pricing or risks of carbon trading products. |
| Importance: 50 (%) | Description: Develop solutions to help clients hedge carbon exposure or risk. |
Work Activities
| Important General Work Activities (in order of importance)
For the Top 5 most important - How can you build experience and skill doing these? This will help now, to begin preparing for this type of occupation. |
|
| Importance (%) | Description |
| Importance: 94 (%) | Description: Working with Computers: Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information. |
| Importance: 92 (%) | Description: Analyzing Data or Information: Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts. |
| Importance: 90 (%) | Description: Processing Information: Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data. |
| Importance: 89 (%) | Description: Getting Information: Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources. |
| Importance: 86 (%) | Description: Making Decisions and Solving Problems: Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems. |
| Importance: 82 (%) | Description: Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge: Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job. |
| Importance: 81 (%) | Description: Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others: Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used. |
| Importance: 81 (%) | Description: Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates: Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person. |
| Importance: 78 (%) | Description: Thinking Creatively: Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions. |
| Importance: 71 (%) | Description: Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information: Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity. |
| Importance: 70 (%) | Description: Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events: Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events. |
| Importance: 69 (%) | Description: Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work: Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work. |
| Importance: 68 (%) | Description: Communicating with People Outside the Organization: Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail. |
| Importance: 67 (%) | Description: Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships: Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time. |
| Importance: 65 (%) | Description: Providing Consultation and Advice to Others: Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics. |
| Importance: 64 (%) | Description: Documenting/Recording Information: Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form. |
| Importance: 63 (%) | Description: Developing Objectives and Strategies: Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them. |
| Importance: 61 (%) | Description: Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards: Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards. |
Specific Work Activities
| Important Specific Work Activities
How can you begin to build experience and skill doing these? This will help now, to begin preparing for this type of occupation. Specific Work Activities appear below: |
|
| Advise others on analytical techniques. | |
| Analyze business or financial data. | |
| Analyze risks related to investments in green technology. | |
| Apply mathematical models of financial or business conditions. | |
| Assess the cost effectiveness of products, projects, or services. | |
| Confer with personnel to coordinate business operations. | |
| Develop business or financial information systems. | |
| Develop financial analysis methods. | |
| Develop technical specifications for systems or equipment. | |
| Discuss business strategies, practices, or policies with managers. | |
| Measure effectiveness of business strategies or practices. | |
| Monitor business indicators. | |
| Prepare financial documents, reports, or budgets. | |
Knowledge Required
| Knowledge Required (in order of importance)
For the Top 5 most important - How can you build experience and skill doing these? This will help now, to begin preparing for this type of occupation. |
|
| Importance (%) | Description |
| Importance: 91 (%) | Description: Mathematics: Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications. |
| Importance: 82 (%) | Description: Economics and Accounting: Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data. |
| Importance: 73 (%) | Description: Computers and Electronics: Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming. |
| Importance: 60 (%) | Description: English Language: Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar. |
Essential Skills
| Essential Skills (in order of importance)
These are the foundational skills most central to success in this occupation. For the Top 5 most important, how can you begin building experience and confidence using these skills now? |
|
| Importance (%) | Description |
| Importance: 73 (%) | Description: Mathematics: Using mathematics to solve problems. |
| Importance: 68 (%) | Description: Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems. |
| Importance: 66 (%) | Description: Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents. |
| Importance: 62 (%) | Description: Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times. |
| Importance: 62 (%) | Description: Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively. |
| Importance: 62 (%) | Description: Active Learning: Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making. |
| Importance: 58 (%) | Description: Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience. |
Transferable Skills
| Transferable Skills (in order of importance)
These are skills that can transfer across occupations and industries. For the Top 5 most important, how can you strengthen these skills now so they support both this career and future career flexibility? |
|
| Importance (%) | Description |
| Importance: 64 (%) | Description: Complex Problem Solving: Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions. |
| Importance: 62 (%) | Description: Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one. |
| Importance: 54 (%) | Description: Systems Analysis: Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes. |
| Importance: 54 (%) | Description: Systems Evaluation: Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system. |
| Importance: 52 (%) | Description: Persuasion: Persuading others to change their minds or behavior. |
Day-in-the-Life Summaries
| Day-in-the-Life Summaries These summaries show the main types of activities you are likely to perform on a regular basis in this occupation. How can you imagine your typical workday — using these examples to see if this type of work fits you? |
| Activity: Advise others on business or operational matters. |
| Activity: Analyze business or financial data. |
| Activity: Analyze business or financial risks. |
| Activity: Communicate with others about business strategies. |
| Activity: Develop operational or technical procedures or standards. |
| Activity: Develop technical specifications for products or operations. |
| Activity: Evaluate programs, practices, or processes. |
| Activity: Evaluate the characteristics, usefulness, or performance of products or technologies. |
| Activity: Monitor financial data or activities. |
| Activity: Prepare financial documents, reports, or budgets. |
Software Skills
|
Software Skills These are examples of software tools commonly used in this occupation, organized from most to least important for your career preparation. How can you start learning or practicing the highest-priority tools so that you feel confident using them on the job? |
| High-Priority Tech Skills |
| Analytical or scientific software: |
| SAS The MathWorks MATLAB |
| Business intelligence and data analysis software: |
| Tableau |
| Data base user interface and query software: |
| Structured query language SQL |
| Development environment software: |
| Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications VBA |
| Object or component oriented development software: |
| C++ Python R |
| Office suite software: |
| Microsoft Office software |
| Presentation software: |
| Microsoft PowerPoint |
| Spreadsheet software: |
| Microsoft Excel |
| Emerging Tech Skills |
| Analytical or scientific software: |
| IBM SPSS Statistics |
| Business intelligence and data analysis software: |
| Microsoft Power BI |
| Data base management system software: |
| Apache Hive |
| Data base user interface and query software: |
| Amazon Web Services AWS software Microsoft Access Microsoft SQL Server |
| Development environment software: |
| Microsoft Azure software Microsoft Visual Basic Microsoft Visual Studio |
| Object or component oriented development software: |
| C# Oracle Java Perl |
| Operating system software: |
| Linux UNIX |
| Process mapping and design software: |
| Microsoft Visio |
| Web platform development software: |
| JavaScript |
| General Software Tools |
| Analytical or scientific software: |
| Insightful S-PLUS StataCorp Stata |
| Business intelligence and data analysis software: |
| MicroStrategy |
| Data mining software: |
| IBM Cognos Business Intelligence |
| Enterprise resource planning ERP software: |
| Microsoft Dynamics MicroStrategy Desktop Oracle JD Edwards EnterpriseOne |
| Financial analysis software: |
| Bloomberg Professional |
| Internet browser software: |
| Web browser software |
Preparation Required
| Preparation Required - How much preparation is needed to obtain this type of job? |
| Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed |
| Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job. |
| Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree). |
| Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training. |
| These occupations often involve coordinating, training, supervising, or managing the activities of others to accomplish goals. Very advanced communication and organizational skills are required. Examples include pharmacists, lawyers, astronomers, biologists, clergy, physician assistants, and veterinarians. |
Education Required
| Education Required - by frequency of educational attainment This shows you details about the level of education most commonly held by workers in this occupation. How can you begin planning the educational pathway that will prepare you best for this type of work? |
|
| Frequency of Attainment (%) | Level of Education |
| Frequency of Attainment: 60.0 (%) | Level of Education: Master's Degree |
| Frequency of Attainment: 35.0 (%) | Level of Education: Bachelor's Degree |
| Frequency of Attainment: 5.0 (%) | Level of Education: Doctoral Degree |
Training and Experience Required
| Training and Experience Required - by frequency of training and work experience attainment This section shows you how often different types of training and work experience are required for this occupation. How can you start gaining the kinds of experience and training that are most common for this type of work? |
|
| Frequency of Attainment (%) | Level of Training and Work Experience |
| Frequency of Attainment: 35.0 (%) | Level of Training and Work Experience: Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years |
| Frequency of Attainment: 25.0 (%) | Level of Training and Work Experience: Over 4 years, up to and including 6 years |
| Frequency of Attainment: 20.0 (%) | Level of Training and Work Experience: Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years |
| Frequency of Attainment: 10.0 (%) | Level of Training and Work Experience: None |
| Frequency of Attainment: 5.0 (%) | Level of Training and Work Experience: Over 6 years, up to and including 8 years |
| Frequency of Attainment: 5.0 (%) | Level of Training and Work Experience: Over 8 years, up to and including 10 years |
Local Salary Information
Select a State (scroll and Select) :
Please select a State to see State and National Salaries
Certifications
| Certifications These are examples of certifications that may be important for this occupation. How can you begin exploring which certifications fit your goals and what steps you would need to take to earn them? |
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Certified Annuity Specialist
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Certified Chartered Wealth Manager
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Professional Associations
| Professional Associations These associations connect people who work in this occupation or related fields. How can you start using these associations to learn more, build your network, or find mentoring opportunities? |
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National Venture Capital Association (NVCA)
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Risk Management Association (RMA)
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Job Listings
Related Careers to Consider
Step 4 of 4: Career-Specific Resources (detailed and constantly updated)
This section contains detailed resources appropriate to "Financial Quantitative Analysts". Explore these resources to start learning more. Links are constantly updated, so bookmark this page.
Videos
Here is a listing of videos related to this career. A great way to get a quick overview of the occupation.
Resumes
Here are resources that allow you to see example resumes for this occupation. It may be helpful to see examples from others who have this type of experience.
Job Description
Here are resources that provide job descriptions, which are vital for resume and interview preparation.
Interviews
There are many great resources that can help guide you through the interview process. These links provide help in preparing and performing an effective interview, specific to this occupation.
Step-by-Step
Here are links to help guide you, step-by-step, to become a(n): Financial Quantitative Analysts
LinkedIn®
Here are links to various posts and groups from LinkedIn ® that relate to this occupation. Great way to start building professional contacts in the field that might be most appropriate for you.
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