Financial Analyst vs Human Resources Manager: which pays more?
Human Resources Managers earn about $36,000 more per year than financial analysts — roughly 36% higher at the national median. Here is how the two careers compare on pay, training, and outlook.
Financial Analyst
$100,000
median per year
Financial analysts evaluate investments and guide business and individual financial decisions.
Full financial analyst salary data →Human Resources Manager
$136,000
median per year
Human resources managers plan and coordinate an organization's people operations.
Full human resources manager salary data →Side-by-side breakdown
| Metric | Financial Analyst | Human Resources Manager |
|---|---|---|
| Median annual salary | $100,000 | $136,000 |
| Median hourly pay | $48 | $65 |
| Entry-level (10th percentile) | $65,000 | $85,000 |
| Top earners (90th percentile) | $170,000 | $215,000 |
| Education required | Bachelor's degree in finance, economics, or accounting; CFA helps. | Bachelor's degree in HR or business plus experience; SHRM certification helps. |
| Job outlook | 9% growth through 2033 — faster than average. | 6% growth through 2033 — faster than average. |
Pay by state
| State | Financial Analyst | Human Resources Manager | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $118,000 | $160,500 | −$42,500 for Human Resources Manager |
| New York | $114,000 | $155,000 | −$41,000 for Human Resources Manager |
| Massachusetts | $113,000 | $153,500 | −$40,500 for Human Resources Manager |
| Washington | $112,000 | $152,500 | −$40,500 for Human Resources Manager |
| New Jersey | $109,000 | $148,000 | −$39,000 for Human Resources Manager |
| Colorado | $104,000 | $141,500 | −$37,500 for Human Resources Manager |
| Illinois | $102,000 | $138,500 | −$36,500 for Human Resources Manager |
| Pennsylvania | $98,000 | $133,500 | −$35,500 for Human Resources Manager |
| Texas | $97,000 | $132,000 | −$35,000 for Human Resources Manager |
| Arizona | $96,000 | $130,500 | −$34,500 for Human Resources Manager |
| Michigan | $95,000 | $129,000 | −$34,000 for Human Resources Manager |
| Ohio | $94,000 | $128,000 | −$34,000 for Human Resources Manager |
| Georgia | $94,000 | $128,000 | −$34,000 for Human Resources Manager |
| North Carolina | $93,000 | $126,500 | −$33,500 for Human Resources Manager |
| Florida | $92,000 | $125,000 | −$33,000 for Human Resources Manager |
Which career should you choose?
Pay is only one part of the decision. Human Resources Managers earn more on paper, but bachelor's degree in hr or business plus experience; shrm certification helps. takes longer and costs more than bachelor's degree in finance, economics, or accounting; cfa helps.. If you want to start earning sooner, financial analyst is usually the faster route. If long-term earning ceiling matters most, human resources manager tops out at $215,000 versus $170,000.
Job security also differs: financial analyst outlook is "9% growth through 2033 — faster than average." while human resources manager outlook is "6% growth through 2033 — faster than average."