Financial Services
The Financial Services Career Cluster encompasses careers in managing and advising financial transactions, including banking, lending, corporate finance, debt management, accounting, insurance, and real estate.
What this cluster covers
- Definition
- The Financial Services Career Cluster encompasses careers in managing and advising financial transactions, including banking, lending, corporate finance, debt management, accounting, insurance, and real estate. These careers contribute to economic stability and growth by supporting the financial health of individuals and organizations.
Advance CTE
Financial Services Career ClusterAdvance CTE- Checked
- 20 Oct 2026
Careers in this cluster
Entry education, license and BLS pay and outlook for every career page in this cluster. Each career page shows what the job is and links its step-by-step roadmap.
| Career | Typical entry | License | Median pay, May 2025 | Outlook 2025–35 | Career page |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accounting & CPA Accounting |
Bachelor's degree | For some roles CPA license |
$83,680 Accountants and auditors |
+5% BLSOccupational Outlook HandbookU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
|
Open: Accounting & CPA |
| Bookkeeping Clerk Accounting |
Some college, no degree | None required; certification optional | $50,670 Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks |
−6% BLSBookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks — Summary (Quick Facts)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)
|
Open: Bookkeeping Clerk |
| Insurance Sales Agent Insurance |
High school diploma or equivalent | State license, required | $62,280 Insurance sales agents |
+3% BLSInsurance Sales Agents — Summary (Quick Facts)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)
|
Open: Insurance Sales Agent |
| Investment Banking Financial Strategy & Investments |
Bachelor's degree | Through your firm FINRA Series 79 + SIE |
$78,660 Securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents |
+1% BLSOccupational Outlook HandbookU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
|
Open: Investment Banking |
| Real Estate Agent Real Estate |
High school diploma or equivalent | Required Real Estate license |
$57,400 Real estate brokers and sales agents |
+2% BLSReal Estate Brokers and Sales Agents — Summary (Quick Facts)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)
|
Open: Real Estate Agent |
| Property Manager Real Estate |
High school diploma or equivalent | In most states | $69,990 Property, real estate, and community association managers |
+4% BLSProperty, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers — Summary (Quick Facts)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)
|
Open: Property Manager |
| Finance Financial Strategy & Investments |
Bachelor's degree | Not required for most jobs |
$103,570 Financial analysts |
+7% BLSOccupational Outlook HandbookU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
|
Open: Finance |
| Claims Adjuster Insurance |
See How to Become One | Varies by state | $78,020 Claims adjusters, appraisers, examiners, and investigators |
−6% BLSClaims Adjusters, Appraisers, Examiners, and Investigators — Summary (Quick Facts)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)
|
Open: Claims Adjuster |
| Bank Teller Accounting |
High school diploma or equivalent | None | $43,030 Tellers |
−13% BLSTellers — Summary (Quick Facts)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)
|
Open: Bank Teller |
| Personal Financial Advisor Financial Strategy & Investments |
Bachelor's degree | Depends on the products | $105,070 Personal financial advisors |
+1% BLSPersonal Financial Advisors — Summary (Quick Facts)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)
|
Open: Personal Financial Advisor |
| Loan Officer Banking & Credit |
Bachelor's degree | Mortgage loan officers | $76,690 Loan officers |
+1% BLSLoan Officers — Summary (Quick Facts)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)
|
Open: Loan Officer |
| Bill & Account Collector Accounting |
High school diploma or equivalent | None listed by BLS | $47,030 Bill and account collectors |
−10% BLSBill and Account Collectors — Summary (Quick Facts)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)
|
Open: Bill & Account Collector |
| Insurance Underwriter Insurance |
Bachelor's degree | No license; certification may be expected | $81,370 Insurance underwriters |
−4% BLSInsurance Underwriters — Summary (Quick Facts)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)
|
Open: Insurance Underwriter |
| Compensation & Benefits Specialist Insurance |
Bachelor's degree | None; certification optional | $78,210 Compensation, benefits, and job analysis specialists |
+6% BLSCompensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists — Summary (Quick Facts)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)
|
Open: Compensation & Benefits Specialist |
| Financial Examiner Banking & Credit |
Bachelor's degree | None; some become CPAs | $94,160 Financial examiners |
+9% BLSFinancial Examiners — Summary (Quick Facts)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)
|
Open: Financial Examiner |
| Real Estate Appraiser Real Estate |
Bachelor's degree | Required Real Estate Appraiser license |
$67,960 Property appraisers and assessors |
+3% BLSProperty Appraisers and Assessors — Summary (Quick Facts)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)
|
Open: Real Estate Appraiser |
| Actuary Insurance |
Bachelor's degree | No state license; pension actuaries need federal enrollment | $130,000 Actuaries |
+9% BLSActuaries — Summary (Quick Facts)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)
|
Open: Actuary |
| Credit Counselor Banking & Credit |
Bachelor's degree | None; certification may be required | $52,230 Credit counselors |
+3% BLSCredit Counselors — Summary (Quick Facts)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)
|
Open: Credit Counselor |
Pay is the BLS median for the occupation named under it, for May 2025; half of workers earned more, half less. For comparison, BLS projects all U.S. jobs to grow 3.5% over 2025–35. The career's sub-cluster comes from Advance CTE's SOC crosswalk.
Also in this cluster
Advance CTE places some occupations in more than one cluster. These careers have their page under another cluster, and the crosswalk puts them here too.
- Data Science Data Science & Artificial Intelligence
- Public Relations & Fundraising Manager Leadership & Operations
Sub-clusters and example programs
Major groupings of career areas within a given field that have similar skills as defined by industry area. The programs are Advance CTE's examples of school and college programs of study; what is offered varies by state.
-
Accounting
Careers focused on managing financial records for individuals and businesses and advising on individual and family financial planning and debt management.
Example programs Accounting · Business Finance · Economics
-
Banking & Credit
Careers centered on money management, loans, microlending, and commercial and consumer credit across banks, credit unions, mortgage brokers, and finance companies.
Example programs Banking · Credit
-
Financial Strategy & Investments
Careers involved in managing a company’s capital structure and corporate financial strategies, operations, and investments, including venture capital and private equity.
Example programs Business Administration · Securities & Investments
-
Insurance
Careers rooted in assessing risk; providing financial protection against loss; and offering products including life, health, and property insurance.
Example programs Insurance Operations
-
Real Estate
Careers focused on the buying, selling, leasing, and management of residential, commercial, and industrial properties.
Example programs Real Estate
Certifications and licenses
A state or federal license is the law; a registration through an employer comes with the job; a voluntary certification is something employers may ask for. Each card links the owner's own page.
-
State license
CPA
State boards of accountancy (AICPA writes the exam)
Required for accountants who file reports with the SEC; optional for many other accounting jobs.
BLS
Accountants and Auditors — How to Become OneU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)- Checked
- 20 Oct 2026
Says all states require 150 semester hours for the CPA; NASBA's 2025 pathways page shows a 120-hour route in states that adopt it, so the site uses NASBA for credit hours.
View sourceCareer Accountant
-
Exam (no firm needed)
SIE
FINRA
Open to anyone 18 or older and valid for four years, but it does not register you on its own.
FINRA
Securities Industry Essentials (SIE) ExamFinancial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA)- Checked
- 20 Oct 2026
Open to anyone 18 or older; no firm association needed; a pass stays valid for four years. Re-read 2026-10-20 from the Internet Archive capture of 4 Oct 2026 (finra.org blocks automated reads).
View source -
Registration through an employer
Series 7, Series 79
FINRA
Representative exams: you must be associated with and sponsored by a FINRA member firm.
FINRA
Series 7 — General Securities Representative ExamFinancial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA)- Checked
- 20 Oct 2026
finra.org answers automated reads with a Cloudflare check; read from the Internet Archive capture of 16 Oct 2026.
View source -
Exam for a state license
Series 63, 65, 66
NASAA (given by FINRA)
Passing is normally a prerequisite for a state license before an agent or adviser representative can work with investors.
NASAA
NASAA Exams (Series 63, 65 and 66)North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA)- Checked
- 20 Oct 2026
nasaa.org blocks visitors from India; read from the Internet Archive capture of 31 Aug 2026.
View sourceCareer Personal financial advisor
-
Voluntary
CFA charter
CFA Institute
Three exams, 4,000 hours of investment work experience and membership.
CFA Institute
CFA Program overviewCFA Institute- Checked
- 20 Oct 2026
Career Financial analyst
-
Voluntary
CFP certification
CFP Board
Registered coursework, the CFP exam, a bachelor's degree, experience and ethics.
CFP Board
The CFP® Certification ProcessCFP Board- Checked
- 20 Oct 2026
Career Personal financial advisor
-
Professional credential
ASA / FSA, ACAS / FCAS
Society of Actuaries; Casualty Actuarial Society
A series of exams and courses; BLS says actuaries typically complete a certification program.
BLS
Actuaries — How to Become OneU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)- Checked
- 20 Oct 2026
Still describes five fellowship tracks; the SOA replaced the tracks with a flexible course pathway in fall 2025 (soa_fsa).
View sourceCareer Actuary
-
State license
Real estate license
State real estate commissions
Every state requires agents and brokers to be licensed: prelicensing courses, a state exam, usually a sponsoring broker.
BLS
Real Estate Brokers and Sales Agents — How to Become OneU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)- Checked
- 20 Oct 2026
-
State license
Insurance producer license
State insurance departments
Required in every state where an agent works; life and health and property and casualty are separate licenses.
BLS
Insurance Sales Agents — How to Become OneU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)- Checked
- 20 Oct 2026
Career Insurance sales agent
-
State license
Mortgage loan originator (MLO) license
State regulators, through NMLS
20 hours of NMLS-approved education and the SAFE MLO Test (75% to pass); bank-employed originators register instead.
NMLS
Education FAQ — Pre-licensure Education (PE)Nationwide Multistate Licensing System (NMLS)- Checked
- 20 Oct 2026
Career Loan officer
-
State license
Appraiser license or certification
State appraiser agencies (AQB sets the minimum)
Required for federally related transactions: qualifying education, experience or PAREA, and the AQB national exam.
Appraisal Foundation
How to Become an Appraiser: Real Property AppraisalThe Appraisal Foundation (Appraiser Qualifications Board)- Checked
- 20 Oct 2026
Career Real estate appraiser
-
Federal license
Enrolled actuary
Joint Board for the Enrollment of Actuaries
Pension actuaries typically must be licensed; experience and exams are required.
BLS
Actuaries — How to Become OneU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)- Checked
- 20 Oct 2026
Still describes five fellowship tracks; the SOA replaced the tracks with a flexible course pathway in fall 2025 (soa_fsa).
View sourceCareer Actuary
Closely connected clusters
Advance CTE, from national labor market data: this cluster is most closely connected to these clusters. Advance CTE
View source
Every cluster with its sub-clusters, and which hubs are open.