Investment Banker: Salary, Job Outlook and Education by Specialty

BLS does not publish a separate investment banker occupation. Investment bankers are generally included in Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents (SOC 41-3031), and many analyst roles fall under Financial and Investment Analysts (SOC 13-2051). Treat these figures as the closest official categories, not banker specific pay. Across the 2 official occupations below, BLS counts about 851,550 workers. National median annual wages range from $78,660 to $102,740 (May 2025).

Annual wage distribution for investment banker occupations, United States, May 2025. Highest median: Financial and investment analysts at $102,740. The bar spans the 25th to 75th percentile, the thin line spans the 10th to 90th percentile, and the red mark is the median.

Investment Banker occupations compared
Occupation	Median wage	Employment	Change 2025 to 2035	Typical entry education
Financial and investment analysts SOC 13-2051	$102,740	361,980	+7.2%	Bachelor's degree
Securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents SOC 41-3031	$78,660	489,570	+1.4%	Bachelor's degree

Compare the top five side by side

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, National. May 2025 reference period. Published April 30, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, Table 1.2: Occupational projections, 2025-35, and worker characteristics, 2025. Base year 2025, projected year 2035. Published August 27, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.