National Salary Info » Financial Managers

Highest Paying Industries for Financial Managers

The top 100 highest paying industries for financial managers (ranked by average annual salary) are listed in Table 1. The entry level salary (as measured by the salary of the lowest 10% paid earners) and the number of employment in those industries are also shown. As shown in the table, with an average annual salary of $183,570, beer, wine, and liquor stores is the highest paying industry for financial managers. It is followed by securities and commodity contracts intermediation and brokerage industry (average annual salary $170,310). The salary and employment information is computed from data published by U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in May 2015 [1]. For more information about salaries of financial managers in a specific industry, use the links in the table.

Table 1. 100 Highest Paying Industries for Financial Managers

Rank	Industry	Average Salary i	Entry Level Salary i	# of Empl. i
1	Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores	$183,570	$141,140	n/a
2	Securities and Commodity Contracts Intermediation and Brokerage	$170,310	$81,250	15,190
3	Securities, Commodity Contracts, and Other Financial Investments and Related Activities	$169,550	$79,800	29,860
4	Other Financial Investment Activities	$168,880	$78,300	14,480
5	Securities and Commodity Exchanges	$166,050	$71,540	190
6	Insurance and Employee Benefit Funds	$157,110	$84,340	180
7	Other Investment Pools and Funds	$149,730	$73,370	210
8	Cable and Other Subscription Programming	$149,450	$100,280	290
9	Other Information Services	$149,040	$82,220	1,480
10	Sound Recording Industries	$148,920	$68,690	90
11	Agents and Managers for Artists, Athletes, Entertainers, and Other Public Figures	$148,250	$75,900	70
12	Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll Services	$148,110	$81,610	23,000
13	Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences	$146,400	$85,190	3,840
14	Pipeline Transportation of Crude Oil	$146,380	$61,520	60
15	Scientific Research and Development Services	$145,700	$83,790	4,180
16	Clothing Stores	$144,110	$83,200	120
17	Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services	$143,160	$68,250	2,590
18	Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries	$143,040	$78,650	770
19	Pipeline Transportation of Natural Gas	$142,950	$77,340	100
20	Motion Picture and Video Industries	$142,490	$81,180	680
21	Software Publishers	$142,080	$85,630	2,450
22	Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing	$141,540	$86,460	1,600
23	Wireless Telecommunications Carriers (except Satellite)	$141,460	$94,180	690
24	Computer Systems Design and Related Services	$141,110	$82,930	8,710
25	Pipeline Transportation	$140,940	$69,280	170
26	Manufacturing and Reproducing Magnetic and Optical Media	$139,620	$76,680	100
27	Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services	$139,380	$78,030	57,520
28	Specialty hospitals - State government owned	$139,130	$68,760	60
29	Natural Gas Distribution	$137,510	$84,610	660
30	Publishing Industries (except Internet)	$136,220	$76,900	4,440
31	Information	$136,060	$78,510	13,370
32	Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities	$135,070	$70,980	340
33	Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing	$133,930	$80,290	7,770
34	Wired Telecommunications Carriers	$133,890	$76,990	1,790
35	Telecommunications	$133,870	$78,110	3,080
36	Drugs and Druggists' Sundries Merchant Wholesalers	$133,860	$74,370	1,070
37	Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing	$133,800	$76,260	2,250
38	Data Processing, Hosting, and Related Services	$133,210	$82,540	2,420
39	Management of Companies and Enterprises	$133,200	$76,610	65,830
40	Communications Equipment Manufacturing	$132,860	$79,550	710
41	Offices of Chiropractors	$132,370	$46,110	n/a
42	Oil and Gas Extraction	$132,100	$79,240	2,020
43	Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing	$131,480	$84,130	2,190
44	Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing	$130,790	$80,950	2,980
45	Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services	$130,610	$72,500	10,500
46	Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing	$129,590	$81,260	1,680
47	Broadcasting (except Internet)	$129,480	$68,420	1,170
48	Clothing and Clothing Accessories Stores	$129,350	$74,730	210
49	Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers	$127,950	$68,840	1,990
50	Nonscheduled Air Transportation	$127,470	$71,150	100
51	Mining	$127,270	$71,460	3,080
52	Motor Vehicle Manufacturing	$126,850	$83,730	150
53	Television Broadcasting	$126,720	$74,600	640
54	Insurance Agencies and Brokerages	$126,070	$64,340	3,910
55	Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation)	$125,840	$97,680	13,360
56	Insurance Carriers	$125,800	$76,340	18,870
57	Electronic Shopping and Mail-Order Houses	$125,730	$67,820	1,200
58	Federal government, including USPS	$125,660	$97,680	13,510
59	Specialized Design Services	$125,430	$68,900	280
60	Insurance Carriers and Related Activities	$125,430	$71,940	26,190
61	Satellite Telecommunications	$125,360	$77,900	60
62	Specialty Food Stores	$125,250	$57,880	80
63	Lessors of Real Estate	$125,230	$71,520	2,510
64	Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers	$124,320	$76,590	3,650
65	Agencies, Brokerages, and Other Insurance Related Activities	$124,280	$64,080	7,320
66	Utilities	$123,650	$72,380	2,500
67	Seafood Product Preparation and Packaging	$123,480	$56,250	80
68	Waste Treatment and Disposal	$123,290	$69,030	280
69	Coal Mining	$123,080	$65,180	90
70	Direct Health and Medical Insurance Carriers	$122,930	$74,220	3,730
71	Automotive Equipment Rental and Leasing	$122,890	$66,130	430
72	Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services	$122,500	$67,240	1,310
73	Other Insurance Related Activities	$122,490	$63,830	3,420
74	Nonstore Retailers	$122,340	$66,520	1,410
75	Rail Transportation	$122,280	$83,370	420
76	Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions Merchant Wholesalers	$122,200	$77,120	660
77	Resin, Synthetic Rubber, and Artificial Synthetic Fibers and Filaments Manufacturing	$122,120	$73,190	380
78	Support Activities for Mining	$121,920	$65,640	780
79	Engineering Services	$121,680	$76,100	3,470
80	Radio and Television Broadcasting	$121,590	$63,680	870
81	Chemical Manufacturing	$121,320	$74,420	3,920
82	Legal Services	$121,270	$71,850	2,270
83	Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing	$121,220	$71,840	1,560
84	Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries	$120,950	$63,860	1,590
85	Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals	$120,850	$74,750	500
86	Real Estate	$120,770	$67,290	7,040
87	Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services	$120,480	$73,930	4,660
88	Deep Sea, Coastal, and Great Lakes Water Transportation	$120,290	$65,650	180
89	Other Telecommunications	$120,200	$64,350	540
90	Other Electrical Equipment and Component Manufacturing	$119,650	$75,590	520
91	Direct Insurance (except Life, Health, and Medical) Carriers	$119,630	$72,200	8,400
92	Water Transportation	$119,590	$68,870	230
93	Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution	$119,520	$69,950	1,710
94	Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events	$119,070	$60,460	510
95	Spectator Sports	$119,060	$67,290	460
96	Activities Related to Real Estate	$119,060	$65,500	3,630
97	Real Estate and Rental and Leasing	$119,030	$66,500	8,590
98	Chemical and Allied Products Merchant Wholesalers	$118,820	$71,040	700
99	Wholesale Electronic Markets and Agents and Brokers	$118,800	$67,860	2,890
100	Transportation Equipment Manufacturing	$118,650	$71,630	4,680