New research from forex broker experts BrokerChooser identifies the highest paying financial jobs as interest in the finance profession surges.
Investment Associate, Financial Controller and Strategy Analyst are now the highest-paid finance roles in Europe, with salaries for Investment Associates reaching an average of €65,669.
Investment Associates top the earnings list due to their role in high-stakes financial analysis and market evaluation, followed by Financial Controllers on €54,745 and Strategy Analysts on €54,434.
These roles remain the most lucrative at a time when interest in the finance profession continues to surge.
More than one in three graduates (37%) now view finance as the most promising career path, up from 30% in 2024 and 24% in 2023.
Competition is intensifying: this year saw 188 applications per graduate finance role, compared with 120 last year, making finance the second most competitive field after IT.
BrokerChooser analysed finance job postings across Europe, including salary levels, remote-work availability and cost of living, to identify the best countries for building a finance career, and where workers can expect the strongest rewards.
Ireland ranks fourth overall, offering 62 finance job openings per 100,000 people, the second-highest concentration of opportunities in Europe, and a median salary of €48,072.
The research notes a growing appetite for finance roles, reflected in a 130% surge over the past month in Google searches for “finance jobs near me”.
The Netherlands took the top spot, scoring 7.80/10, with a median salary of €53,797 and 32 openings per 100,000 people.
Wealth Manager roles there can reach as high as £282,918 annually, one of the highest salaries recorded.
Portugal ranked second, bolstered by its flexible work culture: 32.34% of finance jobs are remote, and remote roles pay twice as much as on-site positions — the largest premium in Europe.
Luxembourg, with 253 finance openings per 100,000 people and the continent’s highest median salary at €79,896, placed third.
Austria, despite strong pay and a lower cost of living than Ireland, ranked fifth due to a shortage of job openings, with just seven roles per 100,000 people.
Salary remains the top motivator for graduates, with 58% citing it as their primary driver.
Commenting on the findings, Brandon Bovey, Senior Broker Analyst at BrokerChooser, said: “The finance and investment sector is regularly named among the most attractive career paths due to its earning potential and constant opportunities for advancement – and competition in the industry is set to intensify.
“Still, it’s a favourable moment to build a career in this space, though anyone considering it should take time to understand both the opportunities and the demands involved.
“Investment management and the capital markets in general remain among the most vibrant and multifaceted areas in finance, offering constant interaction with economics, politics, technology and human behaviour.
“For those intrigued by the global flow of money, comfortable working with data and energised by fast-moving, high-stakes environments, it can be an exceptionally stimulating and rewarding profession.
“What has evolved most over time is the blend of skills required.
“Technical know-how that once provided a competitive edge has become more accessible thanks to sophisticated tools and platforms.
“Today, professionals succeed by combining market insight with coding, data analytics and the intelligent use of AI – while maintaining a broad understanding of the macroeconomic and geopolitical dynamics that drive markets.”
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