Financial analysts evaluate financial data, create forecasts, prepare reports, and advise on investments and budgeting. Typical tasks include financial modeling, valuation, variance analysis, and KPI monitoring. Requirements include a bachelor’s degree in finance, accounting, or economics, 2–5 years entry-level experience, and CFA or CPA preferred. Tools used are Excel, Bloomberg, SQL, and Python. Median U.S. salary is about $85,000 annually with a projected job growth of ~8% over 10 years. Employers include banks, corporations, investment firms, and consulting