Ranked list · updated 2026-10-09
Highest-paying finance & securities credentials
20 finance & securities credentials are ranked below by the median annual wage published for the occupation each one unlocks. Every figure is quoted from the source named inside that credential's own guide, and the exam fee shown beside it comes from the awarding body.
- Credentials ranked
- 20
- Exam fees
- $75–$1,100
- Field
- Finance & Securities
Which finance & securities credentials lead to the highest published pay?
The 20 credentials below are ordered by the median annual wage published for the occupation each one unlocks. The order is computed from the researched guides; the sentence printed for each credential is that guide's own sourced headline, reproduced verbatim so its attribution stays attached to the number.
| # | Credential | Published median for the occupation it unlocks (quoted) | Exam fee | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Series 65 Uniform Investment Adviser Law Exam | $102,140 median for personal financial advisors (BLS, May 2024) | ~$187 | 2026-08 |
| 2 | Series 66 Uniform Combined State Law Exam | $102,140 median for personal financial advisors (BLS, May 2024) | ~$177 | 2026-08 |
| 3 | CFA Program Level I Exam | $101,350 median for financial and investment analysts (BLS, May 2024) | ~$990 early registration / ~$1,290 standard (pricing depends on the registration window) | 2026-08 |
| 4 | CFA Program Level II Exam | $101,350 median for financial and investment analysts (BLS, May 2024) | ~$990 early registration / ~$1,290 standard (pricing depends on the registration window) | 2026-08 |
| 5 | CFA Program Level III Exam | $101,350 median for financial and investment analysts (BLS, May 2024) | ~$990 early registration / ~$1,290 standard (pricing depends on the registration window) | 2026-08 |
| 6 | Financial Risk Manager Exam Part I | FRM Part I is the first step on the risk-management track: financial and investment analysts earned a $101,350 median in May 2024 (BLS) | ~$1,100-$1,200 | 2026-08 |
| 7 | Securities Industry Essentials Exam | $101,350 median for financial and investment analysts (BLS, May 2024) | $100 (raised from $80 in January 2026) | 2026-08 |
| 8 | Series 79 Investment Banking Representative Exam | $101,350 median for financial and investment analysts (BLS, May 2024) | Varies by location and currency — confirm on the official registration page | 2026-08 |
| 9 | Financial Risk Manager Exam Part II | FRM Part II completes the risk-management track: financial risk specialists earned about a $101,100 median in May 2024 (BLS) | ~$1,100-$1,200 | 2026-08 |
| 10 | CFP Certification Examination | Expect personal-financial-advisor pay at a May 2024 median of $99,580 (BLS) — the CFP is the planning profession’s gold-standard credential, and advisors holding it typically earn at the upper end of the occupation | ~$925 exam | 2026-08 |
| 11 | Series 24 General Securities Principal Exam | $78,140 median for securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents (BLS, May 2024) — and the Series 24 is what moves you off the sales lane and onto the supervision lane | ~$250-$300 | 2026-08 |
| 12 | Series 4 Registered Options Principal Exam | $78,140 median for securities, commodities and financial services sales agents (BLS, May 2024) | ~$150-$200 | 2026-08 |
| 13 | Series 6 Investment Company and Variable Contracts Products Representative Exam | $78,140 median for securities, commodities and financial services sales agents (BLS, May 2024) | ~$75-$100 (set by FINRA; firms may add administration fees) | 2026-08 |
| 14 | Series 63 Uniform Securities Agent State Law Exam | $78,140 median for securities, commodities and financial services sales agents (BLS, May 2024) | ~$147 (set by FINRA) | 2026-08 |
| 15 | Series 7 General Securities Representative Exam | $78,140 median for securities, commodities and financial services sales agents (BLS, May 2024) | ~$395 | 2026-08 |
| 16 | Series 9 General Securities Sales Supervisor Exam, Options Module | Expect securities-sales pay at a May 2024 median of $78,140 for securities and commodities sales agents (BLS) — the Series 9 is a supervisor license that extends the Series 7 scope to options, and supervisory roles pay at the upper end of the occupation | ~$100-130 | 2026-08 |
| 17 | Series 99 Operations Professional Exam | $78,140 median for securities, commodities and financial services sales agents (BLS, May 2024) | ~$150-$200 | 2026-08 |
| 18 | Accredited Mortgage Professional Designation | $74,180 median for loan officers (BLS, May 2024) — the closest occupation to the AMP’s career track | ~$1,000-$1,500 | 2026-08 |
| 19 | SAFE Mortgage Loan Originator National Test with Uniform State Content | $72,590 median for loan officers (BLS, May 2024) | Varies by location and currency — confirm on the official registration page | 2026-08 |
| 20 | Chartered Life Underwriter | $60,370 median for insurance sales agents (BLS, May 2024) — the primary role CLU designees hold | ~$400-$600 per course | 2026-08 |
What does this ranking actually measure?
Ranked by the median annual wage published for the occupation each credential unlocks, most recent figure per occupation, quoted from the source named in the guide (usually the BLS occupational series). A credential is the entry ticket to an occupation, not a pay guarantee: these are occupation medians, not starting salaries.
Each row also carries the month its guide was last checked against the primary source, so you can see how current the figure is before you rely on it. Fees and pass rules change; the guide linked from every row carries the authoritative reference.
Where does this field sit in the site-wide ranking?
The main ranking pools all 424 credential-with-median pairs across 15 fields, so a credential that leads this page may still sit outside the site-wide top 25 — and a credential outside this page's top few may rank highly overall. Use whichever view matches the question you are answering.
- All fields, site-wide ranking 424 ranked
- Accounting & Tax 8 ranked
- Admissions & Academic Testing 33 ranked
- Allied Health & Medical Support 43 ranked
- Fitness, Wellness & Personal Care 27 ranked
- Food Safety & Hospitality 17 ranked
- Government & Public Safety 18 ranked
- Healthcare & Clinical Licensure 10 ranked
- Insurance & Risk 7 ranked
- IT, Cloud & Cybersecurity 122 ranked
- Project Management & Business 22 ranked
- Teaching & Education 42 ranked
- Trades, Construction & Engineering 24 ranked
- Transportation & Aviation 16 ranked
- Workplace Safety 15 ranked
Frequently asked questions
How many finance & securities credentials are ranked here?
20 of this field's published guides carry a citable occupation median and are ranked below. Site-wide, 424 credentials across 15 fields are ranked, so this page is a subset of the main list rather than an alternative to it.
What does a finance & securities credential cost to attempt?
Exam fees across this field's ranked credentials run from about $75 to $1,100. Fee is what the exam costs to sit; the median quoted for each row is what the occupation pays once you hold the credential, and the two do not move together.
Is the highest-paying finance & securities credential the right one to start with?
Not necessarily. The ranking orders by the median for the occupation each credential unlocks, and several of the credentials here are sequential steps in the same career path rather than competing alternatives — one may be the prerequisite for another on this list. Read the guide for a credential's eligibility rules before treating its position here as a starting recommendation.
Why is a credential I expected to see missing?
Only credentials with a published occupation median appear. A credential whose guide does not carry a citable median is left out rather than estimated, and any credential whose researched text marks its exam as retired, withdrawn or no longer obtainable is removed — pointing at a dead exam in a recommendation list would be actively misleading.