10 finance career paths in Australia in hot demand + salaries
Thanks to the media and pop culture, you’d be forgiven for thinking that a finance career path comes with some pretty extreme demands, old-school values and cultural rigidity. The whole Wolf of Wall Street trope can be pretty hard to get away from. Especially if you’re confronted by #financebro content every time you’re flipping through socials for a bit of new career inspo.
At the same time, there’s a lot that’s appealing about this sector. If you like the idea of working with numbers, playing an alternative role in supporting important causes, or helping people with some of the biggest transactions of their lives, finance could be for you. And let’s be real – the earning potential, once you’re skilled and experienced, is a big plus.
The good news is that you don’t have to suit up and become a Collins Street cowboy in order to explore a career in financial services. There are plenty of alternative and emerging finance jobs you may not have thought of as possible options. These include occupations that are adjacent to or supporting some traditional roles. There are some jobs that might not have even been a thing when you were finishing up high school and trying to decide on your next move.
In this quick guide, we’ll take a look at the general shape of the finance sector in Australia in 2025, plus some projections for 2026 and beyond.
Finance careers in Australia: A general job outlook and the future
According to the latest stats from the ABS, there were over 12,000 job vacancies in the financial and insurance services industry in the last month on record. This growth has only strengthened over the last six months, unlike some other parts of our job market. That’s just one of a few clues that finance is a relatively secure option, even in tough times.
This matches up with the numbers from Jobs and Skills Australia, which also take into account trends from their own data (from employers, recruitment professionals and online job ads). JSA tells us that the number of workers in the sector grew by about 5.6% over the last year. Over the years to May 2029, there will be another ~41,200 jobs added. By May 2034, it’ll be nearly 78,200 more.
The government stats also tell us that financial and insurance services workers, on average, have better weekly earnings than other industries ($1,900, vs $1.700 elsewhere). That’s across all seniority levels and accounting for the fact that around 12% of employees are part-timers.
Why finance is a growing career sector in Australia
Australia’s finance industry is growing because it's becoming a bigger part of our economy as our focus shifts away slightly from things like mining. This also means it’s offering more jobs. On average over the past five years, the finance sector in Australia has grown by about 6% a year, reaching ~$473 billion in 2025. That’s up from ~$506 billion in 2024, after a strong 12.7% jump that year.
There are also more finance businesses popping up, with about 63,400 firms in 2025. That’s an increase of 2.7% from 2024 and an average growth of nearly 5% per year over the past five years.
Driven by strong home loan demand (especially since rates dropped again), business lending and fintech innovation, the sector is powering ahead. To put it simply, finance is growing in Australia because it's getting bigger, more diverse and more future‑focused. It’s drawing in more businesses, jobs and new technologies like embedded finance and fintech innovation (more on this in a minute), all adding fuel to the fire.
What counts as a finance career?
A finance career doesn’t mean spending decades working your way up the ranks at a bank. Or suiting up, putting on a headset and selling shares all day. While there are still plenty of well-established traditional career paths and graduate programs in banking and stockbroking, there’s a lot more to the finance sector in Australia today.
A finance career is any job where you work with money: helping people or businesses manage it, plan for the future, or stay on top of their finances. This can include accounting, where you keep track of a company’s money and bookkeeping, which is more about recording daily financial details. Payroll is another part of finance, where you make sure employees are paid the right amount on time.
In mortgage broking, you help people find home loans that suit their needs and guide them through the application process. Paraplanning is about supporting financial advisers by doing research and preparing reports for clients.
Other finance careers can include working in financial counselling or hardship support, helping with taxes, managing investments, or using technology to make financial services easier and faster. Overall, if a job involves handling money or giving financial advice, it likely fits under the finance career umbrella.
Popular finance career paths
To investigate which kind of finance work might suit you, you can start with getting to know some of the main categories of occupations within the industry. These include:
Accounting is all about keeping track of money. Accountants check where money is coming from and where it’s going. They help businesses understand their finances and follow the rules. This includes things like making sure their records are kept according to the Australian Accounting Standards.
Tax services involve helping people and businesses manage their taxes. This includes preparing tax returns, finding ways to save money and making sure everything is done legally and on time.
Corporate finance is about helping companies grow and make smart money choices. People in this area work on things like raising money, managing big budgets and planning for the future.
Financial planning means helping individuals set goals and make good decisions with their money, like saving for a house, investing, or getting ready for retirement.
Banking covers jobs in banks, like helping customers with their accounts, giving out loans, or working behind the scenes to move money around safely.
Risk and compliance is about making sure companies follow the law and avoid big financial mistakes. It includes checking for problems and putting rules in place to keep things running smoothly.
Fintech stands for ‘financial technology’. It’s a fast-growing area where finance and technology come together, like apps that help you budget or online platforms that offer loans. Fintech jobs aren’t all about engineering or coding; there are lots of different roles that contribute to these apps and systems working properly.
Management accounting and advisory services involve helping businesses make smart choices based on their numbers. These roles focus on planning, budgeting and giving advice to improve performance.
Different finance careers in Australia: A comparison
Wondering what qualifications you really need for a finance career in Australia? Hint: probably not an MBA or a maths degree! There are some surprising variables between different pathways, including many that require as little as 6-12 months’ study. Here’s a side-by-side comparison.
Career/role | Job overview | Average salary | Qualifications required | Work setting |
Accountant | Handles things like preparing financial statements, checking records and helping organisations follow the rules. | Minimum of a Diploma of Accounting, though a high proportion of accountants pursue degrees and professional certifications like CPA. | Most accountants work on site, though increasingly some roles offer hybrid setups depending on the organisation. | |
Bookkeeper | Records day‑to‑day transactions, keeps track of income and expenses and prepares basic reports. | Minimum of a Certificate IV in Accounting and Bookkeeping in order to register with most professional associations. | These roles can be in‑person or hybrid and many offer remote options, especially for freelance bookkeepers. | |
Financial planner | Supports individuals with budgeting, investing, saving for goals like retirement or a home. | Bachelor’s degree or higher, according to professional standards legislation. | Work is often in‑person (e.g. meeting clients), though hybrid and remote options are growing, especially with virtual consultations. | |
Mortgage broker | Helps people find and apply for home loans, comparing lenders and guiding clients through applications. | $100,000 (not including commissions / profit shares) | Minimum of a Certificate IV in Finance and Mortgage Broking, or a Diploma of Finance and Mortgage Broking Management if you’re leading/running your own practice. | Many brokers work hybrid or remotely, as client meetings can be in person, online or via phone. |
Payroll officer | Ensures employees are paid correctly and handles tax withholdings, super, leave and payslips. | A Diploma of Payroll Services is recommended, especially if you don’t have existing payroll experience. | These roles are typically office‑based, but hybrid work is becoming more common. | |
Tax agent | Helps individuals and businesses prepare tax returns, ensure compliance and plan tax strategies. | A Diploma of Accounting plus two specific units that make up the Tax Agent Certification Course. | Hybrid and remote work is common, especially with the rise of all-online tax admin services. | |
Paraplanner | Does the research, prepares documents and statements and supports financial planners in delivering advice. | The Advanced Diploma of Paraplanning provides the practical foundations for an entry-level role in paraplanning. | These roles are usually office‑based, though hybrid models are more common now. | |
Compliance officer | Monitors and ensures that companies follow laws, regulations and internal policies for financial management and recordkeeping. | Bachelor’s degree in law, business or finance, plus a VET certification such as Certificate IV in Compliance and Risk Management (or postgrad equivalent). | Compliance officers usually work in the office, but may travel to meet with stakeholders such as service providers. | |
Cybersecurity analyst | Responsible for protecting financial tech systems by monitoring for threats, investigating vulnerabilities and responding to security incidents. They work closely with IT and fintech teams to keep apps and platforms safe from cyber attacks. | Some have computer science degrees, but many have a combination of experience and professional certifications, or VET qualifications like a Diploma of Information Technology (Cyber Security and Advanced Networking). | Analysts frequently work remotely, but in large organisations (like banks) may be hybrid. | |
Full stack developer | Builds and maintains both the front-end user interface and back-end systems for financial technology applications. They write code, integrate APIs and ensure that fintech services are smooth, efficient and secure. | Some have computer science or engineering degrees, but most have a combination of experience and certifications from a variety of IT short courses. | Developers frequently work remotely, but may be required to travel to their employer or client’s head office for important meetings. |
Entry-level finance jobs to get you started
Junior bookkeeper
If you’ve finished a course in bookkeeping or accounting, you can apply for junior bookkeeper roles. Many small businesses are open to hiring newly qualified bookkeepers if you’re skilled in other areas of business admin, making this a great path for career changers. You could get your start by doing bookkeeping for a friend’s small business, or volunteering to build up your skills.
Assistant broker
To become a mortgage broker, you’ll usually need to complete a Certificate IV in Finance and Mortgage Broking. After that, you can apply for assistant or trainee broker roles, working under a more experienced broker to learn the ropes. Many people start by working in banks or broker franchises to get industry knowledge before becoming fully accredited brokers themselves.
Accounts payable/receivable officer
These roles are perfect entry points into finance, especially if you’re keen to work for a small business or community organisation. As an accounts payable or receivable officer, you’ll help process invoices, chase payments and keep track of what’s owed. You don’t need much experience, just solid communication skills, attention to detail and some knowledge of spreadsheets or finance systems, which you’ll gain in a Certificate IV in Accounting and Bookkeeping. Many businesses hire juniors or recent grads for these positions.
Payroll assistant
To get started in payroll, it helps to study payroll or accounting basics, then apply for junior payroll officer roles. These jobs involve helping to process pay runs, keeping staff records and checking timesheets. A good understanding of numbers and strong accuracy are key. Some companies offer on-the-job training that complements your studies, so it’s a great entry-level choice.
Junior analyst
Often in bigger companies, this role supports budgeting, forecasting and financial reporting. It’s a good path into corporate finance or investment analysis, especially if you’re strong with Excel and numbers. You can pick up the foundational reporting skills you need through a Diploma of Accounting.
Ready to kick-start a finance career that’s a bit more you?
If you’ve read this far, hopefully you’ve now got a sense of how working in financial services could be a match for your goals and interests. And that getting started is much more achievable than you might have thought. Keep exploring your options by downloading some of our handy course guides today. Or if you’re ready to take the next step, book a time to chat with one of our friendly course consultants about your study options today.
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