To work as a financial manager, you typically need to:

• have a high school diploma or equivalent;
• have a bachelor's degree; and
• have more than five years of related work experience.

Education after high school

Financial managers must have at least a bachelor's degree. Some have a graduate degree in finance or accounting. Other common areas of study are economics, risk management, and business administration.

Work experience

Financial work experience is as important as education. You must prove yourself in a related occupation before you can become a financial manager. In the banking industry employers prefer to hire people who have bank experience. Working as a loan officer is valuable experience.

On-the-job training

Financial managers frequently update their knowledge and skills. Economic markets, laws, administrative rules, and computer technology change quickly. To keep up, managers attend seminars and graduate classes in their specialties. Many employers pay for these courses.

Military training

Some branches of the military train people to be finance and accounting managers. Training lasts two to 16 weeks. Further training occurs on the job and through advanced courses. You must have a degree in accounting, finance, or a related field to enter this military occupation.