There’s no question it can be hard to choose that one perfect career path to follow for the rest of your life. What makes you happy now and leaves you feeling fulfilled just may not be the case 10, 20, even 30 years from now. Rather than put off education and joining the workforce, often the best approach is to pick a field that offers variety and growth both now and in the future. What this means is that your skills and experiences can take you down different job paths over the years, constantly filling that need for change, advancement, and growth.

One field that can definitely tick off all of these boxes is that of the financial industry. This field is massive, to put it mildly, touching almost every other industry out there. Stating that you want a job in the financial industry won’t limit you, nor will it make you choose one singular path to follow. Here we’ve gone ahead and highlighted five exciting finance-based careers that you may consider pursuing in 2020 and beyond.

Financial Analyst

According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, this is a field that is enjoying an average rate of growth right now, which means there are jobs to be found. With a median pay of $85,660/year, it's also a rather attractive option in terms of salary. As a financial analyst, it will be your job to offer sound advice to individuals and businesses when it comes to their investments.

This can be a very busy and fast-paced job, often with overtime hours required - depending on where you work, of course.

Accountant

Then there is the career of an accountant, which is enjoying a 6% growth rate at the moment. This is on-par with the national average. You'll be making a little less in this position, as its median pay is $70,500 - still quite healthy. As an accountant, it's up to you to prepare and then examine the financial records of your client. Clients can be individuals or businesses.

While you’ll be busy year-round, tax season always tends to be extremely hectic for accountants. Expect to be putting in long hours in the weeks leading up to the filing deadline. The great thing about accounting is that you have a lot of flexibility when it comes to your employer. You can work in an accounting firm, for a business in a designated accounting department, or even start your own accounting company.

Credit Analyst

As a credit analyst, you will be investigating business' and individual's financial statements as well as their credit information. Your job is to determine what their risk factor is in terms of lending them money - credit. You will need to draft and file reports that support your findings. This particular job offers a fair bit of variety since you will constantly be working with different applicants.

As for the median wage for this job, it is listed as $82,900 for 2018.

Investor Relations Associate

As an investor relations associate, it will be up to you to put together and then present financial information to other analysts, investors, businesses, and even the media. Not only do you need the proper educational credentials, but you also need to be the type that is very detail-oriented and has strong analytical skills.

Personal Financial Planner

If you want to be able to take all of your knowledge and help individuals, then the job of a personal financial planner could be the best path to pursue. This particular career is growing a little faster than the national average and has a median pay of $88,890/year. If you have dreams of going into business for yourself, again, this can be the perfect career.

While there are personal financial planners that work for banks and other institutions, many of them are self-employed. This gives you the ability to determine what path you take in your job.

Setting Yourself Up for Success

Of course, to be successful in any of these careers, you’ll need to start with the foundation – which is education. Schools such as Suffolk University, https://online.suffolk.edu/programs/ms-finance, offer a well-respected Master of Science in Finance (MSF) through an online program. The program is meant to create well-rounded, prepared, and knowledgeable individuals who can take on the challenges of the financial industry.

No matter which of these paths may seem right for you, they all share one thing in common – that they are growing and are in demand. This could spell out a very bright future for you.