Investment Fund Managers
Plan, direct, or coordinate investment strategy or operations for a large pool of liquid assets supplied by institutional investors or individual investors.
Also called: Annual Fund Manager, Asset Management Manager, Asset Management Project Manager, Asset Manager, Digital Asset Manager, Financial Planning and Analysis Finance Manager
Median pay
$166,570
Pay for the broader BLS group “Financial Managers”
Pay range (10th–90th)
$94,310 – $323,270
People employed
841,710
Whole BLS group
Holland code
ECI
Enterprising · Conventional · Investigative
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Is this career right for you?
These are the things that stand out in this job compared with other U.S. jobs (O*NET 31.0 work context). Answer honestly.
- 1.Are you OK working more than 40 hours a week?
- 2.Do you want a job with little physical risk?
- 3.Are you comfortable sitting at a desk most of the day?
- 4.Do you want the same hours every week?
- 5.Do you prefer working indoors?
- 6.Do you want a lot of freedom to make your own decisions?
- 7.Do you want variety, with new tasks often?
The hard parts
- Tight deadlines are common
- Mistakes can have serious consequences
Investment Fund Managers pay by state
Highest-paying states
Annual median pay by state (50 states and DC with published data). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025, for the broader group “Financial Managers”.
What investment fund managers do
- 01Manage investment funds to maximize return on client investments.
- 02Select specific investments or investment mixes for purchase by an investment fund.
- 03Monitor financial or operational performance of individual investments to ensure portfolios meet risk goals.
- 04Select or direct the execution of trades.
- 05Develop or implement fund investment policies or strategies.
- 06Perform or evaluate research, such as detailed company or industry analyses, to inform financial forecasting, decision making, or valuation.
Skills that matter most
- Critical Thinking
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Active Learning
- Writing
Knowledge
- Economics and Accounting
- English Language
- Mathematics
- Customer and Personal Service
- Administration and Management
Work styles that stand out
- Attention to Detail
- Integrity
- Intellectual Curiosity
- Achievement Orientation
- Self-Control
Education and first steps
Share of workers by required education, as reported to O*NET.
How people get started
- Usually needs a graduate degree (O*NET Job Zone 5).
- Related work experience: over 8 years, up to and including 10 years.
- On-the-job training: over 6 months, up to and including 1 year.
Most common answers from O*NET 31.0 Education, Training and Experience.
Interest fit (Holland code)
O*NET occupational interest scores, scale 1–7. Take the Free Career Test to compare with your own.
Career changes
Change from investment fund managers
- Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents92% · —
- Personal Financial Advisors90% · —
- Financial Quantitative Analysts87% · group pay
- Financial Examiners85% · —
- Management Analysts85% · —
Change into investment fund managers
Jobs whose skills carry over best (skill match, their median pay).
- Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents90% · $78,660
- Personal Financial Advisors88% · $105,070
- Economists84% · $124,720
- Financial Quantitative Analysts84% · $81,100
- Insurance Underwriters81% · $81,370
Majors that lead here
- Accounting and Computer Science
- Financial Analytics
- Risk Management
- Accounting and Finance
- Accounting and Business/Management
- Finance, General
- International Finance
- Public Finance
- Credit Management
- Financial Risk Management
- Finance and Financial Management Services, Other
From the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk.