7 Fintech Careers You Can Count On

By Camilla Andersson, Monster Contributor

Behind the scenes of the increasingly fast-paced financial industry, armies of tech professionals work diligently to create new and innovative products, protect customers and assets from security risks, and maximize investments. These jobs are just one part of the growing industry called fintech, short for financial technology.

Interested in learning how to get into fintech? We have everything you need to know about seven of the best fintech careers and the top fintech companies to work for.

What Is Fintech?

Fintech is an industry sector focused on digital tech for financial products and services. The term includes both tech products for traditional financial companies, such as banks, and companies focusing exclusively on fintech. This involves:

  • mobile banking
  • peer-to-peer payment services, such as Venmo or Zelle
  • cryptocurrencies
  • digital stock trading
  • robo-advisors providing digital financial advice and management
  • business payments
  • online crowdfunding

The fintech industry is projected to grow over 20% globally in the next few years.

While fintech companies have several departments, such as sales and marketing, fintech careers usually mean tech jobs in this industry, such as developers and programmers.

How to Get Into Fintech

Fintech careers require a combination of tech skills and business acumen. Tech workers in fintech also need well-developed soft skills—like communication and team-building—in order to work successfully with customers and other banking professionals who aren’t as tech-savvy.

There are several educational paths you can follow before starting your career in fintech. Here are a few of the more common paths:

  • fintech degree: For many jobs a fintech degree is ideal, but there are a limited number of schools that offer it.
  • degrees similar to fintech: Several colleges offer other degrees that combine finance and tech education, for example financial engineering, computer business, or business administration computer information systems.
  • IT, computer science, or computer engineering degrees: For most jobs in fintech, you’ll need a solid technical education, preferably with a focus on finance. Any computer science-related degree is a good starting point. Then, you can take up a double major or minor in business to cover all your bases.
  • business, economics, or finance degrees: Jobs that are more focused on the business side of fintech might require a business degree, but it’s likely you’ll need to complement this with technical expertise, for example through college classes, online classes, or a coding bootcamp.

Industry experience isn't required to break into fintech careers, but financial services knowledge will help. For senior jobs in fintech, banking experience is more likely to matter. Developers often need experience working on banking or financial-services applications; other technical professionals will have an edge if they’ve worked with a vendor that makes IT systems specifically for the banking industry.

7 of the Best Fintech Careers

  1. app developer
  2. machine learning engineer
  3. IT security analyst
  4. product manager
  5. data architect
  6. quantitative analyst
  7. data scientist

1. App Developer

What you’d do: Fintech app developers create apps for financial tasks, for example bank account management, peer-to-peer payments, or cryptocurrency exchanges.

What you’d need: App developers usually have a bachelor’s or master’s degree in computer science or a similar field. Some app developers learn the field through coding boot camps or online classes. You’ll need to be well versed in programming languages and software design.

What you’d earn: The median salary for an applications developer is $100,016.

Find applications developer jobs on Monster.

2. Machine Learning Engineer

What you’d do: As a machine learning engineer, you’ll research and build artificial intelligence (AI) for fintech.

What you’d need: Machine learning engineers are usually computer programmers or computer engineers. You’ll need at least a bachelor’s degree in computer science or a related field to become a machine learning engineer. Some jobs require a master’s degree in computer science, computer engineering or a similar field, ideally with a specialization in machine learning. Experience in machine learning through an internship or professional certification can help you on the job market.

What you’d earn: The median salary for a computer programmer is $70,841.

Find machine learning jobs on Monster.

3. IT Security Analyst

What you’d do: IT security analysts reduce the risks of cybersecurity threats, such as phishing attempts. (Financial security analysts are different—they focus on reducing financial risks through due diligence and other financial assessments.) IT security analysts collaborate with other IT staff to build and maintain safe software and websites, monitor and track incidents, and resolve security threats.

What you’d need: Security analysts should have a bachelor’s degree in IT or computer science.

What you’d earn: The median salary for a cybersecurity analyst is $90,500.

Find IT security analyst jobs on Monster.

4. Product Manager

What you’d do: Fintech product managers conceptualize new products and services, create a go-to-market plan, and see the plan through to its execution. This includes a product’s design, roadmap, testing, marketing, and sales strategy.

What you’d need: Product managers in fintech usually have a bachelor’s or master’s degree in fintech, product management, computer science, or a related field. You’ll need a combination of hard and soft skills to succeed as a product manager in fintech, such as communication skills and an understanding of the financial sector you’re working in.

What you’d earn: The median salary for a product manager is $95,974.

Find product manager jobs on Monster.

5. Data Architect

What you’d do: Data architects develop and drive strategies, policies, and technologies for managing company data. They create the framework for how the company collects, stores, maintains, retrieves, and removes its data.

What you’d need: Data architects usually have a degree in computer science, computer engineering, or a related field. Some data architects start as database administrators.

What you’d earn: The median salary for a data architect is $115,182.

Find data architect jobs on Monster.

6. Quantitative Analyst

What you’d do: As a quantitative analyst, informally called quant, you’ll use mathematical methods and data to advice companies how to increase revenue and decrease risks.

What you’d need: Quantitative analysts usually have a bachelor degree in finance, economics, mathematics, or statistics.

What you’d earn: Financial quantitative analysts make a median salary of $99,711.

Find data analyst jobs on Monster.

7. Data Scientist

What you’d do: Data scientists in fintech analyze data and use it to predict the likelihood of future events. They can specialize in fraud prevention, customer behaviors, or financial risk analysis.

What you’d need: Data scientists usually have a degree in data science, statistics, or computer science. You should have basic knowledge of programming languages as well to become a data scientist.

What you’d earn: Data scientists make a median salary of $107,686.

Find data scientist jobs on Monster.

Top Fintech Companies to Work For

Looking for fintech companies hiring now? These are seven of the top companies hiring for jobs in fintech on Monster:

1. Plaid

Plaid works with fintech and other financial companies to help customers link their financial accounts to financial apps and services. The company is hiring for product managers.

Find all jobs at Plaid now hiring on Monster.

2. Stripe

Stripe helps companies with fintech services such as preventing fraud, sending invoices, and building payment websites and apps. Stripe is hiring for data engineers, data analysts, and more.

Find all jobs at Stripe now hiring on Monster.

3. Fiserv

Fiserv provides payments, billing, e-commerce, network services, and other fintech services to clients. It’s hiring for roles such as applications architects and applications specialists.

Find all jobs at Fiserv hiring on Monster.

4. GoodLeap

Goodleap offers financing options for sustainable homes. It’s hiring risk analysts and product managers, among other positions.

Find all jobs at GoodLeap now hiring on Monster.

5. Affirm

Affirm is a financial lender of installment loans that you can apply for using an app. It’s hiring for VP and director positions along with more entry- and mid-level jobs.

Find all jobs at Affirm now hiring on Monster.

6. PayPal

PayPal is a payment platform for business and peer-to-peer payments. It’s hiring for software engineers and global benefits managers.

Find all jobs at PayPal now hiring on Monster.

7. Cash App

Cash App is a mobile payment service that helps sellers run and grow their businesses. It has open positions for data analysts, data scientists, and more.

Find all jobs at Cash App now hiring on Monster.

Count on Monster When It Comes to Your Job Search

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