What is a finance assistant and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
Quoted Expert
Jose Aldrich

A finance assistant contributes to carrying out daily tasks at a financial institution or department. Working under the supervision of the finance director, he/she or she assists staff in maintaining accounts and troubleshooting transactions.

Finance assistants will perform data entry and create balance sheets, keep financial records updated, and order and prepare invoices. They also assist in creating reports on cost analysis to present to management.

This is an entry-level position that may lead to roles with higher responsibilities in accounting or financial analysis. You need to be good at math and have an obsessive attention to detail to good at this job.

What's a day at work look like for a Finance Assistant?

J

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Professor, Florida International University

-Wake-up and turn on your computer to review the tasks waiting for them that day.
-Detailed work assigned by their immediate boss.
-Listening and learning at meetings whether in person or remote.
-Asking a lot of questions
-Developing a network of colleagues you can rely on when some help is needed.
-Contributing to the success of a project by detail work or providing ideas and input.
ScoreFinance AssistantUS Average
Salary
3.0

Avg. Salary $37,926

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level
6.0

Growth Rate -8%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity
3.1
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.73%

Asian 3.83%

Black or African American 9.30%

Hispanic or Latino 16.28%

Unknown 3.87%

White 65.98%

Gender

female 75.13%

male 24.87%

Age - 52
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 52
Stress Level
6.0

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity Level
4.4

Complexity Level is basic

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance
7.6

Work Life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Finance Assistant career paths

Key steps to become a finance assistant

  1. Explore finance assistant education requirements

    Most common finance assistant degrees

    Bachelor's

    59.0 %

    Associate

    19.3 %

    High School Diploma

    8.3 %
  2. Start to develop specific finance assistant skills

    Skills
    ascdesc
    Percentages
    ascdesc
    Customer Service20.60%
    Data Entry9.70%
    Payroll9.35%
    Purchase Orders5.68%
    Financial Assistance5.49%
  3. Complete relevant finance assistant training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New finance assistants learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a finance assistant based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real finance assistant resumes.
  4. Gain additional finance assistant certifications

    Finance assistant certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific finance assistant certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

    The most common certifications for finance assistants include Medical Assistant and Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA).

    More About Certifications
  5. Research finance assistant duties and responsibilities

    • Manage finance operations of assign USPS location.
    • Manage patient and insurance account receivables, perform patient account reconciliations, account audits, process insurance billing/correspondence.
    • Maintain cash receipts and disbursement records using QuickBooks and prepare bank reconciliations.
    • Provide emergency Medicaid screening for undocument patients, and perform necessary follow-up calls pertaining to NYC Medicaid applications.
  6. Prepare your finance assistant resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your finance assistant resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a finance assistant resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose From 10+ Customizable Finance Assistant Resume templates

    Build a professional Finance Assistant resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Finance Assistant resume.
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  7. Apply for finance assistant jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a finance assistant job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How Did You Land Your First Finance Assistant Job

Zippi

Are you a Finance Assistant?

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Average finance assistant salary

The average Finance Assistant salary in the United States is $37,926 per year or $18 per hour. Finance assistant salaries range between $27,000 and $52,000 per year.

Average Finance Assistant Salary
$37,926 Yearly
$18.23 hourly

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How do finance assistants rate their job?

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Finance Assistant reviews

profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Jun 2022
Pros

Helping companies grow their business.

Cons

Working with companies that do not follow the GAAP guidelines.


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Jul 2020
Pros

everything except phones : Meeting,greeting, customer service, interviewing, on boarding, recruiting, presenting, etc.


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Apr 2020
Pros

Able to do creative graphs showing financial activity, controlling budgets, and autonomy. I enjoy working by myself but i do miss talking with people

Cons

Not much interaction with others. You must like working independently for most of your shift


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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