CFA Institute 2025 Graduate Outlook Survey: Confidence in Finance Careers Soars Among Canadian Graduates
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Latest global survey of over 1,000 Canadian university students and graduates finds increased confidence in career prospects despite today's landscape.
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TORONTO — The 2025 Global Graduate Outlook Survey released today by CFA Institute, the global association of investment professionals, found that Canadian university students and recent graduates believe that the finance industry offers the most promising career prospects in today's economic climate.
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Confidence in the sector has nearly doubled in the past two years. 40 per cent of Canadian respondents ranked finance as the sector in which they felt most confident, compared to 21 per cent in the 2023 Graduate Outlook Survey. Further, confidence in finance careers surpassed all other industries by at least 20 per cent, including STEM (20 per cent), healthcare (19 per cent) and marketing (16 per cent).
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'Over the last few years, we have seen a significant increase in finance as a career choice for young people in Canada,' said Margaret Franklin, CFA, President and CEO, CFA Institute. 'That is reassuring. At CFA Institute, we believe finance serves an essential role in society and needs more committed young people to enter the field to help address the many societal challenges we face. That 93 per cent of graduates express a desire to pursue a career that positively impacts society is inspiring and gives me hope for the future of the profession.'
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Artificial intelligence emerges as both a risk and opportunity
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Despite optimism about the finance sector, students harbour significant concerns about artificial intelligence (AI) and its potential disruption. While a vast majority (87 per cent) express confidence in their AI literacy, nearly three-quarters (73 per cent) fear AI could negatively impact their career ambitions and make it harder to find a job.
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Canadian students strongly recognize that AI skills are vital for career advancement. The survey indicates 35 per cent believe AI competencies will significantly enhance their job market prospects, outpacing traditional skills such as learning a foreign language (23 per cent). Indeed, 64 per cent of respondents prioritize soft skills (such as communication and collaboration) and quantitative skills (49 per cent) as the most critical factor for career advancement, far above connections (35 per cent), internships (34 per cent), academic grades (26 per cent), or the prestige of their university (25 per cent).
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Commenting on the findings, Michael Thom, CFA, Managing Director, CFA Societies Canada, said, 'I'm glad to see that Canadian students and recent graduates are proactively seeking to equip themselves with specialized skills, particularly in AI which is fast becoming essential in the finance sector. In fact, half of Canadian respondents said they would be more interested in a job if it offers AI training. And 96 per cent recognize that upskilling, professional, or post-graduate qualifications will be essential to their future career success.'
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'This drive and eagerness to continue building skillsets is exciting to see from Canada's next generation of professionals, especially as adoption of AI continues to proliferate across industries in Canada, and the need for the next generation to be drivers of Canadian growth. AI literacy is becoming a non-negotiable skill in entry-level professional roles across Canada, and those who are able to combine their technical competence with interpersonal skills will be well suited to succeed in building their careers to meet the future. We are committed to helping these young professionals bolster their skills throughout each step of their careers with our education programs and research.'
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What are graduates seeking in their careers?
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Salary remains the primary career driver for Canadian graduates (56 per cent), though benefits and flexible working arrangements are also highly valued (54 per cent and 50 per cent, respectively). The evolving approach to career guidance also marks a generational shift, with students in Canada increasingly consulting professors (40 per cent), social media platforms (33 per cent), and influencers (27 per cent) for career insights.
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The next generation prefers trusted human advisors, but other options are available
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The findings also emphasize crucial implications for financial service providers seeking to engage effectively with the next generation, specifically the continued importance of trust in financial guidance, with 92 per cent of Canadian graduates placing the highest trust in human financial advisors for sound financial advice.
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Graduates showed substantial reliance on other resources, including friends and family (88 per cent), and online financial education (79 per cent). Comparatively, they are less likely to trust technology-first advice, with only 67 per cent turning to AI assistants like Chat GPT followed by robo-advisors (64 per cent) and social media and influencers (62 per cent).
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Financial security remains paramount, with 52 per cent of Canadian respondents citing financial peace of mind as their primary motivation for wealth-building. The next generation seeks long-term financial security and thinks that solid financial planning (57 per cent) and understanding of the markets (54 per cent) will help them achieve their financial goals.
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The full results of the 2025 Graduate Outlook survey can be viewed here.
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About CFA Institute
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As the global association of investment professionals, CFA Institute sets the standard for professional excellence and credentials. We champion ethical behavior in investment markets and serve as the leading source of learning and research for the investment industry. We believe in fostering an environment where investors' interests come first, markets function at their best, and economies grow. With more than 200,000 charterholders worldwide across more than 160 markets, CFA Institute has 10 offices and 158 local societies. Find us at
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www.cfainstitute.org
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or follow us on LinkedIn and X at @CFAInstitute.
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Enrolling in the CFA Program and earning the CFA charter prepares individuals for a variety of
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career paths
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in every sector of the global finance industry. Candidates can access all the essential study tools through the
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Learning Ecosystem
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including mock exams, the newly introduced
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Practical Skills Module
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and exam study tips. For more about the CFA Program, visit:
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CFA Program
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The 2025 CFA Institute Graduate Outlook Survey was fielded via an online survey from March 28-April 22, 2025, by Dynata with a sample of 9,023 respondents studying for a bachelor's degree or higher, or who have graduated with a bachelor's degree or higher within the last three years aged 18-25. Respondents were from Brazil, Canada, China, Hong Kong SAR, India, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Singapore, United Kingdom and the United States.
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