Valuation Analyst Qualifications and Skills

What is a Valuation Analyst?

VAs are vital cogs in the investment, audit, and business operations machine who work closely with senior financial managers and board-level investment figures.

As we discuss in depth on our Valuation Analyst Job Description and Profile page, valuation analysts determine the value of any specific company, asset, stock, portfolio, or enterprise.

They are the central point of analytical and critical financial assessment of tangible and intangible assets, which utilise a range of statistical models to determine everything from goodwill impairment costs and PPA to total asset value.

VAs are integral figures within internal audit teams (helping companies meet regulatory requirements while remaining efficient); they assist with bankruptcies, stockholder disputes, transactions, buy-outs and mergers, data management, data analysis, and security, and report to multiple teams.

Valuation Analyst Academic Qualifications
Becoming an in-demand VA starts at the degree level; qualified VA candidates require a finance, accounting, business, or maths degree.

Qualification to the MBA level is desired, but optional, to work as a valuation analyst, but at a senior level, and when considering a career path to partner, an MBA proves to be a worthwhile investment.

Valuation Analyst Certifications
Valuation analyst certifications are required to build a career in this dynamic finance niche. They are often combined with work experience and in-work time as a basis for getting said certifications.

Well-regarded professional VA certifications include:

• Financial Modeling and Valuation Analyst (FMVA)
• Certified Valuation Analyst (CVA)

Valuation Analyst Work Experience
As with any specialist role in finance, work experience is essential to developing the right skills and connections to build a career as a valuation analyst.

Internships are the perfect gateway into a career as a VA, but as we mentioned above, there are several pathways to specialising as a valuation analyst, from accounting to business management.

Our advice is to seek a supportive role that allows you time to complete your CVA or FMVA while at work so you can learn and apply classroom theory in practice.

Valuation Analyst Internships
Some of the world’s most well-established finance and audit firms offer VA internships year-round. The most effective thing you can do while planning a career in valuation analysis is to network with VA internship providers and open as many doors to experience and opportunity as possible.

Learn More About Valuation Analyst Careers

The following articles cover job descriptions, how to become one, salary and pay, and CV-building tips.

Search Jobs to find out about the valuation analyst job roles we currently have available.