What Do Financial Aid Officers Do?
Wondering what the job is really like for financial aid officers?
You've come to the right place.
Keep reading to find detailed information about what financial aid officers do, including the type of work they are tasked with on a daily basis, industries in which they work, and the specific skills needed for a successful career.
Financial Aid Officers Overview & Description
Let's get started with the basics about financial aid officers by taking a look at a simple description and popular job titles.
Financial Aid Officers advise and educate individuals or organizations on acquiring and managing debt. May provide guidance in determining the best type of loan and explain loan requirements or restrictions. May help develop debt management plans or student financial aid packages. May advise on credit issues, or provide budget, mortgage, bankruptcy, or student financial aid counseling.
Popular Job Titles For Financial Aid Officers
Sample of Reported Job Titles
- Credit Representatives
- Home Lending Advisors
- Loan Servicing Representatives
- Credit and Collections Representatives
- Loan Servicing Associates
- Credit Services Representatives
- Member Service Representatives
- Loan Servicers
- Loan Servicing Supervisors
- Credit Associates
- Commercial Loan Representatives
- Commercial Credit Managers
Read on for insight into the industries where the highest concentration of jobs for financial aid officers can be found.
Best Industries for Financial Aid Officers
Financial Aid Officers Jobs By Industry
- Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools: 22.6%
- Education and Hospitals (State Government): 19.1%
- Education and Hospitals (Local Government): 9.6%
- Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services: 7.6%
- General Medical and Surgical Hospitals: 6.5%
- Depository Credit Intermediation: 6%
- Other: 28.6%
When it comes to jobs in the United States, the largest single category of financial aid officers can be found working in the Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools sector. In 2023, about 22.6% of all jobs for financial aid officers were found there.
Other top industries by percentage include Education and Hospitals (State Government) (19.1%), Education and Hospitals (Local Government) (9.6%), Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (7.6%), General Medical and Surgical Hospitals (6.5%) and Depository Credit Intermediation (6%).
What Do Financial Aid Officers Do on a Daily Basis?
So you have a high-level understanding of what financial aid officers do and the types of industries in which they work - but what do they really do each day?
A great way to understand the type of work financial aid officers do is to examine actual job postings and focus on the specific skills that employers are seeking. That will help paint a clearer picture of the tasks that financial aid officers tackle each day.
Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for financial aid officers, as well as common skills - interpersonal qualities and attributes - that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Financial Aid Officers
Based on 6,807 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Financial Aid Officers
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Loans | 3,217 | 47% |
| Mortgage Loans | 1,460 | 21% |
| Loan Servicing | 1,269 | 19% |
| Accounting | 1,041 | 15% |
| Financial Services | 967 | 14% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Financial Aid Officers
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Customer Service | 3,210 | 47% |
| Communication | 2,551 | 37% |
| Detail Oriented | 2,101 | 31% |
| Sales | 1,856 | 27% |
| Management | 1,802 | 26% |
Based on 6,807 job postings related to financial aid officers, loans was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 47% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for mortgage loans, loan servicing, accounting, financial services and finance were also highly sought.
As for common skills, customer service was the most desired skill found in job postings for financial aid officers, followed by communication, detail oriented, sales, management and collections.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Loans | 3,217 | 47% |
| Mortgage Loans | 1,460 | 21% |
| Loan Servicing | 1,269 | 19% |
| Accounting | 1,041 | 15% |
| Financial Services | 967 | 14% |
| Finance | 774 | 11% |
| Marketing | 713 | 10% |
| Auditing | 680 | 10% |
| Loan Documentation | 665 | 10% |
| Cross-Selling | 651 | 10% |
| Accounts Receivable | 586 | 9% |
| Product Knowledge | 577 | 8% |
| Underwriting | 576 | 8% |
| Consumer Lending | 575 | 8% |
| Call Center Experience | 537 | 8% |
| Billing | 522 | 8% |
| Lending Products | 508 | 7% |
| Truth In Lending Act | 507 | 7% |
| Financial Analysis | 499 | 7% |
| Commercial Lending | 491 | 7% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Customer Service | 3,210 | 47% |
| Communication | 2,551 | 37% |
| Detail Oriented | 2,101 | 31% |
| Sales | 1,856 | 27% |
| Management | 1,802 | 26% |
| Collections | 1,640 | 24% |
| Problem Solving | 1,457 | 21% |
| Operations | 1,366 | 20% |
| Writing | 1,284 | 19% |
| Verbal Communication Skills | 1,222 | 18% |
| Microsoft Office | 1,122 | 16% |
| Microsoft Excel | 1,114 | 16% |
| Research | 1,102 | 16% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 974 | 14% |
| Multitasking | 972 | 14% |
| Real Estate | 828 | 12% |
| Professionalism | 825 | 12% |
| Organizational Skills | 819 | 12% |
| Time Management | 714 | 10% |
| Computer Literacy | 691 | 10% |
Most In-Demand Jobs for Financial Aid Officers
Top 5 Posted Job Titles
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Credit Representatives | 1,929 | 21.3% |
| Home Lending Advisors | 1,110 | 12.3% |
| Loan Servicing Representatives | 837 | 9.3% |
| Credit and Collections Representatives | 864 | 9.6% |
| Loan Servicing Associates | 280 | 3.1% |
According to job postings that were published between September 2022 and August 2023, the top job sought by employers was credit representatives, with 808 unique job postings. Home lending advisors were second, with 341 postings, followed by loan servicing representatives, credit and collections representatives and loan servicing associates.
Expand the section below to see unique job postings for all occupations related to financial aid officers.
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Credit Representatives | 1,929 | 21.3% |
| Home Lending Advisors | 1,110 | 12.3% |
| Loan Servicing Representatives | 837 | 9.3% |
| Credit and Collections Representatives | 864 | 9.6% |
| Loan Servicing Associates | 280 | 3.1% |
| Credit Services Representatives | 342 | 3.8% |
| Member Service Representatives | 207 | 2.3% |
| Loan Servicers | 175 | 1.9% |
| Loan Servicing Supervisors | 187 | 2.1% |
| Credit Associates | 1,611 | 17.8% |
| Commercial Loan Representatives | 297 | 3.3% |
| Commercial Credit Managers | 112 | 1.2% |
| IT Sales Representatives | 181 | 2% |
| Loan Representatives | 133 | 1.5% |
| Loan Advisors | 176 | 1.9% |
| Loan Operations Representatives | 140 | 1.5% |
| Loan Servicing Assistants | 150 | 1.7% |
| Mortgage Advisors | 125 | 1.4% |
| Credit Counselors | 109 | 1.2% |
| First Press Operators | 77 | 0.9% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information for financial aid officers? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for financial aid officers.
How much do financial aid officers make?
Financial Aid Officers: How do you become one?
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