by our College Data Analytics TeamThe backbone behind any company is its financial team. They budget and manage the capital that firms have acquired and invested. As opposed to accounting, finance is the study of managing and manipulating money, in order to fit into the company's budget and prepare for future success.
A major in Finance & Financial Management teaches students how to make logical financial decisions for organizations. They will learn how to plan, manage, and analyze the financial and economic aspect of business. There are a few concentrations within this major; they include Banking and Financial Support Services, Financial Planning and Services, International Finance, Investments and Securities, Public Finance, and Credit Management. While pursuing this major, you will be taking courses in investments, financial management, international finance, accounting and statistics, and financial markets and institutions.
A degree in Finance & Financial Management covers Finance And Financial Management Services. Continue reading for the key facts every finance & financial management student should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering finance & financial management programs.
Across the country, finance & financial management is a popular field of study, with 57,564 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Finance & Financial Management Schools ranking analyzes these 851 schools to determine the best overall colleges for finance & financial management students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of finance & financial management programs later in this article.
Studies in Finance & Financial Management develop a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations finance & financial management graduates commonly enter.
Students should enjoy working with numbers and have an interest in learning about money, as well as stock, bonds, forecasting and budgeting. Interest in financial markets would be ideal. Students will flex their creative skills finding solutions to budgets and finance problems.
To prepare for this major, it is advised to take prior courses in Statistics, Economics, Business, Computer applications, and Calculus. This program is not only offered as a Bachelor's Degree, but students can continue onto higher education and receive a Master's or Doctorate.
Skills developed in a finance & financial management program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
Per O*NET surveys, a finance & financial management major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several finance & financial management degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 161 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 343 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 46,953 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 8,314 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 30 |
People currently working in careers related to finance & financial management tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree | 45.3% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 19.1% |
| Master’s degree | 13.6% |
| Some college courses | 5.4% |
| Doctoral degree | 4.4% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 3.6% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 3.6% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 3.2% |
| First professional degree | 0.9% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 0.4% |
| Less than a high school diploma | 0.4% |
| Post-doctoral training | 0.1% |
See the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in finance & financial management careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Graduates with a degree in Finance and Financial Management will typically enter into careers as Financial Managers and Analysts. These professionals work in various firms and oversee their financial activates and plan for their present and future success.
Another path that is possible for graduates is to become Personal Financial Advisors. These professionals work with people to manage their money, both for short and long term. There is a large demand for these Advisors, due to the recent financial crisis and amount of baby boomers retiring.
A degree in finance & financial management opens doors to many career paths. These are some of the most common occupations related to finance & financial management.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to finance & financial management.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Loan Interviewers and Clerks | 1,934,532 | 6.1% |
| Credit Authorizers, Checkers, and Clerks | 1,679,611 | 3.5% |
| Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents | 1,156,027 | 9.2% |
| Tellers | 924,918 | 11.2% |
| Appraisers of Personal and Business Property | 814,640 | 8.0% |
| Bill and Account Collectors | 763,973 | 8.3% |
| Financial Specialists, All Other | 691,110 | 6.5% |
| Financial Risk Specialists | 684,551 | -3.8% |
The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of finance & financial management graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $60,617 |
| 4 years | $75,528 |
| 5 years | $88,287 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for finance & financial management graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers finance & financial management grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Treasurers and Controllers | $162,461 |
| Investment Fund Managers | $157,819 |
| General and Operations Managers | $149,694 |
| Chief Executives | $138,534 |
| Insurance Underwriters | $129,939 |
| Financial Risk Specialists | $127,364 |
| Financial Quantitative Analysts | $126,371 |
| Appraisers of Personal and Business Property | $118,242 |
With 851 different finance & financial management programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased finance & financial management school rankings to help you.
Students interested in finance & financial management, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Finance, General | 49,828 |
| Financial Planning and Services | 5,773 |
| Banking and Financial Support Services | 992 |
| Investments and Securities | 414 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services, Other | 363 |
| International Finance | 124 |
| Public Finance | 63 |
| Credit Management | 4 |
| Financial Risk Management | 3 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 402,942 |
| Accounting and Related Services | 81,835 |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | 62,236 |
| Business/Commerce, General | 57,976 |
| Marketing | 53,750 |
| Human Resources Management and Services | 25,424 |
| Business Operations Support and Assistant Services | 16,153 |
| Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations | 14,306 |
| Hospitality Administration/Management | 13,333 |
| Management Information Systems and Services | 12,092 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
