by our College Data Analytics TeamA degree in Finance explores Finance, General. A Program That Generally Prepares Individuals To Plan, Manage, And Analyze The Financial And Monetary Aspects And Performance Of Business Enterprises, Banking Institutions, Or Other Organizations. Includes Instruction In Principles Of Accounting, Financial Instruments, Capital Planning, Funds Acquisition, Asset And Debt Management, Budgeting, Financial Analysis, And Investments And Portfolio Management. Read on to learn the important information every finance student should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering finance programs.
Nationwide, finance is a widely-pursued major, with 49,828 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Finance Schools ranking analyzes these 745 schools to determine the best overall colleges for finance students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of finance programs later in this article.
Coursework for Finance develop a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations finance graduates commonly enter.
Skills emphasized by a finance program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
According to O*NET, a finance major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several finance 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 | 87 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 164 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 45,564 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 3,999 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 14 |
People currently working in careers related to finance tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree | 51.4% |
| Master’s degree | 22.9% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 4.8% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 4.8% |
| Some college courses | 4.7% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 3.7% |
| Doctoral degree | 3.2% |
| First professional degree | 1.7% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 1.1% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 1.1% |
| Less than a high school diploma | 0.4% |
| Post-doctoral training | 0.2% |
See the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in finance careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
A degree in finance prepares you for numerous career paths. Below are some of the most common occupations related to finance.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to finance.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Appraisers of Personal and Business Property | 814,640 | 8.0% |
| Financial Specialists, All Other | 691,110 | 6.5% |
| Financial Risk Specialists | 684,551 | -3.8% |
| Budget Analysts | 509,913 | -2.6% |
| Fraud Examiners, Investigators and Analysts | 471,150 | -1.2% |
| Chief Sustainability Officers | 440,982 | 0.5% |
| Chief Executives | 374,558 | -2.8% |
| Financial Quantitative Analysts | 337,391 | 10.7% |
College Scorecard reports median earnings of finance graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise 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 graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers finance 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 |
| Financial Risk Specialists | $127,364 |
| Financial Quantitative Analysts | $126,371 |
| Appraisers of Personal and Business Property | $118,242 |
| Chief Sustainability Officers | $96,628 |
With 745 different finance programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased finance school rankings to help you.
Those considering finance, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| 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 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
