This article was updated on July 19, 2024.
Written by Michael Feder
Reviewed by聽Kathryn Uhles, MIS, MSP,听Dean, College of Business and IT
If you love to crunch numbers or have a passion for finance, a degree in finance can help you prepare to find a job in several industries. According to recent projections from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), business and financial occupations are projected to see per year between 2022 and 2032.
But finance isn鈥檛 just about numbers. There are a variety of skills to develop, depending on the role you鈥檇 like to pursue within the financial industry. These include:
Finance degrees and related programs can help develop the skills and knowledge to pursue entry-, mid- and senior-level positions. Let鈥檚 explore the components of a finance degree and related programs, including the skills they develop and potential postgraduation careers.
Aspiring financial professionals have plenty of options for types of finance degrees and certificates. In fact, some financial professionals may not get a finance degree at all, opting instead for a bachelor鈥檚 degree in business or accounting. That said, accounting degrees concentrate on the technical aspects of聽auditing and financial reporting while a finance-oriented degree is different. For the purposes of this article, a finance degree refers to a Bachelor of Science in Finance and Technology, which is what 澳门天天彩开奖记录 offers.
Finance degree programs cover a range of聽business and money-related topics.聽Their goal is to provide a solid knowledge base on which to grow a career in business, investment or a related field.
Students learn about credit, debt, financial analysis, investment decisions and concepts used in banking and capital management.聽Programs also cover economics, the principles of risk management and the basics of budgeting.
Entry-level finance jobs typically require a聽. Depending on the industry, qualifications for finance professionals may vary greatly. With a large range of entry-level finance jobs come equally diverse opportunities for people with specialized degrees, experience and even niche interests and goals within business and finance.
Degrees in business and financial fields聽can provide fundamental knowledge and skills that support your daily job responsibilities in finance.
It鈥檚 important to familiarize yourself with the general requirements and day-to-day responsibilities of any finance role you鈥檙e interested in pursuing, both before beginning a聽business finance degree program听补苍诲 after completing a degree in finance, as requirements may change over time. This way, you can specialize in a path you鈥檙e interested in or even consider seeking a broader education that may qualify you for more than one potential career route.
For many finance careers, earning a professional certification or taking continuing education classes is one way to add skills toward a finance specialization.聽
For example, you can become a聽*聽if you want to work as a financial advisor or planner for individuals or companies. Another option is to become a聽*, a popular requirement for any financial advisor and analyst position involving investment decisions.聽
*澳门天天彩开奖记录 does not prepare students for these specific certifications.
While most people may think only of careers like聽accounting or financial advisement within the industry, there are聽various job opportunities for those interested in working within the finance field聽or related areas. What鈥檚 more, many of these positions exist in different settings, from insurance companies to financial service providers.
Finance jobs range from entry-level to more specialized roles and may require a variety of skills or professional certifications to qualify. Here are some careers for finance majors or those with a degree in finance.
Salary ranges are not specific to students or graduates of 澳门天天彩开奖记录. Actual outcomes vary based on multiple factors, including prior work experience, geographic location and other factors specific to the individual. 澳门天天彩开奖记录 does not guarantee employment, salary level or career advancement. BLS data is geographically based.
BLS Occupational Employment Projections, 2022-2032 is published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This data reflects BLS鈥 projections of national (not local) conditions. These data points are not specific to 澳门天天彩开奖记录 students or graduates.
Financial analysts can fill several positions within companies, banks, investment firms and other corporations that need detail-oriented eyes on their finances.聽These employees assess an organization鈥檚 financial performance, such as investment and stock performance, to determine its value and make recommendations.聽聽
According to BLS, a comparable job title to 鈥渇inancial analyst鈥 is 鈥渇inancial manager.鈥澛燜inancial analysts typically need . As of May 2023, financial analysts reportedly earned an annual wage , with a median of $99,010, according to BLS. The BLS projected these roles to聽, which is roughly 27,400 openings a year.
Maintaining the financial health of an organization is the key responsibility of a financial manager. These professionals聽often create financial reports, forecasts and budget plans聽to maximize profits. Because of the high level of responsibility in this role, that financial managers聽typically need a bachelor鈥檚 degree and at least five years of experience聽in a similar profession, such as accounting or financial analysis.
As of May 2023, financial managers earned聽, with a median wage of $156,100, according to BLS. Jobs are聽, which is about 69,600 jobs annually.
Financial advisors, like tax examiners, can work with individuals or organizations and are responsible for making recommendations or providing聽advice on financial investments, such as retirement planning, tax laws, insurance and more. Sometimes referred to as financial planners, these professionals can support a wide range of topics or specialize in areas like insurance and risk management, investment and estate planning.
According to BLS, financial advisors typically need聽.聽Certain professional certifications or a master鈥檚 degree can enhance a financial advisor鈥檚 knowledge and prepare them for new opportunities As of May 2023, financial advisors earned between聽, with a median wage of $99,580, according to BLS. Experts projected employment of financial advisors to聽, or聽an estimated 25,600 open roles each year.
Financial planners聽provide advice for individuals. Unlike personal financial advisors, they often work with businesses, corporations and organizations. In addition to guidance on capital management, they can offer insights about other investments, taxes, budgeting, insurance coverage and savings.聽
Business students can earn a certificate in financial planning to specialize in this area. BLS does not distinguish between personal financial advisors and planners. The estimated salary range is , with a median wage of $99,580, as of May 2023.
The skills necessary for a career in finance vary by industry and specialty. One helpful skill to showcase is financial literacy. However, specific technical and soft skills you learn during a degree or certificate program will help in any finance job.
The BLS lists similar in-demand skill requirements for finance degree jobs like聽,听听补苍诲t:
Today鈥檚 finance industry uses analytics, market analysis and forecasting software. Employers will expect their workers to be familiar with these tools.
Developing skills to pursue a finance career can open the door to rewarding possibilities in the private sector. A degree in finance or accounting, or a certificate, including those from 澳门天天彩开奖记录, offers rigorous yet flexible online learning options for aspiring finance professionals. 澳门天天彩开奖记录 offers several pathways toward a career in finance, and these are rooted in its online business degrees. Specific programs and certificates include the following:
If you want to pursue a career in finance, request information about the available programs or apply for the next session today.
A: While the market is competitive, a finance degree can help prepare applicants with useful skills, provided you have a strong academic background and relevant experience.
The finance sector鈥檚 a broad one that encompasses many areas, from investment banking and financial planning to corporate finance and asset management. Organizations value graduates with finance degrees because they often have strong analytical skills and understand financial markets.
Enhancing your degree with internships, industry certifications and networking can help improve your job prospects.
A: It depends. A degree in finance can hold value to individuals for several reasons. It can prepare graduates for a number of career opportunities in several industries (like banking, investment and corporate finance), and these roles often offer benefits such as health insurance. However, it鈥檚 also the responsibility of the degree holder to make efforts to implement helpful habits such as networking or reaching out to their university career services center.
In addition, a finance degree can help inform your personal financial planning. That said, always weigh the costs of a degree against your individual career goals and potential outcomes.
A: Finance degrees focus on investment strategies to manage and grow money, financial analysis and market dynamics. Accounting degrees center on recording, analyzing and reporting financial transactions for accuracy and regulatory compliance.聽
A graduate of Johns Hopkins University and its Writing Seminars program and winner of the Stephen A. Dixon Literary Prize, Michael Feder brings an eye for detail and a passion for research to every article he writes. His academic and professional background includes experience in marketing, content development, script writing and SEO. Today, he works as a multimedia specialist at 澳门天天彩开奖记录 where he covers a variety of topics ranging from healthcare to IT.
Currently Dean of the College of Business and Information Technology,听Kathryn Uhles has served 澳门天天彩开奖记录 in a variety of roles since 2006. Prior to joining 澳门天天彩开奖记录, Kathryn taught fifth grade to underprivileged youth in Phoenix.
This article has been vetted by 澳门天天彩开奖记录's editorial advisory committee.聽
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