by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 856 U.S. colleges awarded 60,422 degrees and certificates in Finance & Financial Management. Bachelor’s degrees are the most popular award, at 85% of graduates. College Factual ranks 574 schools in its 2027 Best Finance & Financial Management Schools ranking and compares their cost in a Best Value ranking. Graduates earn a median $61,016 one year after completing, rising to $89,140 after four years.
The 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.
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
Across the country, finance & financial management is a popular field of study, with 60,422 degrees awarded annually. 856 colleges award finance & financial management degrees, an average of 71 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 3,442.
By level, the 60,422 awards include 155 certificates, 371 associate degrees, 51,123 bachelor’s degrees, 7,031 master’s degrees and 24 doctorates.
Women earned 29% of finance & financial management degrees and certificates in the latest year (17,322 of 60,422). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (35,906) and Hispanic or Latino (7,799), and international students earned 3,749.
College Factual ranks 574 schools in its 2027 Best Finance & Financial Management Schools ranking, including 12 for associate degrees, 520 for bachelor’s degrees and 70 for master’s degrees. It also ranks finance & financial management schools within 51 states. In all, 856 colleges offer finance & financial management programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Finance & Financial Management Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common finance & financial management credential is the bachelor’s degree: 51,123 of the 60,422 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to finance & financial management call most for Active Listening, Speaking and Reading Comprehension, and for knowledge of English Language, Customer and Personal Service and Economics and Accounting, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Oral Comprehension, Oral Expression and Written Comprehension.
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.
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How long a finance & financial management degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 155 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 371 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 51,123 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 7,031 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 24 |
Bachelor’s degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to finance & financial management, at 45.3%.
| 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% |
Source: O*NET Online.
26 occupations are related to Finance & Financial Management, with an average median salary of $90,964; the strongest outlook belongs to Investment Fund Managers, at 14.1% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Bank and Savings Securities Trader, Trust Officer, Securities Consultant and Credit Risk Analyst.
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.
The occupation related to finance & financial management with the most projected jobs is Loan Interviewers and Clerks, at 1,934,532.
| 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% |
Finance & Financial Management graduates earn a median $61,016 one year after completing their program, $89,140 after four years and $89,830 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $61,016 |
| 4 years | $89,140 |
| 5 years | $89,830 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The highest-paying occupation related to finance & financial management is Treasurers and Controllers, with a median salary of $162,461.
| 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 |
Finance & Financial Management includes 9 concentrations that together award 60,422 degrees a year; by graduates, the largest are Finance, General (53,828), Financial Planning and Services (4,834) and Banking and Financial Support Services (1,044). It has 21 similar majors in the Business, Management & Marketing field, which together award 823,727 degrees a year; the largest are Business Administration, Management and Operations (421,752), Accounting and Related Services (86,793) and Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods (68,298). Browse all Business, Management & Marketing majors or the full list of college majors.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Finance, General | 53,828 |
| Financial Planning and Services | 4,834 |
| Banking and Financial Support Services | 1,044 |
| Investments and Securities | 352 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services, Other | 282 |
| Public Finance | 36 |
| International Finance | 34 |
| Credit Management | 6 |
| Financial Risk Management | 6 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 421,752 |
| Accounting and Related Services | 86,793 |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | 68,298 |
| Business/Commerce, General | 61,663 |
| Marketing | 56,635 |
| Human Resources Management and Services | 27,822 |
| Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations | 15,088 |
| Business Operations Support and Assistant Services | 14,895 |
| Hospitality Administration/Management | 13,200 |
| Management Information Systems and Services | 12,764 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
