Best degree programs for Financial Risk Specialists, ranked by enrollment
12 college programs and 1,574 schools train Financial Risk Specialists. Compare graduates per year, cost and pay, $117,330 median wage, 63,850 U.S. jobs. Federal data.
12 college programs at 1,574 schools train financial risk specialists, graduating 126,701 people a year (IPEDS completions). The largest is Accounting. The job pays a median of $117,330 (BLS OEWS May 2025).
About financial risk specialists
Analyze and measure exposure to credit and market risk threatening the assets, earning capacity, or economic state of an organization. May make recommendations to limit risk.
Fields of study that lead to this job
Grouped at the 4-digit CIP level, the tier our program pages are built on. Numbers are graduates per year.
12 degree programs that lead to this job
Ranked by graduates per year (IPEDS completions). Graduate earnings and debt are College Scorecard figures for people who finished the program, reported at the 4-digit CIP level, so specializations within one field share a figure. That is a different measurement from the occupation-wide wages further down this page.
| # | Program | Graduates / yr | Share of pipeline | Schools | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CIP 52.0301 | 60,383 | 47.7% | 1,352 | $51,824 | $24,433 |
| 2 | CIP 52.0801 | 49,441 | 39.0% | 753 | $53,572 | $23,672 |
| 3 | CIP 27.0305 | 5,694 | 4.5% | 127 | $60,930 | $21,143 |
| 4 | CIP 52.0601 | 3,971 | 3.1% | 194 | $53,269 | $21,962 |
| 5 | CIP 52.0304 | 3,776 | 3.0% | 134 | $51,824 | $24,433 |
| 6 | CIP 52.0305 | 1,487 | 1.2% | 101 | $51,824 | $24,433 |
| 7 | CIP 52.1304 | 1,289 | 1.0% | 122 | $62,069 | $23,500 |
| 8 | CIP 52.0807 | 348 | 0.3% | 24 | $53,572 | $23,672 |
| 9 | CIP 52.0215 | 236 | 0.2% | 17 | $43,506 | $25,000 |
| 10 | CIP 52.0808 | 36 | 0.0% | 4 | $53,572 | $23,672 |
| 11 | CIP 52.0806 | 34 | 0.0% | 3 | $53,572 | $23,672 |
| 12 | CIP 52.0810 | 6 | 0.0% | 2 | $53,572 | $23,672 |
Top 50 schools by graduates into this job
Counting every feeder program a school offers, not just its largest one.
| # | School | Graduates / yr | Top feeder program | Grad rate | Net price | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Western Governors University Salt Lake City, UT Private not-for-profit · 4 feeder programs | 2,483 | Accounting | 46% | $11,580 | — |
| 2 | Southern New Hampshire University Manchester, NH Private not-for-profit · 4 feeder programs | 2,315 | Accounting | 43% | $34,565 | 100% |
| 3 | CUNY Bernard M Baruch College New York, NY Public · 5 feeder programs | 1,666 | Finance, General | 72% | — | 48% |
| 4 | Ohio State University - Main Campus Columbus, OH Public · 5 feeder programs | 1,421 | Finance, General | 88% | — | 61% |
| 5 | University of Georgia Athens, GA Public · 4 feeder programs | 1,130 | Finance, General | 90% | — | 38% |
| 6 | Texas A&M University - College Station College Station, TX Public · 7 feeder programs | 1,062 | Accounting | 84% | — | 57% |
| 7 | Florida State University Tallahassee, FL Public · 4 feeder programs | 1,028 | Finance, General | 86% | — | 24% |
| 8 | The University of Alabama Tuscaloosa, AL Public · 2 feeder programs | 899 | Finance, General | 73% | — | 77% |
| 9 | Pennsylvania State University - Main Campus University Park, PA Public · 4 feeder programs | 866 | Finance, General | 86% | — | 61% |
| 10 | Florida International University Miami, FL Public · 2 feeder programs | 837 | Finance, General | 74% | — | 55% |
| 11 | University of Houston Houston, TX Public · 3 feeder programs | 824 | Finance, General | 65% | — | 74% |
| 12 | University of Illinois Urbana - Champaign Champaign, IL Public · 4 feeder programs | 822 | Accounting | 85% | — | 42% |
| 13 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion Tempe, AZ Public · 5 feeder programs | 820 | Finance, General | 68% | — | 90% |
| 14 | University of Phoenix - Arizona Phoenix, AZ Private for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 796 | Accounting | 21% | $15,478 | — |
| 15 | University of Iowa Iowa City, IA Public · 5 feeder programs | 789 | Finance, General | 75% | — | 84% |
| 16 | The University of Texas at Austin Austin, TX Public · 4 feeder programs | 788 | Finance, General | 89% | — | 27% |
| 17 | University of South Florida Tampa, FL Public · 2 feeder programs | 783 | Finance, General | 77% | — | 43% |
| 18 | University of Arkansas Fayetteville, AR Public · 3 feeder programs | 738 | Finance, General | 71% | — | 74% |
| 19 | Miami University - Oxford Oxford, OH Public · 4 feeder programs | 723 | Finance, General | 80% | — | 75% |
| 20 | University of Central Florida Orlando, FL Public · 4 feeder programs | 723 | Finance, General | 78% | — | 40% |
| 21 | University of Massachusetts - Amherst Amherst, MA Public · 3 feeder programs | 696 | Finance, General | 83% | — | 60% |
| 22 | Auburn University Auburn, AL Public · 2 feeder programs | 685 | Finance, General | 82% | — | 46% |
| 23 | Utah Valley University Orem, UT Public · 2 feeder programs | 678 | Accounting | 45% | — | — |
| 24 | University of South Carolina - Columbia Columbia, SC Public · 4 feeder programs | 677 | Finance, General | 79% | — | 60% |
| 25 | Florida Atlantic University Boca Raton, FL Public · 2 feeder programs | 676 | Accounting | 63% | — | 66% |
| 26 | University of North Carolina at Charlotte Charlotte, NC Public · 4 feeder programs | 671 | Finance, General | 69% | — | 80% |
| 27 | Grand Canyon University Phoenix, AZ Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 670 | Accounting | 43% | $21,535 | 79% |
| 28 | The University of Tennessee - Knoxville Knoxville, TN Public · 3 feeder programs | 658 | Finance, General | 74% | — | 42% |
| 29 | Texas Tech University Lubbock, TX Public · 2 feeder programs | 638 | Finance, General | 69% | — | 73% |
| 30 | Wake Technical Community College Raleigh, NC Public · 1 feeder programs | 634 | Accounting and Finance | 33% | — | — |
| 31 | Clemson University Clemson, SC Public · 2 feeder programs | 631 | Finance, General | 87% | — | 38% |
| 32 | Rutgers University - New Brunswick New Brunswick, NJ Public · 2 feeder programs | 629 | Finance, General | 84% | — | 58% |
| 33 | The University of Texas at Dallas Richardson, TX Public · 4 feeder programs | 624 | Finance, General | 76% | — | 65% |
| 34 | Bentley University Waltham, MA Private not-for-profit · 6 feeder programs | 618 | Finance, General | 87% | $31,677 | 45% |
| 35 | DeVry University - Illinois Lisle, IL Private for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 610 | Accounting | 37% | $32,381 | 98% |
| 36 | University of Miami Coral Gables, FL Private not-for-profit · 5 feeder programs | 607 | Finance, General | 84% | $26,589 | 19% |
| 37 | University of Utah Salt Lake City, UT Public · 3 feeder programs | 601 | Finance, General | 65% | — | 86% |
| 38 | University of Kentucky Lexington, KY Public · 4 feeder programs | 597 | Finance, General | 71% | — | 93% |
| 39 | University of Wisconsin - Madison Madison, WI Public · 3 feeder programs | 580 | Finance, General | 90% | — | 45% |
| 40 | Michigan State University East Lansing, MI Public · 3 feeder programs | 578 | Finance, General | 81% | — | 85% |
| 41 | University of Maryland - College Park College Park, MD Public · 3 feeder programs | 575 | Finance, General | 89% | — | 45% |
| 42 | Georgia State University Atlanta, GA Public · 5 feeder programs | 566 | Finance, General | 53% | — | 55% |
| 43 | DePaul University Chicago, IL Private not-for-profit · 5 feeder programs | 565 | Accounting | 68% | $28,141 | 76% |
| 44 | University of Mississippi University, MS Public · 3 feeder programs | 557 | Accounting | 72% | — | 97% |
| 45 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Blacksburg, VA Public · 3 feeder programs | 555 | Finance, General | 86% | — | 55% |
| 46 | University of Connecticut Storrs, CT Public · 4 feeder programs | 547 | Finance, General | 83% | — | 52% |
| 47 | Purdue University - Main Campus West Lafayette, IN Public · 4 feeder programs | 545 | Finance, General | 83% | — | 50% |
| 48 | Baylor University Waco, TX Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 541 | Accounting | 80% | $35,682 | 51% |
| 49 | Liberty University Lynchburg, VA Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 537 | Accounting | 65% | $28,911 | 99% |
| 50 | University of Oklahoma - Norman Campus Norman, OK Public · 3 feeder programs | 535 | Accounting | 75% | — | 77% |
What financial risk specialists earn
What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.
Top-paying states
Top-paying metro areas
Job outlook
Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, 2024 to 2034.
Where the jobs are, state by state
Pick a state for in-state pay, the schools there, and the programs they run.
| State | Median pay | Jobs | Concentration | Schools | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | $103,760 | 4,780 | 0.83× | 85 | 11,967 |
| New York | $136,830 | 12,060 | 3.03× | 92 | 7,563 |
| Florida | $99,900 | 3,770 | 0.92× | 52 | 7,377 |
| Pennsylvania | $103,040 | 2,370 | 0.95× | 92 | 5,638 |
| Ohio | $98,650 | 2,110 | 0.93× | 67 | 5,636 |
| North Carolina | $132,040 | 3,200 | 1.58× | 83 | 5,031 |
| Illinois | $104,300 | 2,920 | 1.17× | 75 | 4,938 |
| Utah | $77,770 | 630 | 0.89× | 12 | 4,922 |
| Massachusetts | $130,400 | 1,440 | 0.96× | 47 | 4,099 |
| California | $129,110 | 5,740 | 0.77× | 64 | 3,995 |
| Arizona | $102,800 | 1,700 | 1.28× | 22 | 3,907 |
| Georgia | $100,570 | 2,180 | 1.09× | 36 | 3,603 |
| New Jersey | $129,220 | 2,760 | 1.57× | 35 | 3,290 |
| Michigan | $103,940 | 1,150 | 0.63× | 42 | 3,281 |
| Wisconsin | $97,820 | 610 | 0.51× | 47 | 2,918 |
| Alabama | $81,750 | 180 | 0.20× | 22 | 2,721 |
| Indiana | $99,250 | 380 | 0.29× | 41 | 2,720 |
| Virginia | $126,510 | 1,770 | 1.05× | 33 | 2,612 |
| Connecticut | $113,990 | 660 | 0.95× | 16 | 2,582 |
| New Hampshire | $158,320 | 300 | 1.07× | 16 | 2,544 |
| South Carolina | $99,520 | 560 | 0.59× | 37 | 2,486 |
| Minnesota | $105,420 | 1,190 | 0.98× | 51 | 2,394 |
| Missouri | $100,620 | 1,070 | 0.89× | 34 | 2,171 |
| Tennessee | $90,950 | 540 | 0.40× | 32 | 2,137 |
| Iowa | $105,680 | 530 | 0.82× | 38 | 2,112 |
| Louisiana | $58,440 | 520 | 0.66× | 22 | 1,900 |
| Washington | $123,150 | 900 | 0.62× | 17 | 1,840 |
| Maryland | $117,130 | 890 | 0.79× | 23 | 1,683 |
| Colorado | $120,300 | 1,050 | 0.89× | 24 | 1,675 |
| Kentucky | $74,640 | 500 | 0.61× | 21 | 1,580 |
| Kansas | $84,790 | 150 | 0.25× | 24 | 1,560 |
| Oklahoma | $85,140 | 330 | 0.47× | 21 | 1,483 |
| Arkansas | $66,110 | 150 | 0.27× | 28 | 1,318 |
| Mississippi | $96,100 | 230 | 0.48× | 17 | 1,217 |
| Oregon | $109,580 | 430 | 0.54× | 23 | 984 |
| Rhode Island | $104,470 | 450 | 2.19× | 9 | 967 |
| District of Columbia | $99,230 | 210 | 0.75× | 10 | 918 |
| Delaware | $139,440 | 1,160 | 5.83× | 5 | 770 |
| Nebraska | $94,280 | 250 | 0.58× | 14 | 765 |
| Idaho | $76,870 | 270 | 0.77× | 8 | 750 |
| Nevadamoderate | $100,010 | 570 | 0.90× | 4 | 591 |
| West Virginia | $94,350 | 50 | 0.17× | 18 | 522 |
| North Dakota | $74,630 | 90 | 0.51× | 7 | 475 |
| South Dakota | $78,960 | 130 | 0.67× | 14 | 393 |
| Maine | $141,020 | — | — | 13 | 362 |
| Hawaiimoderate | $89,860 | 90 | 0.35× | 4 | 296 |
| New Mexico | $87,260 | 180 | 0.49× | 9 | 235 |
| Montana | $100,920 | 50 | 0.24× | 7 | 162 |
| Wyoming | $119,550 | 170 | 1.49× | 7 | 109 |
| Alaskamoderate | $85,370 | 50 | 0.34× | 4 | 96 |
Skills and tools
From O*NET, the U.S. Department of Labor's occupational database. Importance is a 1 to 5 scale.
What they do day to day
- Analyze areas of potential risk to the assets, earning capacity, or success of organizations.
- Analyze new legislation to determine impact on risk exposure.
- Conduct statistical analyses to quantify risk, using statistical analysis software or econometric models.
- Confer with traders to identify and communicate risks associated with specific trading strategies or positions.
- Consult financial literature to ensure use of the latest models or statistical techniques.
- Contribute to development of risk management systems.
- Determine potential environmental impacts of new products or processes on long-term growth and profitability.
- Develop contingency plans to deal with emergencies.
Tools and technology
hotmarks an O*NET hot technologyHow to get in
How to become a Financial Risk Specialist
Job zone 4 of 5 · SVP 7.0 to < 8.0- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
Every major mapped to this job
The official federal mapping behind the rankings above.
All 12 majors mapped to Financial Risk Specialists12 of them graduated someone in the latest IPEDS year. NCES CIP 2020 → SOC 2018 crosswalk.+
- 27.0305Financial Mathematics
- 52.0215Risk Management
- 52.0301Accounting
- 52.0304Accounting and Finance
- 52.0305Accounting and Business/Management
- 52.0601Business/Managerial Economics
- 52.0801Finance, General
- 52.0806International Finance
- 52.0807Investments and Securities
- 52.0808Public Finance
- 52.0810Financial Risk Management
- 52.1304Actuarial Science
Related careers
Jobs O*NET identifies as close to this one, with their own pay and outlook.
Common questions
What degree do you need to become a Financial Risk Specialist?+
Bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education BLS reports for this occupation. The most common program people actually graduate from is Accounting, which awarded 60,383 degrees in 2024-25, 47.7% of everyone graduating from a program that feeds this career.
Which college majors lead to becoming a Financial Risk Specialist?+
The NCES CIP-to-SOC crosswalk maps 12 programs to this occupation. The largest are Accounting and Related Services, Finance and Financial Management Services, Applied Mathematics, Business/Managerial Economics, plus 2 more. Together they graduate about 126,701 people a year.
How much do financial risk specialists earn?+
The median is $117,330 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). The middle range runs from $64,820 at the 10th percentile to $196,110 at the 90th. This is pay for people already working in the occupation, not the same thing as graduate earnings one year after finishing a degree.
Is demand for financial risk specialists growing?+
BLS projects a +6.5% change in employment between 2024 and 2034, faster than average, with roughly 4,800 openings a year nationally once retirements and job changes are counted.
How many schools offer programs for this career?+
1,574 institutions reported graduates from at least one of the 12 programs that feed this occupation in IPEDS 2024-25. Rankings on this page use graduates per year, because the federal data publishes no enrollment count by program.
What other job titles do financial risk specialists work under?+
Employers advertise this work under many names. O*NET records Analyst, Risk Analyst, Risk Specialist, Securities Analyst among the most commonly reported, all mapping to SOC 13-2054.
About the data on this page
Rankings use IPEDS completions 2024-25, degrees awarded per year. That is the closest federal measure of how many people a program puts into a career, because no federal dataset publishes enrollment by program. Wages and employment come from BLS OEWS May 2025, growth and openings from BLS Employment Projections 2024-34, and which majors lead to which jobs from the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. Occupation descriptions, tasks, skills and tools are O*NET 30.3 (CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor/ETA).
BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics
May 2025Wages, employment counts, location quotients and metro breakdowns.
BLS Employment Projections
2024–34Projected growth, annual openings and typical entry-level education.
IPEDS Completions
2024-25 (provisional)Graduates per year by program and institution — the ranking metric.
College Scorecard, Field of Study
2020-21 cohortsMedian graduate earnings one year after completion, and median debt.
Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes
latest availableGraduate earnings 1/5/10 years out, where the state participates.
NCES CIP 2020 and the CIP-to-SOC 2018 crosswalk
CIP 2020 / SOC 2018Which college programs officially lead to this occupation.
O*NET Database 30.3
30.3Tasks, skills, knowledge, tools, job zone and alternate job titles.
Official source →CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor / ETA
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