Best institutions to study Finance
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.
753 U.S. institutions graduated 49,441 Finance students in 2024–25 (IPEDS). It is CIP 52.0801, a specialization of Finance and Financial Management Services (CIP 52.08), and leads most directly to the Financial Managers occupation (BLS SOC 11-3031).
About Finance programs
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.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020).
The Finance program, part of the Finance and Financial Management Services field, prepares students to manage and analyze the financial aspects of various organizations. This program is ideal for individuals interested in understanding the monetary performance of businesses, banking institutions, and other entities, equipping them with essential skills for success in the financial sector.
Students will gain knowledge in accounting principles, financial instruments, capital planning, budgeting, and investment management. Core skills developed include critical thinking, mathematics, and effective communication, essential for navigating the complexities of financial management.
Credentials awarded
What Finance graduates earned in 2024–25, by award level (IPEDS completions).
- Bachelor's degree45,595 graduates / yr · 683 institutions92%
- Master's degree2,586 graduates / yr · 118 institutions5.2%
- Award of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year444 graduates / yr · 31 institutions0.9%
- Postbaccalaureate certificate355 graduates / yr · 41 institutions0.7%
- Associate's degree205 graduates / yr · 23 institutions0.4%
- Post-master's certificate167 graduates / yr · 7 institutions0.3%
- Award of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years66 graduates / yr · 6 institutions0.1%
- Award of at least 2 but less than 4 academic years14 graduates / yr · 1 institution0.0%
- Doctor's degree - research/scholarship9 graduates / yr · 5 institutions0.0%
Graduates over time
Finance completions reported to IPEDS each year, all award levels combined.
| Year | Graduates |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 38,118 |
| 2013 | 37,944 |
| 2014 | 39,026 |
| 2015 | 40,621 |
| 2016 | 42,807 |
| 2017 | 44,532 |
| 2018 | 46,137 |
| 2019 | 46,724 |
| 2020 | 47,952 |
| 2021 | 47,418 |
| 2022 | 47,200 |
| 2023 | 46,800 |
| 2024 | 45,969 |
| 2025 | 49,441 |
Top 50 institutions for Finance, ranked by graduates
Graduates (IPEDS completions), 2024–25. Award levels show which credentials each institution confers in this specialization.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Field earnings* (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ohio State University - Main Campus Columbus, OHPublicBachelor's | 857 | 88% | — | $65,181 |
| 2 | CUNY Bernard M Baruch College New York, NYPublicBachelor's | 843 | 72% | — | $54,991 |
| 3 | Florida State University Tallahassee, FLPublicBachelor's | 735 | 86% | — | $56,516 |
| 4 | The University of Alabama Tuscaloosa, ALPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 571 | 73% | — | $55,580 |
| 5 | Florida International University Miami, FLPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 538 | 74% | — | $51,633 |
| 6 | University of Iowa Iowa City, IAPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 538 | 75% | — | $59,965 |
| 7 | University of Georgia Athens, GAPublicBachelor's | 536 | 90% | — | $67,444 |
| 8 | Pennsylvania State University - Main Campus University Park, PAPublicBachelor's | 512 | 86% | — | $68,552 |
| 9 | Rutgers University - New Brunswick New Brunswick, NJPublicBachelor's | 502 | 84% | — | $68,338 |
| 10 | Miami University - Oxford Oxford, OHPublicBachelor's | 469 | 80% | — | $71,203 |
| 11 | University of South Carolina - Columbia Columbia, SCPublicBachelor's | 462 | 79% | — | $62,231 |
| 12 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion Tempe, AZPublicBachelor's | 460 | 68% | — | $63,054 |
| 13 | University of South Florida Tampa, FLPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 457 | 77% | — | $49,906 |
| 14 | University of Arkansas Fayetteville, ARPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 456 | 71% | — | $56,387 |
| 15 | The University of Texas at Austin Austin, TXPublicBachelor's | 433 | 89% | — | $81,844 |
| 16 | Tulane University of Louisiana New Orleans, LAPrivate not-for-profitBachelor'sMaster'sAward of at least 2 but less than 4 academic years | 429 | 86% | $33,106 | $77,806 |
| 17 | University of Houston Houston, TXPublicBachelor's | 427 | 65% | — | $54,041 |
| 18 | Texas A&M University - College Station College Station, TXPublicBachelor'sMaster'sPost-degree cert.Award of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 422 | 84% | — | $71,409 |
| 19 | Auburn University Auburn, ALPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 407 | 82% | — | $55,875 |
| 20 | University of Miami Coral Gables, FLPrivate not-for-profitBachelor'sMaster's | 405 | 84% | $26,589 | $70,352 |
| 21 | University of Central Florida Orlando, FLPublicBachelor's | 401 | 78% | — | $56,415 |
| 22 | Michigan State University East Lansing, MIPublicBachelor's | 390 | 81% | — | $68,103 |
| 23 | University of Massachusetts - Amherst Amherst, MAPublicBachelor's | 383 | 83% | — | $68,920 |
| 24 | Bentley University Waltham, MAPrivate not-for-profitBachelor'sMaster's | 382 | 87% | $31,677 | $72,309 |
| 25 | University of North Carolina at Charlotte Charlotte, NCPublicBachelor's | 380 | 69% | — | $51,628 |
| 26 | Clemson University Clemson, SCPublicBachelor's | 379 | 87% | — | $58,876 |
| 27 | Georgetown University Washington, DCPrivate not-for-profitBachelor'sMaster's | 378 | 95% | $22,242 | $106,218 |
| 28 | University of Maryland - College Park College Park, MDPublicBachelor's | 376 | 89% | — | $75,689 |
| 29 | Texas Tech University Lubbock, TXPublicBachelor'sMaster'sAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 364 | 69% | — | $58,535 |
| 30 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Blacksburg, VAPublicBachelor's | 356 | 86% | — | $66,601 |
| 31 | The University of Tennessee - Knoxville Knoxville, TNPublicBachelor's | 353 | 74% | — | $53,826 |
| 32 | Southern New Hampshire University Manchester, NHPrivate not-for-profitBachelor'sMaster'sPost-degree cert.Associate's | 347 | 43% | $34,565 | $63,703 |
| 33 | Florida Atlantic University Boca Raton, FLPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 328 | 63% | — | $49,551 |
| 34 | University of Wisconsin - Madison Madison, WIPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 328 | 90% | — | $68,681 |
| 35 | University of Florida Gainesville, FLPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 314 | 91% | — | $70,663 |
| 36 | University of Notre Dame Notre Dame, INPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 307 | 95% | $19,452 | $99,222 |
| 37 | Grand Canyon University Phoenix, AZPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 306 | 43% | $21,535 | $53,853 |
| 38 | Texas Christian University Fort Worth, TXPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 302 | 86% | $25,823 | $78,453 |
| 39 | University of Kentucky Lexington, KYPublicBachelor's | 299 | 71% | — | $58,422 |
| 40 | University of Delaware Newark, DEPublicBachelor's | 297 | 81% | — | $66,889 |
| 41 | University of Minnesota - Twin Cities Minneapolis, MNPublicBachelor's | 296 | 85% | — | $69,094 |
| 42 | University of Cincinnati - Main Campus Cincinnati, OHPublicBachelor'sPost-degree cert. | 290 | 75% | — | $59,067 |
| 43 | Purdue University - Main Campus West Lafayette, INPublicBachelor's | 281 | 83% | — | $59,938 |
| 44 | University of Illinois Urbana - Champaign Champaign, ILPublicBachelor'sPost-degree cert. | 278 | 85% | — | $75,381 |
| 45 | The University of Tampa Tampa, FLPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 271 | 64% | $33,070 | $51,845 |
| 46 | Boston College Chestnut Hill, MAPrivate not-for-profitBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 271 | 91% | $21,126 | $82,495 |
| 47 | The University of Texas at Dallas Richardson, TXPublicBachelor's | 271 | 76% | — | $63,455 |
| 48 | Iowa State University Ames, IAPublicBachelor's | 266 | 75% | — | $56,974 |
| 49 | University of Washington - Seattle Campus Seattle, WAPublicBachelor's | 262 | 85% | — | $63,500 |
| 50 | Southern Methodist University Dallas, TXPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 261 | 84% | $33,246 | $83,159 |
* Median earnings 1 year after graduation for the broader Finance and Financial Management Services field (CIP 52.08) at these institutions; College Scorecard does not publish earnings at the 6-digit level.
Offered in 52 states & territories
Where Finance graduates come from. Each state links to all Finance and Financial Management Services programs offered there.
Careers & outlook
The payoff after graduation: occupation 11-3031, Financial Managers, and its national outlook.
Graduates of the Finance program can pursue careers as Financial Managers, Financial Analysts, and Personal Financial Advisors, among others. The job outlook is promising, with a growth rate of 14.8% and approximately 74,600 annual openings. The median wage for these positions is around $161,700, typically requiring a Bachelor's degree.
Top-paying metros
Career pathways for CIP 52.0801
The occupations the NCES crosswalk maps this 6-digit code to, with BLS pay and 10-year outlook.
| Occupation | US median pay | Growth | Openings / yr | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Financial Managersprimary SOC 11-3031 | $166,570 | +14.8% Much faster than average | ~74,600 | Bachelor's degree |
General and Operations Managers SOC 11-1021 | $105,770 | +4.4% About as fast as average | ~308,700 | Bachelor's degree |
Financial and Investment Analysts SOC 13-2051 | $102,740 | +5.7% Faster than average | ~25,100 | Bachelor's degree |
Personal Financial Advisors SOC 13-2052 | $105,070 | +9.6% Much faster than average | ~24,100 | Bachelor's degree |
Chief Executives SOC 11-1011 | $213,990 | +4.3% About as fast as average | ~22,200 | Bachelor's degree |
Loan Officers SOC 13-2072 | $76,690 | +1.7% Little or no change | ~20,300 | Bachelor's degree |
Financial Specialists, All Other SOC 13-2099 | $81,100 | +3.1% About as fast as average | ~10,300 | Bachelor's degree |
Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists SOC 13-1141 | $78,210 | +5.3% Faster than average | ~8,500 | Bachelor's degree |
Business Teachers, Postsecondary SOC 25-1011 | $99,080 | +5.7% Faster than average | ~8,100 | Doctoral or professional degree |
Financial Risk Specialists SOC 13-2054 | $117,330 | +6.5% Faster than average | ~4,800 | Bachelor's degree |
Credit Analysts SOC 13-2041 | $83,510 | -4.4% Decline | ~3,700 | Bachelor's degree |
Budget Analysts SOC 13-2031 | $91,640 | +1.0% Little or no change | ~3,100 | Bachelor's degree |
SOC 13-2022 | — | — | — | — |
Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
- Education
- Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
- Experience
- 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.
- Training
- Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
Related careers
Skills & knowledge in Finance programs
From the U.S. Dept. of Labor for the occupation this specialization most leads to.
Skills you'll build
Knowledge areas
Abilities that matter most
Day-to-day work activities
What graduates do on the job
- Establish and maintain relationships with individual or business customers or provide assistance with problems these customers may encounter.
- Oversee the flow of cash or financial instruments.
- Plan, direct, or coordinate the activities of workers in branches, offices, or departments of establishments, such as branch banks, brokerage firms, risk and insurance departments, or credit departments.
- Recruit staff members.
- Evaluate data pertaining to costs to plan budgets.
- Oversee training programs.
Tools and technology used
Other Finance and Financial Management Services specializations
The 8 other 6-digit CIP codes under Finance and Financial Management Services (CIP 52.08).
- Financial Planning and ServicesCIP 52.08044,744 graduates / yr94 institutions
- Banking and Financial Support ServicesCIP 52.08031,011 graduates / yr76 institutions
- Investments and SecuritiesCIP 52.0807348 graduates / yr24 institutions
- Finance and Financial Management ServicesCIP 52.0899273 graduates / yr36 institutions
- Public FinanceCIP 52.0808partial data36 graduates / yr4 institutions
- International FinanceCIP 52.0806partial data34 graduates / yr3 institutions
- Credit ManagementCIP 52.0809partial data6 graduates / yr3 institutions
- Financial Risk ManagementCIP 52.0810limited data6 graduates / yr2 institutions
See all Finance and Financial Management Services programs →
Common questions
What degrees can I earn in this program?+
You can earn a Bachelor's degree, a Master's degree, or an award of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year.
What skills will I develop in the Finance program?+
You will develop skills in critical thinking, mathematics, active listening, and effective communication.
What types of jobs can I get with a Finance degree?+
You can work as a Financial Manager, Financial Analyst, or Personal Financial Advisor, among other roles.
What is the job outlook for Finance graduates?+
The job outlook is much faster than average, with a growth rate of 14.8% and about 74,600 annual job openings.
What is the CIP code for Finance?+
Finance is CIP 52.0801 in the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020), a 6-digit specialization within Finance and Financial Management Services (CIP 52.08). NCES defines it as: 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.
How many institutions offer Finance programs?+
753 U.S. institutions reported Finance graduates in IPEDS 2024–25, across 52 states & territories, awarding 49,441 credentials in the year. That is 88.4% of all Finance and Financial Management Services graduates.
How much do Finance graduates earn?+
Earnings are not published at the 6-digit CIP level by any federal source. The Financial Managers occupation, which Finance most directly leads to, pays a median of $166,570 a year nationally (BLS OEWS May 2025), and graduates of the broader Finance and Financial Management Services field report median earnings of $53,434 one year after graduation (College Scorecard).
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
Program definitions are from the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020). Skills, knowledge, abilities, work activities, tools, and job zones are from the O*NET database by the U.S. Department of Labor, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
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