It’s one of the truisms of American life – “It takes money to make money.” If that’s true, then there’s no better field for a career than finance. After all, that’s where the money makes money. A bachelor’s degree in finance is the place to start, but finance is a fickle field; you don’t just get your BS in Finance and expect to walk into a corner office at Berkshire Hathaway. It takes time to prove yourself, but it also takes getting a reputable degree from one of the best college for finance.
Why? Because the best undergraduate schools for finance majors don’t just give you a good education; they give you connections, networks, opportunities, that other schools can’t. They don’t have to be in the heart of Manhattan or Boston, but what they do have to have is a clear trajectory and a firm foundation in theory, analysis, and technology.
Best Colleges In Finance
The goal of a top-rated finance degree program is to get you prepared and ready to enter into the financial world as a financial analyst, financial planner, budget analyst, investment banking or one of the many other financial careers that may be available to you.
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA
Doctor’s Degree HIGHEST DEGREE TYPE
$154,242 MEDIAN STARTING SALARY
University of Pennsylvania is a wonderful choice for students interested in a degree in finance and financial management. Located in the city of Philadelphia, UPenn is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #4 out of 2,241 colleges nationwide means UPenn is a great university overall.
There were about 658 finance and financial management students who graduated with this degree at UPenn in the most recent data year. Degree recipients from the finance and financial management degree program at University of Pennsylvania make $100,767 more than the standard college grad in this field when they enter the workforce.
University of Notre Dame
Notre Dame, IN
Master’s DegreeHIGHEST DEGREE TYPE
301FINANCE DEGREES AWARDED
11.3% GROWTH IN GRADUATES
Every student pursuing a degree in finance and financial management has to take a look at University of Notre Dame. Located in the large suburb of Notre Dame, Notre Dame is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #16 out of 2,241 schools nationwide means Notre Dame is a great university overall.
There were approximately 301 finance and financial management students who graduated with this degree at Notre Dame in the most recent data year. Degree recipients from the finance and financial management program at University of Notre Dame earn $33,469 above the standard graduate with the same degree shortly after graduation.
Northwestern University
Evanston, IL
Doctor’s DegreeHIGHEST DEGREE TYPE
10thMOST POPULAR IN IL
74 FINANCE DEGREES AWARDED
It’s hard to beat Northwestern University if you wish to pursue a degree in finance and financial management. Northwestern is a very large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Evanston. A Best Colleges rank of #5 out of 2,241 schools nationwide means Northwestern is a great university overall.
There were approximately 74 finance and financial management students who graduated with this degree at Northwestern in the most recent data year.
Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO
Master’s DegreeHIGHEST DEGREE TYPE
231 FINANCE DEGREES AWARDED
$80,321 MEDIAN STARTING SALARY
Washington University in St Louis is a wonderful decision for students pursuing a degree in finance and financial management. Located in the large suburb of Saint Louis, WUSTL is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #24 out of 2,241 colleges nationwide means WUSTL is a great university overall.
There were roughly 231 finance and financial management students who graduated with this degree at WUSTL in the most recent data year. Degree recipients from the finance and financial management program at Washington University in St Louis get $26,846 above the average college grad in this field shortly after graduation.
Georgetown University
Washington, DC
Master’s DegreeHIGHEST DEGREE TYPE
$94,590 MEDIAN STARTING SALARY
Located in the large city of Washington, Georgetown is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #19 out of 2,241 schools nationwide means Georgetown is a great university overall.
There were approximately 297 finance and financial management students who graduated with this degree at Georgetown in the most recent year we have data available. Degree recipients from the finance and financial management degree program at Georgetown University get $41,115 above the average college graduate with the same degree when they enter the workforce.
Boston College
Chestnut Hill, MA
Doctor’s DegreeHIGHEST DEGREE TYPE
3.7% GROWTH IN GRADUATES
Boston College is a fairly large private not-for-profit college located in the small city of Chestnut Hill. This college ranks 6th out of 63 colleges for overall quality in the state of Massachusetts.
There were about 402 finance and financial management students who graduated with this degree at Boston College in the most recent data year. Those finance and financial management students who get their degree from Boston College receive $28,691 more than the average finance student.
Lehigh University
Bethlehem, PA
Master’s DegreeHIGHEST DEGREE TYPE
206 FINANCE DEGREES AWARDED
$71,409 MEDIAN STARTING SALARY
Located in the small city of Bethlehem, Lehigh is a private not-for-profit university with a medium-sized student population. A Best Colleges rank of #37 out of 2,241 schools nationwide means Lehigh is a great university overall.
There were approximately 206 finance and financial management students who graduated with this degree at Lehigh in the most recent data year. Finance & Financial Management degree recipients from Lehigh University receive an earnings boost of about $17,934 over the typical earnings of finance and financial management graduates.
University of Wisconsin – Madison
Madison, WI
Master’s DegreeHIGHEST DEGREE TYPE
463 FINANCE DEGREES AWARDED
6.9% GROWTH IN GRADUATES
Located in the city of Madison, UW – Madison is a public university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #33 out of 2,241 colleges nationwide means UW – Madison is a great university overall.
There were about 463 finance and financial management students who graduated with this degree at UW – Madison in the most recent data year. Those finance and financial management students who get their degree from University of Wisconsin – Madison make $7,999 more than the typical finance graduate.
Harvard University
Cambridge, MA
Master’s DegreeHIGHEST DEGREE TYPE
330 FINANCE DEGREES AWARDED
10.9% GROWTH IN GRADUATES
Harvard is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the midsize city of Cambridge. A Best Colleges rank of #12 out of 2,241 schools nationwide means Harvard is a great university overall.
There were about 330 finance and financial management students who graduated with this degree at Harvard in the most recent data year. Degree recipients from the finance and financial management program at Harvard University make $40,259 above the average graduate with the same degree when they enter the workforce.
George Washington University
Washington, DC
Graduate CertificateHIGHEST DEGREE TYPE
201 FINANCE DEGREES AWARDED
8.5% GROWTH IN GRADUATES
GWU is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the large city of Washington. A Best Colleges rank of #40 out of 2,241 schools nationwide means GWU is a great university overall.
There were roughly 201 finance and financial management students who graduated with this degree at GWU in the most recent year we have data available. Degree recipients from the finance and financial management degree program at George Washington University get $14,434 more than the average graduate in this field when they enter the workforce.
Southern Methodist University
Dallas, TX
Bachelor’s DegreeHIGHEST DEGREE TYPE
302 FINANCE DEGREES AWARDED
$82,959 MEDIAN STARTING SALARY
Located in the suburb of Dallas, SMU is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 4th out of 116 schools for overall quality in the state of Texas.
There were approximately 302 finance and financial management students who graduated with this degree at SMU in the most recent year we have data available. Degree recipients from the finance and financial management program at Southern Methodist University earn $29,484 above the standard college grad with the same degree shortly after graduation.
Villanova University
Villanova, PA
Bachelor’s DegreeHIGHEST DEGREE TYPE
257 FINANCE DEGREES AWARDED
$72,757 MEDIAN STARTING SALARY
Located in the suburb of Villanova, Villanova is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 4th out of 117 schools for overall quality in the state of Pennsylvania.
There were roughly 257 finance and financial management students who graduated with this degree at Villanova in the most recent year we have data available. Degree recipients from the finance and financial management program at Villanova University get $19,282 above the standard college graduate with the same degree when they enter the workforce.
The University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX
Bachelor’s DegreeHIGHEST DEGREE TYPE
391 FINANCE DEGREES AWARDED
$74,305 MEDIAN STARTING SALARY
Located in the large city of Austin, UT Austin is a public university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 2nd out of 116 colleges for overall quality in the state of Texas.
There were about 391 finance and financial management students who graduated with this degree at UT Austin in the most recent data year. Degree recipients from the finance and financial management major at The University of Texas at Austin earn $20,830 more than the average college grad in this field when they enter the workforce.
University of Delaware
Newark, DE
Master’s DegreeHIGHEST DEGREE TYPE
298 FINANCE DEGREES AWARDED
$59,257 MEDIAN STARTING SALARY
UD is a very large public university located in the large suburb of Newark. This university ranks 1st out of 5 colleges for overall quality in the state of Delaware.
There were roughly 298 finance and financial management students who graduated with this degree at UD in the most recent data year. Those finance and financial management students who get their degree from University of Delaware make $5,782 more than the typical finance student.
Texas A&M University – College Station
College Station, TX
Master’s DegreeHIGHEST DEGREE TYPE
406 FINANCE DEGREES AWARDED
8.4% GROWTH IN GRADUATES
Located in the city of College Station, Texas A&M College Station is a public university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 3rd out of 116 schools for overall quality in the state of Texas.
There were approximately 406 finance and financial management students who graduated with this degree at Texas A&M College Station in the most recent data year. Finance & Financial Management degree recipients from Texas A&M University – College Station get an earnings boost of approximately $16,746 over the typical income of finance and financial management graduates.
University of Maryland – College Park
College Park, MD
Master’s DegreeHIGHEST DEGREE TYPE
431 FINANCE DEGREES AWARDED
$66,615 MEDIAN STARTING SALARY
UMCP is a very large public university located in the large suburb of College Park. A Best Colleges rank of #36 out of 2,241 schools nationwide means UMCP is a great university overall.
There were approximately 431 finance and financial management students who graduated with this degree at UMCP in the most recent data year. Finance & Financial Management degree recipients from University of Maryland – College Park earn a boost of around $13,140 over the average earnings of finance and financial management majors.
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD
Master’s DegreeHIGHEST DEGREE TYPE
57 FINANCE DEGREES AWARDED
$78,878 MEDIAN STARTING SALARY
Johns Hopkins is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the large city of Baltimore. A Best Colleges rank of #9 out of 2,241 colleges nationwide means Johns Hopkins is a great university overall.
There were roughly 57 finance and financial management students who graduated with this degree at Johns Hopkins in the most recent data year. Those finance and financial management students who get their degree from Johns Hopkins University make $25,403 more than the typical finance student.
Bentley University
Waltham, MA
Master’s DegreeHIGHEST DEGREE TYPE
325 FINANCE DEGREES AWARDED
10.2% GROWTH IN GRADUATES
Bentley is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university located in the city of Waltham. This university ranks 7th out of 63 colleges for overall quality in the state of Massachusetts.
There were approximately 325 finance and financial management students who graduated with this degree at Bentley in the most recent year we have data available. Degree recipients from the finance and financial management major at Bentley University make $22,921 above the typical graduate in this field shortly after graduation.
Boston University
Boston, MA
Master’s DegreeHIGHEST DEGREE TYPE
226 FINANCE DEGREES AWARDED
$87,851 MEDIAN STARTING SALARY
Boston U is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the large city of Boston. This university ranks 5th out of 63 colleges for overall quality in the state of Massachusetts.
There were about 226 finance and financial management students who graduated with this degree at Boston U in the most recent year we have data available. Finance & Financial Management degree recipients from Boston University receive an earnings boost of around $34,376 above the average earnings of finance and financial management graduates.
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Champaign, IL
Bachelor’s DegreeHIGHEST DEGREE TYPE
287 FINANCE DEGREES AWARDED
10.8% GROWTH IN GRADUATES
Located in the small city of Champaign, UIUC is a public university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 3rd out of 87 schools for overall quality in the state of Illinois.
There were about 287 finance and financial management students who graduated with this degree at UIUC in the most recent data year. Finance & Financial Management degree recipients from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign receive an earnings boost of approximately $13,486 over the average income of finance and financial management majors.
University of Miami
Coral Gables, FL
Master’s DegreeHIGHEST DEGREE TYPE
324 FINANCE DEGREES AWARDED
$61,210 MEDIAN STARTING SALARY
Located in the city of Coral Gables, U Miami is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population. This university ranks 2nd out of 77 schools for overall quality in the state of Florida.
There were roughly 324 finance and financial management students who graduated with this degree at U Miami in the most recent year we have data available. Those finance and financial management students who get their degree from University of Miami earn $7,735 more than the typical finance grad.
Tulane University of Louisiana
New Orleans, LA
Master’s DegreeHIGHEST DEGREE TYPE
424 FINANCE DEGREES AWARDED
$84,072 MEDIAN STARTING SALARY
Tulane is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the large city of New Orleans. This university ranks 1st out of 29 colleges for overall quality in the state of Louisiana.
There were about 424 finance and financial management students who graduated with this degree at Tulane in the most recent year we have data available. Those finance and financial management students who get their degree from Tulane University of Louisiana receive $30,597 more than the standard finance graduate.
Virginia Tech
Blacksburg, VA
Graduate CertificateHIGHEST DEGREE TYPE
341 FINANCE DEGREES AWARDED
14.1% GROWTH IN GRADUATES
Located in the city of Blacksburg, Virginia Tech is a public school with a fairly large student population. This school ranks 2nd out of 65 colleges for overall quality in the state of Virginia.
There were roughly 341 finance and financial management students who graduated with this degree at Virginia Tech in the most recent year we have data available. Finance & Financial Management degree recipients from Virginia Tech receive an earnings boost of about $6,371 above the typical income of finance and financial management graduates.
Fordham University
Bronx, NY
Graduate CertificateHIGHEST DEGREE TYPE
218 FINANCE DEGREES AWARDED
9.2% GROWTH IN GRADUATES
Located in the large city of Bronx, Fordham U is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 14th out of 143 colleges for overall quality in the state of New York.
There were roughly 218 finance and financial management students who graduated with this degree at Fordham U in the most recent data year. Those finance and financial management students who get their degree from Fordham University make $16,990 more than the typical finance student.
University of Washington – Seattle Campus
Seattle, WA
Bachelor’s DegreeHIGHEST DEGREE TYPE
303 FINANCE DEGREES AWARDED
1.3% GROWTH IN GRADUATES
Located in the large city of Seattle, UW Seattle is a public university with a very large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #38 out of 2,241 colleges nationwide means UW Seattle is a great university overall.
There were approximately 303 finance and financial management students who graduated with this degree at UW Seattle in the most recent data year. Degree recipients from the finance and financial management degree program at University of Washington – Seattle Campus earn $5,699 above the average college graduate in this field when they enter the workforce.