Home

Finance Degrees

Explore different finance degrees and learn which one is best for your life and goals.

Resource Center Home | Finance Career Resource Guide Home | Find Finance Schools

Choosing a Finance Degree

finance degree

Finance degrees are quite straightforward; the choice of which degree to pursue generally comes down to your current educational status and career goals.

Finance careers, however, almost always require at least a bachelor's degree, as the complex numerical reasoning, detailed analysis and technological skills demanded by most finance jobs require extensive training and a solid level of financial knowledge.

Types of Finance Degrees


The foundational finance degree is the undergraduate bachelor's degree in finance. Many students with business or economics bachelor's degrees also go into finance jobs, but the finance bachelor’s equips students with the most specific, in-depth financial knowledge and skills at the undergraduate level. Bachelor's programs generally take four years; as with other finance degree programs, bachelor's degrees can be attained online or part time, accommodating busy schedules.

The most popular graduate degree in finance is the MBA with a concentration in finance, which many people choose to pursue in order to advance into management positions or to transfer their finance skills into other areas of business. The Master of Finance degree is a slightly shorter, more focused program that concentrates on advanced financial concepts and is geared towards people who only want to focus on the financial side of business.

Those who choose to study finance from a more academic angle often decide to get a PhD in finance. The doctoral degree—unlike the other, more career-oriented finance degrees—provides students with an in-depth look at financial methods and concepts rather than practical, workplace-oriented skills. PhD candidates often conduct industry-changing research about topics ranging from financial modeling to financial management decision making and often find careers in academia.

Find Finance Degree Programs:

Spotlight Schools

American InterContinental University Online

AIU Online offers convenient, flexible alternatives that enable you to fit a career-focused education into your current lifestyle. This is the perfect format for students looking to pursue opportunities in a competitive job market.

Select a Campus: Online


Northeastern University - College of Business Administration

Northeastern offers its AACSB-accredited MBA program in a 100% online format. They are a world leader in practice-based education focused on expanding students' managerial skills and knowledge base.

Select a Campus: Online


Boston University

Boston University offers top online master's programs in banking / financial services management and project management to enable graduates to get ahead in their careers.

Select a Campus: Online