What Jobs Can You Get with a Finance Degree?

A finance degree equips you with the knowledge and skills to help organizations and individuals manage their money more effectively. It can also open the door to a range of career paths in different industries and job functions. 

If you enjoy working with numbers and are intrigued by financial markets and how they operate, it’s a great idea to explore what jobs you can get with a finance degree. Keep reading to learn about some exciting career paths you can pursue and how to start earning your finance degree today.

What Jobs Can You Get with a Finance Degree?

Today’s entry-level finance degree career opportunities are plentiful and diverse. Although having a finance degree will enable you to pursue roles in the finance and banking sector, there are also many specialized careers for finance degree holders in other sectors, including government, nonprofits, consulting, and health care. As one finance major described in the Harvard Business Review: “There is a career in finance in just about every organization imaginable. This means that no matter where your interest lies, a background in finance can help you get a foot in the door.”

A finance career isn’t for everyone, as roles can involve long hours, lots of math, and the important responsibility of advising individuals and institutions about decisions they should make to grow and protect their investments and savings. Nevertheless, working in finance can also be incredibly rewarding. Some benefits include:

• High earning potential: According to Comparably research, finance majors in the US make an average income of $101,038 per year. This figure can vary according to several factors, including experience, industry, location, and education level.
• Positive job outlook: Because nearly every organization needs professionals with finance skills and experience, a finance degree also means you’ll have a steady supply of job opportunities to consider. For example, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the job outlook for financial analysts is quite positive, with an estimated 8 percent growth in employment through 2032 (versus 3 percent for all other occupations).
• Highly valued skills: A finance degree and career will equip you with a range of specialized skills that today’s organizations want and need, including financial planning, investing, and data analysis skills. Moreover, you’ll develop strengths in soft skills such as critical thinking, communication, and decision-making.

With a finance degree, you can explore career paths that progress from entry-level analysts to the managerial and executive leadership levels. Here are some of the jobs you can get with a finance degree and the earning potential for each:

Financial Analyst

Financial analysts work in nearly every industry and evaluate an organization’s sales, revenue, debt, investments, and more. They examine external market trends or internal reports—such as cash flow statements and balance sheets—with the ultimate goal of driving more effective financial decision-making. According to the BLS, the 2022 median pay for financial analysts was $96,220.

Investment Banker

Organizations wanting to undertake large financial transactions—such as a merger, acquisition, or initial public offering (IPO)—typically work with investment bankers to navigate the financial markets, secure investors, and evaluate loan opportunities.  Investment bankers perform financial modeling scenarios to help businesses make the most profitable financial decisions and often work long hours serving the needs of their corporate clients. Glassdoor estimates the average total pay for investment bankers to be $295,000 per year.

Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents

Acting as a broker or trader, financial sales agents buy and sell financial instruments and commodities (trader) or advise companies in making profitable buy/sell decisions for their portfolios (broker). Depending on their specialty, brokers and traders must typically hold a license issued by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA). According to the BLS, the 2022 mean annual wage for financial sales agents was $100,740.

Underwriter

Underwriters evaluate individual and corporate finances and determine the level of risk associated with lending to those individuals or organizations. They look at assets and financial histories and determine loan repayment ability. Underwriters can work for mortgage companies, banks, insurance companies, and third-party lenders. Indeed estimates the average salary for an underwriter to be $95,169 per year.

Auditor

Working either in-house as internal auditors or for an outside accounting or consulting firm, auditors examine companies’ financial records for accuracy, legal compliance, and adherence to internal policies. According to Indeed, the average salary for an auditor is $83,825 per year.

Financial Examiner

Working on behalf of a governmental agency, such as the Internal Revenue Service, financial examiners review individual and company financial records and transactions for compliance with state and federal law. They also investigate suspected and reported cases of financial fraud. The BLS reports the 2022 annual median pay for financial examiners of $82,210.

Financial Advisor

Financial advisors help individuals make informed decisions about their savings, retirement planning, and personal investments. They can be self-employed or work for a financial services or insurance company and often provide guidance to help their clients navigate changes in tax and retirement laws. In 2022, financial advisors earned a median pay of $95,390 per year, per the BLS.

Getting Started with Your Finance Degree

If you’re excited by the myriad job prospects for finance majors, the next step is to build the foundational knowledge and skills necessary to pursue these opportunities. A great way to get started is by pursuing a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) in Finance. 

A BBA in Finance helps you develop a well-rounded understanding of the business world and how the finance function fits within that context. At Mount Vernon Nazarene University (MVNU), this program offers challenging coursework in the following business disciplines:

• Economics
• Accounting
• Marketing
• Human Resources
• Management

In this comprehensive program, you’ll also acquire finance-specific knowledge and skills that will prepare you for various career paths. Here is just a sampling of the financial subjects you’ll cover in this degree program:

• Investments
• Financial Markets and Institutions
• Intermediate Business Finance
• Risk and Insurance
• Personal Financial Planning

Whether you’re just beginning your college education or have already taken some college classes, getting your degree with MVNU Online can offer you the flexibility you need to advance your education while continuing to manage work, family, or other responsibilities. You’ll take classes when they fit your schedule and join a community of adult learners who share your commitment to educational growth and development.

If you already have a bachelor’s degree, there are even more ways to expand the jobs you can get with a finance degree. An MBA with a concentration in Finance is perfect for directing your career toward C-suite jobs in finance. Just like the Bachelor of Business Administration, you can fit the classes into your schedule, so you’ll be able to advance your career when it’s convenient for you.

Take the Next Step in Your Educational Journey

Now is an exciting time to explore finance career paths and their ability to offer you strong earning potential, steady employment, and the satisfaction of helping individuals and institutions achieve financial well-being.

Once you get started, you may be surprised by the diversity of jobs you can get with a finance degree. To learn more about the relevant, in-demand skills you’ll acquire by pursuing a finance education, contact an enrollment counselor today!