Are you good with numbers and intrigued by stocks, bonds, other investments, and the financial markets in general? If so, majoring in finance at college is worth serious consideration. Below are the top careers with a finance degree.
But first, let’s talk about why finance careers are in high demand. If you are a student or recent graduate of finance, you have developed the knowledge and a strong skillset that will help you work in a range of financial professions.
Finance skills are in-demand
Getting a degree in finance allows you to develop a range of skills that are highly sought after in many financial career positions. Analytical skills are necessary for most of these positions to make sense of financial statements and provide appraisals to companies and other organizations.
With a degree in finance, you will be able to assess the qualitative and quantitative aspects of various business issues and evaluate the financial implications of actions and decisions taken. Also, getting a degree in finance allows you to learn more about some of the top software that is used in the financial industry today to process and represent financial data, and how to master it.
You will graduate with the ability to present financial information to others in a way that can be easily understood. Some of the top jobs where you can put these skills to use are:
1. Accountant career with a finance degree
Many finance majors go into accountancy. They can use their skills to construct, interpret, and critique financial statements. While studying for a degree in finance, you will develop a range of key accountancy skills including learning how to analyze business problems with strong attention to detail and precision.
You will graduate with a solid knowledge of how to present financial information to your clients in different ways. As an accountant, you can work for a firm or start your own. If you plan to start a new firm, note that you’ll need accountant insurance.
2. Financial planner
As a finance major, you will spend your time learning about a wide range of different investment vehicles. The college program will set you up for a career as a financial planner. In this role, you will work alongside clients, providing advice on how to manage their finances and investments.
The role involves a lot of number crunching. You will also need to have a strong grasp of the principles of accounting to apply them when developing tailored plans for clients.
3. More careers with a finance degree: Credit analyst
A credit analyst is tasked with evaluating the financial standing of loan applicants. You will usually work for a bank or another lender to assess the risks involved with offering individuals credit and finance.
As a finance major, you will develop many of the skills required to succeed in this role. That includes interpreting financial data and records.
Many schools now offer online options for earning your degree. Having this flexibility appeals to many people.
4. Budget analyst
The role of a budget analyst involves applying financial principles to various organizational proposals and projects. They work in a variety of sectors, including education, government, and non-profit to analyze budgets and evaluate the financial impact of new or continuing ventures.
As a finance major, you will be able to develop many of the skills required to succeed in this role. A budget analyst must be a skillful communicator as they may spend a lot of their time interviewing managers and other professionals to gain information for proposals. They will also often have the task of providing employee training on the budget development process.
5. Financial analyst
A financial analyst is a professional who researches companies and investment opportunities, such as stocks and bonds. The goal is to provide assistance and advice to investors, banks, and corporate finance officers. That help applies to acquisitions, mergers, corporate expansions, and stock/bond offerings.
To succeed in this job, a graduate must be able to sort, process, and understand money-related data. That includes financial statements.
The role also often involves building financial models and conducting quantitative analyses. Strong presentation skills are also a must-have as financial analysts will regularly produce reports of their findings to present to other team members.
A few last words on careers with a finance degree
Finance is an industry that is always going to have a high demand for good professionals. If you’re interested in numbers, majoring in finance can get you onto a wide range of lucrative and secure career paths.
There is a sixth career one can pursue with a finance degree: stockbroker. Understanding a company’s financial statement goes a long way in helping recommend investment opportunities. And stockbrokers differ from financial planners in that the broker actually puts the investment opportunity in another’s hands as opposed to just recommending going with Fidelity over Vanguard, for example.
Thanks for adding this 6th career!
The top pro to a degree in finance is that you usually land a well paid job. The cons are that you have to suspend a lot of your personal ideals in order to thrive in a corporate and money orientated world (usually). There is also very little scope for creativity in most finance careers.
You make excellent points here for those considering going into a finance-related career, Robbie. Thanks for always being so thoughtful.