Masters Degree in Finance

Finance represents the backbone of any organization and this explains why the demand for finance professionals is usually high. A master´s degree in finance is designed for graduates who desire to advance their careers by moving into investment management, financial analysis and corporate finance. These professionals play vital roles in the financial operations of organizations and as such require highly specialized training. There are several institutions offering finance master’s degrees and other related programs and before embarking upon any program, individuals should evaluate the curricula and verify the institution’s accreditations.

Masters Degree in Finance – Facts

Finance is a broad field which covers a wide variety of subjects. Accordingly, master’s programs are designed to incorporate the most important aspects some of which include: business research methods, organizations and their traditions, decision making techniques, operations and resources management, mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, risk management techniques, investment methods, financial economics, quantitative finance, financial modeling and a host of others. Admission and eligibility requirements include: previous academic transcripts, work experience, references and letters of recommendation, and a background in finance.

Top Schools for a Masters Degree in Finance

There are several schools in the country that offer masters degree in finance. A survey of universities offering engineering programs was carried out by US News and some of the top finance schools in the country include: University of Pennsylvania (Wharton), University of Chicago (Booth), New York University (Stern), Columbia University, Stanford University, MIT (Sloan), Harvard University, Northwestern University (Kellogg), University of California—Berkeley (Haas) and University of California—Los Angeles (Anderson). Top online finance institutions include: Kaplan University, University of Phoenix, Ashworth College and Walden University.

Work Possible with a Masters Degree in Finance

Finance master degrees open up the door to a lot of opportunities. Finance experts and professionals can fit into virtually any organization as long as there is a need for making financial decisions. Some of the companies where individuals who hold finance degrees can work include: investment firms, mutual funds companies, banks, insurance companies, pension funds managers, hedge fund companies, independent money managers, nonprofit organizations, government agencies and a host of others. Typical positions for holders of finance degrees include: controllers, treasurers, financial officers, credit managers, risk and insurance managers and cash managers.

Salary and Outlook in Finance

The salaries of finance professionals such as financial analysts and managers vary based on several factors which include: location, field, industry, size of organization and experience. With this in mind, it is difficult to specifically state a salary figure since they also earn bonuses which vary with the size of the organization. However, the mean annual salaries of financial analysts and managers usually range between $73,000 and $100,000. Lastly, the job outlook is favorable due to increased diversification of investments as well as the increasing complexities associated with the field of finance.

For anyone wishing to advance in their career, a master´s degree in finance is a necessity. However, before deciding on an institute, make sure to carry out as much research as possible.