Affordable Online Master’s in

Best Programs
Introduction Programs
Rankings
Rankings Finance

Throughout the corporate and nonpro몭t

sectors, organizations depend on well-
quali몭ed 몭nancial experts. The demand for
professionals to manage the corporate bottom
line and globalization trends have generated
the need for experts in 몭nancial engineering,
몭nancial analysts, management online
accounting programs, and personal 몭nancial
advising. Each specialty is growing. The U.S.
Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts job growth
of 16 percent from 2018 to 2028 for Financial
Managers and a 7 percent increase in
openings for Personal Financial Advisors.
Earning an Online Master’s in Finance degree
can effectively change the trajectory of your
working life. But which programs and
specialties are right for you? This
comprehensive guide walks you through the
range of options available online, ranks the
best and most-affordable master’s programs,
and provides a resource for 몭nancial
scholarships, professional associations, and
required licenses and certi몭cations.
 Featured Online
Programs

Southern New
Hampshire University
PROGRAM: Online
MS in Finance

Visit Website

Southern New Hampshire University is a

private, nonpro몭t, accredited institution
with more than 3,000 on-campus
students and over 60,000 online
students, making us one of the fastest-
growing universities in the country.
Founded in 1932, we’ve been relentlessly
reinventing higher education ever since
and have gained national recognition for
our dedication to helping students
transform their lives and the lives of those
around them.

We’re proud to provide a몭ordable,

accessible education that students can
pursue on our 300-acre campus in
Manchester, NH, over our innovative
online platform or at our regional centers
in Manchester, Nashua, Portsmouth and
Salem, NH, and Brunswick, ME.

SNHU has earned the GetEducated.com

Best Buy and Best of Business – Best
Online Degree awards and is consistently
ranked as a top Military Friendly® School
by G.I Jobs®.

Get More Info

15 Most
 15 Most
Affordable
Master’s in
Finance Programs
2021

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See Schools

To create the list of

the most affordable
master’s in 몭nance
degree programs,
our methodology
determined these
rankings based on
the key factors that
most concern
students. We took
into consideration
the tuition rates (in-
and out-of-state),
year-round
availability of online
classes, school
accreditation,
scholarships and
grants, and more.

Link to this Page

College Name & Address

#1
Northern State University
1200 S. JAY ST., ABERDEEN, S.D. 57401
1200 S. JAY ST., ABERDEEN, S.D. 57401

Tuition

$8,384

Graduation Rate

48%

College Name & Address

#2
Colorado State University-Global
Campus
585 Salida Way Aurora, CO 80011

Tuition

$9,000

Graduation Rate

NA

College Name & Address

#3
Bellevue University
1000 Galvin Road South Bellevue,
Nebraska 68005

Tuition

$9,635

Graduation Rate

NA

College Name & Address

 #4
University of Michigan-Dearborn
19000 Hubbard Drive Fairlane Center
South Dearborn, MI 48126-2638

Tuition

$10,533

Graduation Rate

56%

College Name & Address

#5
West Texas A & M University
2501 4th Avenue Canyon, TX 79015

Tuition

$13,325

Graduation Rate

44%

College Name & Address

#6
SUNY Empire State College
2 Union Avenue, Saratoga Springs, NY
12866

Tuition

$13,415

Graduation Rate

26%
 College Name & Address

#7
University of Maryland Global Campus
3501 University Blvd. East, Adelphi, MD
20783

Tuition

$13,672

Graduation Rate

15%

College Name & Address

#8
University of Colorado Denver
1201 Larimer St., Denver, CO 80204

Tuition

$14,477

Graduation Rate

48%

College Name & Address

#9
Kansas State University
1615 Anderson Avenue, Manhattan, KS
66502

Tuition

$18,002

Graduation Rate
 64%

College Name & Address

#10
Ashford University
8620 Spectrum Center Blvd. San Diego,
CA 92123

Tuition

$19,141

Graduation Rate

8%

College Name & Address

#11
Webster University
470 E. Lockwood Ave. St. Louis, MO
63119

Tuition

$22,727

Graduation Rate

59%

College Name & Address

#12
Boston University
1010 Commonwealth Avenue, 2nd Floor
Boston, MA 02215

Tuition

$29,154
 $29,154

Graduation Rate

88%

College Name & Address

#13
California Lutheran University
60 West Olsen Road, Thousand Oaks,
CA 91360

Tuition

$29,387

Graduation Rate

76%

College Name & Address

#14
Creighton University
2500 California Plaza Omaha, NE 68178

Tuition

$31,317

Graduation Rate

81%

College Name & Address

#15
Saint Joseph’s University
5600 City Ave. Philadelphia, PA 19131

Tuition
 Tuition

$35,344

Graduation Rate

80%

Source  – Integrated Post Secondary Education Data

System & University Data
*Tuition rates are for in-state and per year. Program
speci몭c rates may apply.
**NA – data not available

Top 15 Master’s in
Finance Programs
2021

Here are the top 15 master’s in 몭nance

degree programs for 2021. Our custom
mathematical formula crunched numbers to
determine the academic quality of each
program. Universities were compared based
on graduation and employment rates, the
strength of the 몭nance curriculum, faculty
excellence, affordability, year-round classes,
accreditation and other factors. 

College Name & Address

#1
West Texas A & M University
2501 4th Avenue Canyon, TX 79015

Tuition

$13,325  
 Graduation Rate

44%

College Name & Address

#2
Kansas State University
1615 Anderson Avenue, Manhattan, KS
66502

Tuition

$18,002

Graduation Rate

64%

College Name & Address

#3
Northern State University
1200 S. Jay St., Aberdeen, S.D. 57401

Tuition

$8,384

Graduation Rate

48%

College Name & Address

#4
Boston University
1010 Commonwealth Avenue, 2nd Floor
Boston, MA 02215

Tuition
 $29,154

Graduation Rate

88%

College Name & Address

#5
Bellevue University
1000 Galvin Road South Bellevue,
Nebraska 68005

Tuition

$9,635

Graduation Rate

NA

College Name & Address

#6
Georgetown University
37th and O Streets, N.W., Washington
D.C. 20057

Tuition

$28,509

Graduation Rate

94%

College Name & Address

#7
Golden Gate University
536 Mission Street San Francisco, CA
536 Mission Street San Francisco, CA
94105-2968

Tuition

$24,525

Graduation Rate

NA

College Name & Address

#8
University of Maryland Global Campus
3501 University Blvd. East, Adelphi, MD
20783

Tuition

$13,672

Graduation Rate

15%

College Name & Address

#9
University of Michigan-Dearborn
19000 Hubbard Drive Fairlane Center
South Dearborn, MI 48126-2638

Tuition

$10,533

Graduation Rate

56%

College Name & Address

 College Name & Address

#10
University of Colorado Denver
13001 E. 17th Pl. Aurora, CO 80045

Tuition

$14,477

Graduation Rate

48%

College Name & Address

#11
Ashford University
8620 Spectrum Center Blvd. San Diego,
CA 92123

Tuition

$19,141

Graduation Rate

8%

College Name & Address

#12
Colorado State University-Global
Campus
585 Salida Way Aurora, CO 80011

Tuition

$9,000

Graduation Rate

NA
 College Name & Address

#13
Texas A&M International University
5201 University Boulevard Laredo, TX
78041

Tuition

$14,608

Graduation Rate

NA

College Name & Address

#14
Purdue Global University
9000 Keystone Crossing, Suite 800
Indianapolis, IN 46240

Tuition

$13,580

Graduation Rate

48%

College Name & Address

#15
University of Georgia
308 New College, Athens, Georgia
30602

Tuition

$9,435
 Graduation Rate

84.6%

Source  – Integrated Post Secondary Education Data

System & University Data
*Tuition rates are for in-state and per year
**NA – data not available

Understanding an
Online Master’s in
Finance Program

Applicants to an online master’s in 몭nance

program must match their career goals to the
precise degree options available at the
university. To that end, the following sections
address the seven specializations commonly
offered online and the curriculum. Learn the
professional career roles and skills required
for pro몭ciency in the 몭eld. Potential students
can also evaluate the admission
requirements, including whether they’ll need
to take the GMAT. 

Common Specializations for an

Online Master’s in Finance

Graduate students can earn a generalist

online master’s in 몭nance. Programs also
offer concentrations or focus options for
those aspiring to work in  particular
disciplines. Options are available in niches
such as 몭nancial engineering, 몭nancial
planning, 몭nancial analysis, 몭nance
mathematics, public 몭nance, global 몭nance,
and corporate 몭nance. Here are some
popular concentrations, schools that offer
the programs, and careers that graduates can
pursue.
 Area of Focus

Financial Engineering

Description

Financial engineers perform

rigorous quantitative analysis,
employing mathematical techniques
to solve institutional 몭nancial
problems. They test tools used by
banks, insurance 몭rms, asset
management companies, and hedge
funds to assist with derivatives
trading and speculation
vehicles. These engineers provide
options for 몭nancial intuitions to
make pro몭ts. Here are a couple of
universities that offer Master’s in
Financial Engineering Online:
• University of Southern California
• Stevens Institute of Technology 

Careers This Concentration

Prepares For

Financial Advisors
Stock Brokers
Investment Bankers
Actuaries
Risk Managers
Derivative Traders

Area of Focus

Financial Planning

Description
 Description

Financial planners work with

corporations, small businesses and
individuals to map out an
investment strategy. They examine
the funds available for investing and
determine the risk tolerance for
different investment options. They
may specialize in investments for
retirement or college. As 몭duciaries,
they are required by law to make
decisions for the good of their
clients. Here are a couple of
universities that offer Master’s in
Financial Planning Online:
• Purdue Global University
• The University of Georgia 

Careers This Concentration

Prepares For

Registered investment advisor

Personal 몭nancial advisor
Certi몭ed 몭nancial planner
Fee-only 몭nancial advisor

Area of Focus

Financial Analysis

Description

Financial analysts guide

corporations and individuals to
create investment portfolios by
examining trends and performance.
Analysts may specialize in a
geographical or industry niche. They
are typically identi몭ed as buy-side or
sell-side analysts. Common roles
include portfolio managers, ratings
analysts, fund managers, and risk
analysts. Here are a couple of
universities that offer Master’s in
Financial Analysis Online:
• Purdue Global University
• Creighton University 

Careers This Concentration

Prepares For

Financial analysts
Risk evaluators
Budget analysts
Portfolio managers
Ratings analysts

Area of Focus

Financial Mathematics

Description

A master’s degree in 몭nancial

mathematics prepares graduates in
the creation and analysis of
investment results using
mathematic methodologies. Tools
include the applications of statistics,
probability, and stochastic
processes for investments. They
may specialize in the creation and
evaluation of 몭nancial products,
data science applications, and asset
management. Here are a couple of
universities that offer Financial
Mathematics Online Master’s:
• John’s Hopkins University
• University of York (United
Kingdom)
 Careers This Concentration
Prepares For

Quantitative analysts
Mathematics 몭nance managers
Financial agents
Global markets specialists
Security analysts

Area of Focus

Public Finance

Description

Public 몭nance online master’s

programs offer studies in public
management, 몭nance and
budgeting, theory, 몭nancial planning,
forecasting, and 몭nancial decision-
making. They prepare and review
몭nancial statements for public,
nonpro몭t organizations and perform
cost analyses. Here is a university
that offers Master’s in Public
Finance Online:
• The University of Kentucky 

Careers This Concentration

Prepares For

Government/non-pro몭t 몭nancial
analysts
Policy administrators
Consultants
Investment managers
Compliance o몭cers

Area of Focus
Global Finance

Description

Online degree master’s programs in

global 몭nance apply 몭nancial
leadership for organizations that
have an international reach.
Students learn about international
business principles, global risk
assessments, the evaluation of
global markets, international
accounting, global marketing,
International Financial Reporting
Standards (IFRS), exchange-rate
forecasting, international taxation,
and foreign direct investments. Here
are a couple of universities that offer
Online Master’s in Global Finance:
• Boston University
• University of London (United
Kingdom)

Careers This Concentration

Prepares For

Global 몭nancial analyst

Global portfolio administrators
International brand managers
Global marketing specialists

Area of Focus

Corporate Finance

Description

Online graduate degree programs in

corporate 몭nance cover a wide
breadth of necessary skills and
processes that maximize the value
of the organization. The major
responsibilities for corporate
몭nancial o몭cers include
investments and capital budgeting,
long- and short-term capital
몭nancing, dividends, the assessment
of capital cash 몭ows, liquidity and
expenditures. Here are a couple of
universities that offer Master’s in
Corporate Finance Online:
• Southern New Hampshire
University
• Golden Gate University

Careers This Concentration

Prepares For

Controllers
FP&A managers
Financial planners
Credit managers
Corporate 몭nance managers

Area of Focus

Quantitative Finance

Description

Quantitative Finance is a
concentration within the 몭nance
몭eld that deals with applying
statistical, quantitative, and
mathematical skills within the
몭nancial world. Quantitative Finance
is sometimes referred to as
Computational Finance.
Here are a couple of universities that
offer Quantitative Finance Online
Master’s:
• New York University
• DePaul University

Careers This Concentration

Prepares For

Financial Quantitative Analysts

Financial Research Associates
Reporting and Analytics Managers

Area of Focus

Financial Economics

Description

Finance and economics are closely

linked subjects that deal with money
management, revenue generation for
private organizations, and
governmental agencies. An online
master’s degree in Finance and
economics focuses on the study of
economic theories and 몭nancial
principles for a wide variety of
industries. These programs teach
students about the evolution of
global 몭nancial order, capital
markets, investment management,
and economic theories from
microeconomics to
macroeconomics. Here are a couple
of universities that offer Online
Master’s degree in Finance and
Economics:
• University of Detroit, Mercy
• West Texas A&M University

Careers This Concentration

 Prepares For

Financial Examiners
Budget Analysts
Financial Analysts

Area of Focus

Healthcare Finance

Description

Healthcare is a critical concentration

within the 몭nance 몭eld, as
healthcare is the single most crucial
factor in today’s world. With rising
healthcare costs, managing its
몭nances is an essential aspect for
many organizations in both the
government and private sectors.
Master’s in healthcare 몭nance online
programs typically combine courses
that deal with public health,
business, and nursing areas. These
programs teach students about
various administrative aspects of
the healthcare 몭eld and how to
manage them. Here are a couple of
universities that offer Master’s in
Healthcare Finance Online:
• Liberty University
• Bellevue University

Careers This Concentration

Prepares For

Financial Controllers
Healthcare Financial Analysts
Hospital Billing Directors
 Area of Focus

Banking and Finance

Description

Banking and Finance are interlinked

몭elds. Finance depends on banking
systems, and banking depends on
the 몭nances of organizations and
the 몭nancial policies of
governments. An online master’s in
banking and Finance deals with
business of banking – client’s
몭nancial needs, how banks and
몭nancial agencies work, and central
banking policies and its impact.
Here are a couple of universities that
offer Online Master’s in Banking and
Finance:
• Texas A&M International
University
• Northern State University

Careers This Concentration

Prepares For

Credit Analysts
Risk Managers
Wealth Managers

Area of Focus

Accounting and Finance

Description

Accounting specialization within

몭nance degrees is a concentration
that is designed to help students
 understand concepts of accounting
and reporting within 몭nancial
Management. An online master’s
degree in accounting and Finance
helps students in learning about
cash, inventory, accounts payable &
receivable, managing costs, and
perform a comprehensive analysis
of 몭nancial health of the
organizations using accounting.
Here are a couple of universities that
offer Master’s in Accounting and
Finance Online:
• Southern New Hampshire
University
• University of Maryland Global
Campus

Careers This Concentration

Prepares For

Financial Accountants
Forensic Accountants
Financial Auditors

Online Master’s in Finance Admission

Requirements

Applicants to online master’s in 몭nance

degree must satisfy entrance requirements
to the speci몭c graduate school and those set
by the degree program. These include the
applicant’s undergraduate degree, grades,
completion of prerequisites, letters of
recommendation, and a statement of
purpose. 

Undergraduate degree: Applicants
must submit transcripts from their
accredited undergraduate degree
programs or related courses
 completed at the graduate level.
Graduate programs typically require
the submission of unopened o몭cial
transcripts.
Transcripts: Applicants must submit
transcripts from their accredited
undergraduate degree programs or
related courses completed at the
graduate level. Graduate programs
typically require the submission of
unopened o몭cial transcripts.
Prerequisites: Depending on the
master of 몭nance program, you may
be required to have a minimum one
year of related 몭nancial experience
and take a TOEFL exam (for
international students), the Graduate
Management Admission Test
(GMAT), or Graduate Record
Examination (GRE).
Recommendations: Requirements for
submissions of at least three letters
of recommendation are a common
practice at online master’s in 몭nance
programs. Letters should attest to
your professional skills and character.
Statement of purpose: Programs
require applicants to submit a
statement of purpose outlining your
professional aspirations, why you’re
choosing the program, what you bring
to the table, and other arguments that
may convince the admissions
committee that you and the program
are a great match.

Online Master’s in
Finance: No
GMAT
Requirement

For working students who must 몭t their

master’s programs around their busy lives,
master’s programs around their busy lives,
the preparation for taking a GMAT entrance
exam can be time-consuming. Fortunately,
many Online Master of Finance programs
do not require a GMAT. To get a better idea
of how to prepare for GMAT and also to 몭nd
out about Online Masters in Finance that
don’t need GMAT, check out the GMAT Prep
page.

Purdue
University
Global

Southern New
Hampshire
University

Penn State
World Campus

Kansas State
University
Global Campus

Johns Hopkins
University

Find out more about Online Masters No

GRE.

Curriculum for
an Online Master
 an Online Master
of Finance
Program

The online master’s in 몭nance offers a

deep dive into all aspects of the 몭nancial
world. Most accredited schools have
some mandatory courses in the program,
and students can choose from a wide
variety of choices. Here are some sample
courses that students will come across in
an online master’s in 몭nance degree. 

International Finance – The

course provides a deep dive
into international markets,
foreign currencies, the tools
available for global 몭nancial
management, international tax
laws, economic, political, and
legal issues.  

Investment Analysis and

Portfolio Management – In this
course, students are exposed
to portfolio management,
personal 몭nances, quantitative
skills, analytical tools for
maintaining a portfolio of
securities, and how to
maximize the pro몭t for the
investors.  

Risk Management – Students

will be taught how to identify
risk and minimize exposure to
that 몭nancial risk.
Financial Planning -This course
is designed to teach students
about macroeconomics and
microeconomics, 몭nancial data,
and counseling. Students are
also exposed to estate
planning, insurance, retirement,
and bene몭ts planning.

Corporate Finance – In this

course, students are taught
topics such as capital
structures, strategic 몭nancial
decisions, cost of capital vs.
cost of operations, forecasting,
etc.

Banking – This course is

designed to teach students
about various aspects ow how
banks operate: legal issues,
protecting assets of customers,
advanced topics like
cryptocurrencies, growth, etc.   

Quantitative Methods in
Finance -Quantitative methods
in Finance is an advanced
몭nancial course in which
students are trained on using
statistical models to provide
students with tools that can
help forecast capital market
movements along with loan
defaulting predictions. This
course allows students to rely
on mathematical models based
on history for managing various
몭nancial aspects.
 Financial Decision Process –
The 몭nancial decision process
is a fundamental course that
exposes students to
accounting and 몭nancial
management, managerial
decisions, analytical analysis,
cost-volume-pro몭t analysis.

Applied Behavioral Finance –

Applied behavior 몭nance is an
advanced 몭nancial course that
deals with behavioral Finance,
몭nancial psychology, human
emotions, and errors that
people make in 몭nancial
decisions. The course trains
students on how to improve the
몭nancial health of their
customers.

Skills Gained in
an Online
Master’s in
Finance Program

Online Master’s in Finance Degree

programs develop skills that are directly
applicable to the business landscape.
Individual programs may focus on skill
sets relevant to their specialty. However,
they share common, invaluable skills.
Beyond online coursework, 몭nance
students build skill sets through
internships, apprenticeships and on-the-
job experience. Here are key skills 몭nance
professionals need: 
Accounting: Graduate
accounting skills prepare you
with Generally Accepted
Accounting Principles (GAAP)
and for duties in cash-몭ow
management, cost reduction,
budget planning, pro몭t and loss
projections, 몭nancial
management, quantitative data
analysis, reporting and
compliance.  

Decision-Making: Whether they

make decisions or recommend
actions to management,
몭nance graduates are able to
gather and analyze supporting
data, undertake forecasting,
and collaborate with other staff
to determine best-practices
solutions to business
problems.  

Financial Analysis: Deep

몭nancial analysis skills are
critical in determining
investments and budgeting
strategies to support
organizational initiatives.
Analysts examine the potential
return on investments for
programs to improve the
corporate bottom line.

Leadership: Financial
organizational leaders should
have strong communication
skills, a human resource
understanding, the ability to
 create and implement goals,
the ability to motivate
employees and delegate tasks
to quali몭ed personnel

Logical Reasoning: Financial

professionals make informed
decisions based on data-driven
몭ndings, not on speculation.
Logical reasoning skills depend
on 몭ndings from scienti몭c
analyses and risk assessments
to determine fact-based
options for organizational
challenges.

Accreditation for
Online Master’s
in Finance
Degrees

When choosing an online master’s

program in 몭nance, it is essential to look
at the accreditation of the school that you
are considering. While many universities
offer an online master’s in 몭nance, not all
those programs are accredited. Here are
some prestigious organizations that
provide accreditation for business schools
that offer 몭nance master’s programs. If a
school has an accreditation from one of
these bodies, the school maintains high
standards in its online master’s 몭nance
program.  

Association to Advance Collegiate

Schools of Business (AACSB)
Accreditation Council for
Business Schools and Programs
 (ACBSP)
International Accreditation
Council for Business Education
(IACBE)

Why Does Accreditation

Matter?

Accreditation is a step where a

university is vetted and accredited
by an independent body that checks
the standards of the school, the
program to ensure that they are
meeting high standards. Check out
our Accreditation guide to see why it
matters.

Scholarships for
Online Master’s in
Finance Students

Graduate 몭nance students need not shoulder

the entire cost of their education.
Scholarships may be available from your
university or 몭nance school. Many public and
private organizations confer scholarships
based on academic performance. Here are a
few to consider:

Daniel B. Goldberg Scholarship

Who Can Apply: The Goldberg scholarship is
designed for full-time, graduate-level
students seeking a 몭nance degree focusing
on careers in state or local government.
Amount: $15,000
AICPA/Robert Half Student Scholarship
Award
Who Can Apply: The Robert Half scholarship
recognizes outstanding accounting students
with the potential to become CPA leaders.
Four awards are made each year.
Amount: $10,000

Gri몭th Insurance Education Foundation

Scholarships
Who Can Apply: Students pursuing a 몭nance
degree specializing in risk management,
몭nance, insurance, economics, or actuarial
science are eligible.
Amount: $1,000 to $6,000.

Minorities in Government Finance

Scholarship
Who Can Apply: MIG scholarship is available
to quali몭ed, full- or part-time graduate
students majoring in public administration,
accounting, business administration, and
몭nance.
Amount: $10,000

Nomad Capitalist Scholarship

Who Can Apply: The scholarship is available
to students currently enrolled in a graduate
business degree program. All applicants
must submit a 1,000+ word essay on
international business.
Amount: $1,000

Career and Salary

Outlook for Online
Master of Finance
Graduates 

Graduates of online 몭nance master degree

programs can choose from a diverse 몭eld of
몭nancial careers. No degree guarantees a
career or salary, however there are well-
paying roles in both public and corporate
organizations, and consulting. Employers
often look at the specialized focus of your
master’s program and/or your experience.
Top-growing 몭elds are in 몭nance and
insurance; scienti몭c and technical services;
몭nancial management; state and local
governments; and manufacturing.

The following section reviews the salaries,

related jobs and employment projections
across the spectrum of 몭nancial careers.

Job Title

Financial Analysts

Median Salary

$85,660

Job Growth (2016-2026)

6%

Job Description

Financial analysts serve business or

persons to make informed decisions
on investments. They may be called
portfolio managers, ratings analysts,
fund managers, or risk analysts.

Job Title

Financial Managers 
Financial Managers 

Median Salary

$127,990

Job Growth (2016-2026)

16%

Job Description

Financial managers are responsible

for directing 몭nancial growth of their
organizations. They analyze
investments and establish long-term
goals to maximize pro몭ts, reporting
to senior managers

Job Title

Budget Analysts

Median Salary

$76,220

Job Growth (2016-2026)

4%

Job Description

Working for public and private

institutions, budget analysts are
responsible for analyzing budget
proposals and monitoring
proposals and monitoring
institutional expenditures to ensure
that they meet budgetary
requirements

Job Title

Management Accountants

Median Salary

$70,500

Job Growth (2016-2026)

6%

Job Description

Corporate Management
Accountants help organizations
meet reporting requirements and in
developing budget and performance
evaluations for internal managers.
They may assist in asset
management and investments.

Job Title

Personal Financial Advisors

Median Salary

$88,890

Job Growth (2016-2026)

 Job Growth (2016-2026)

7%

Job Description

Personal Financial Advisors help

individuals in the planning, analysis
and strategies for retirement
accounts, investments, estate
planning, mortgages, college
expenses, and tax advice. They may
monitor their customers’ accounts
and suggest ways to improve
performance.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Certi몭cations and
Licensing for
Finance
Professionals

Graduate students in 몭nance can prosper

by earning certi몭cations and licenses and
maintaining them throughout their careers.
Certi몭cation bene몭ts can include higher
salaries, promotions, marketability, and job
security. Certi몭cations must be renewed.
Consequently, employers bene몭t from
workers who are committed to ongoing
training and education to maintain their
credentials.

Why is it important to be a certi몭ed

몭nancial professional?
Financial certi몭cations and professional
licenses may be optional. But some are
required for employment. There are other
required for employment. There are other
bene몭ts. Organizations that offer
certi몭cations often sponsor professional
societies where you can stay up to date in
the industry and build networks for career
building.

How can I stay up-to-date on my 몭nance

certi몭cations?
Licensing and certi몭cation organizations
offer testing to confer credentials. The
credentials are time-limited and must be
renewed regularly, often pegged to earning
continuing education credits. Check the
details for each certi몭cation to learn
renewal requirements.

How do I receive licensure and

certi몭cation?
Licensing and certi몭cation organizations
set the requirements for taking certi몭cation
exams. For example, CMA exam requires
applicants who have two years’ experience
in the 몭eld. To sit for the CPT exam,
applicants must have two years of
experience in corporate 몭nance or
cash/treasury management.

What are some example certi몭cations and

licenses I should consider?
Certi몭cations and licenses can bolster your
career. Professionals may be required to
hold them to undertake 몭nancial roles
within an organization or in consulting. Here
are three to consider:

CMA: Certi몭ed Management Accountant.

The CMA exam tests for 11 몭nancial
competencies focusing on 몭nancial
planning and 몭nancial decision-making.
FINRA: Series 7 License. The Financial
Industry Regulatory Authority tests and
grants licenses for advisors to sell stocks,
bonds, options, packaged securities, and
futures.
Association for Financial Professionals:
Association for Financial Professionals:
Certi몭ed Treasury Professional. The CTP
designation is for professionals, indicating
their expertise in treasury management.
The exam tests the knowledge and skills
necessary for analysis of capital and risk
management.

Resources for
Online Master’s in
Finance Students

The following resources are for 몭nance

students and professionals who want to build
or advance in their careers. Memberships
can include access to job boards,
certi몭cation examination testing, and
extended career education.

American Management Association:

The AMA is a nonpro몭t association
offering tools and ongoing education
for management students and
professionals. It offers prep and the
test for a Certi몭ed Professional in
Management™ (AMA CPM™).
The Professional Accounting Society
of America: PASA is a professional
association serving entry-level and
mid-level members currently working
at accounting 몭rms. It hosts a job
line, conferences, continuing
education and compliance forums.
CMT Association: The CMT
Association offers for the Level I,
Level II, and Level III chartist’s exam
for Chartered Market Technicians
who analyze investments to predict
future price volume and movement.
Association for Finance
Professionals: The AFP is a
 Professionals: The AFP is a
membership organization, granting
credentials for Financial Planning and
Analysis FP&A certi몭cation and for
the Certi몭ed Treasury Professional
(CTP). It offers webinars and online
education programs.
Sales & Marketing Executives
International: SMEI is a global
association of sales and marketing
professionals, offering continuing
education and examinations for SMEI
Certi몭ed Marketing Executive and
SMEI Certi몭ed Professional Marketer
(SCPM) designations.
Online MBA in Finance

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