Finance

FINANCE DEGREE

The field of finance will see good job growth in coming years. Applicants with finance degrees will be able to work in business and government as financial analysts and advisors. Finance degree courses focus more narrowly than accounting courses and specialize in aspects of business management related to outside observation of business activities. Thus, graduates of finance colleges with finance degrees can build careers as an auditor, certified public accountant, personal financial advisor, stock analyst, government accountant, risk manager, or insurance underwriter, among many others.

Finance Degree Description

The minimum level of education required for a career in finance is a bachelor’s degree, but most financial management positions require a master’s degree in finance or a master’s of business administration (MBA). Many workers who enter a career in finance with a bachelor’s degree will take finance degree courses online outside work hours at a finance college to pursue their master’s degree

People in finance careers also pursue credentials through courses at a finance college certifying professional status such as a certified public accountant (CPA) or chartered financial analyst (CFA) certification. Some finance positions, especially those involving sale of securities or specific investment recommendations, require licensure by government regulatory bodies such as the Securities Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.

Finance degree courses cover subjects beyond simple accounting, including e-business, ethics, statistical analysis, and problem solving. People with finance degrees are equipped to analyze a firm’s business practices or an individual’s financial plans in order to recommend changes to comply with law or standard accounting principles or to improve financial performance.

Career Opportunities in Finance

Career opportunities in finance are expected to be very strong in the coming decade. There will be strong job growth in business, government and personal finance positions.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics expects personal finance jobs to grow thirty percent in the decade from 2008 to 2018 which is markedly higher than the average of other professions. This growth is expected to be fueled largely by the vast number of people who will be nearing retirement age in the coming decade and who will be seeking investment planning advice from personal finance professionals.

Personal financial advisors help people with all aspects of their personal finances, including investments, insurance, and retirement and estate planning. Since many financial advisors earn their living from sales commissions on financial products, strong sales skills are a plus for people entering this profession.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics expects employment of commercial financial analysts to increase twenty percent in the coming decade, which is also faster than average of other professions. This increase will be driven by growth in the economy as well as by increasingly stringent financial scrutiny of business and government operations. Financial analysts will work in the securities industry as stock analysts, risk managers and underwriters, as government accountants and auditors, and as management accountants in businesses and auditing firms.

Finance degrees will be very valuable in the coming decade. Workers can enter the industry with a bachelor’s degree, but most will return to finance college part-time to earn a master’s degree. Job applicants with finances degrees will be well positioned to compete in the growing economy.