What Can You Do With a Finance Degree?

A strong background in finance prepares students for decision-making roles in any organization. The University of Delaware’s Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics provides a strong foundation that equips students for all categories of finance careers including investment management, corporate finance and financial services.

In Lerner’s finance program, students learn how to balance opportunity with risk to ensure resources are allocated to their best use. Finance influences almost every aspect of an organization, whether a bank, consulting firm, public or private corporation, governmental organization or non-profit.

What is finance?

Finance is the process of understanding how an individual or organization manages their money in order to ensure proper allocation. Financial analysts may ask themselves how to produce a higher profit when focusing on activities such as investing, borrowing and forecasting. There are several categories of finance including personal, corporate and government.

What is a CFA?

A Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) is a globally-recognized professional who has met experience requirements and passed the CFA Exam. Recognition from the CFA Institute ensures that an analyst maintains the highest standard of knowledge and integrity when operating in financial positions.

The undergraduate finance degree at UD has been recognized by the CFA Institute as a program that incorporates over 75% of the CFA exam material into its curriculum, including the CFA Institute Code of Ethics and Standards of Professional Conduct. Through the finance program at Lerner, students will be prepared to take the certification exam.

Is finance a good career for you?

Students who receive a bachelor’s degree in finance have the chance to continue their education or start a full-time position. Careers in finance offer job security, variety and opportunities for advancement. Those choosing to further their education can receive a master’s degree in finance or pursue various business or legal degrees.

How much can you make with a finance degree?

$62,960 was the median income six months post-graduation for Lerner’s 2021 B.S. in finance graduates, 97% of whom were either employed or pursuing further education.  A graduate degree can boost expected salary substantially.

$110,00 is the median income for master’s in finance graduates employed in the US, according to the 2022 Corporate Recruiters Survey from the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC).

Choice of school can impact your earning potential as well. Finance students from certain universities earned more than their peers 10 years after graduation, according to an article by the the Wall Street journal. University of Delaware placed 14th among public schools whose finance undergraduates earned a salary premium in the journal’s nationwide ranking.

What companies are hiring finance majors?

While there are many options for finance graduates, the top employers of Lerner’s finance graduates include, but are not limited to:

  • JPMorgan Chase & Co.
  • PwC
  • AXA Advisors
  • Vanguard
  • EY

Finance degree job titles

Job titles of recently graduated finance majors from Lerner include, but are not limited to:

  • Core assurance associate
  • Corporate analyst
  • Financial advisor
  • Financial analyst
  • Financial auditor
  • Global finance & business management analyst
  • Investment banking analyst
  • Personal financial advisor
  • Risk assurance associate
  • Risk management analyst
  • Strategic analytics analyst

Are finance graduates in demand?

According to the United States Department of Labor, employment of financial analysts is projected to grow 5% from 2019 to 2029. This rate is faster than the average for all occupations.

Recent News

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This Winter Session, the University of Delaware’s Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics, in partnership with the Joseph R. Biden, Jr. School of Public Policy and Administration, will launch FINC100: Financial Literacy for Life. This three-credit course,...

My Summer Internship: Olga Mishenina

This summer, students from the University of Delaware’s Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics discovered new avenues for professional preparation and practical hands-on experience. Lerner College students pursued an array of internships, externships and...

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The UD Lerner Co-op Program was recently featured in the September/October issue of Delaware Business Magazine by the Delaware State Chamber of Commerce. The program, which launched in early 2025, has placed undergraduate business students in extended, hands-on work...