Finance: graduate earnings, debt, and careers
Bachelor's programs in Finance and Financial Management Services (CIP 52.08).
Median earnings, 1 yr after
$63,115
Bachelor's degree Verified data
Median earnings, 4 yrs after
$83,343
Verified data
Typical program median debt
$21,300
federal loans Calculated estimate
Programs reporting
800
46,953 recent graduates Verified data
Graduate earnings by credential level
| Credential | Programs | Graduates (recent year) | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Typical program median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree | 800 | 46,953 | $63,115 | $83,343 | $21,300 431 programs |
National earnings are published by the Department of Education for each field and credential level Verified data. Typical program median debt is ConnectPrep's calculation: the median across programs of each program's median federal debt Calculated estimate. It covers federal loans only.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, Most Recent Field of Study Data. Varies by measure; see measure definitions. Published October 15, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Bachelor's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Pennsylvania PA · Private, nonprofit · 120 graduates measured | $154,404 | $202,069 | Data unavailable |
| University of Notre Dame IN · Private, nonprofit · 150 graduates measured | $141,543 | $160,313 | $19,500 |
| Georgetown University DC · Private, nonprofit · 64 graduates measured | $126,622 | $152,744 | $13,500 |
| Wake Forest University NC · Private, nonprofit · 31 graduates measured | $116,242 | $145,996 | $19,500 |
| Washington University in St Louis MO · Private, nonprofit · 55 graduates measured | $108,590 | $185,551 | $20,750 |
| Southern Methodist University TX · Private, nonprofit · 134 graduates measured | $93,440 | $133,852 | $17,500 |
| Boston College MA · Private, nonprofit · 258 graduates measured | $92,127 | $147,746 | $19,000 |
| Fordham University NY · Private, nonprofit · 238 graduates measured | $91,218 | $141,860 | $27,000 |
| Villanova University PA · Private, nonprofit · 218 graduates measured | $90,558 | $131,996 | $25,000 |
| Brigham Young University UT · Private, nonprofit · 191 graduates measured | $89,500 | $129,879 | $7,600 |
| Santa Clara University CA · Private, nonprofit · 103 graduates measured | $88,868 | $118,737 | $17,249 |
| Howard University DC · Private, nonprofit · 53 graduates measured | $87,804 | $80,094 | $23,250 |
| University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign IL · Public · 242 graduates measured | $86,669 | $119,978 | $17,127 |
| Lehigh University PA · Private, nonprofit · 129 graduates measured | $84,219 | $127,210 | $21,300 |
| Texas Christian University TX · Private, nonprofit · 90 graduates measured | $81,791 | $111,304 | $20,500 |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Careers linked to Finance and Financial Management Services
| Occupation | Median wage, all workers | Change 2025 to 2035 | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chief executives | $213,990 | +3.2% | Bachelor's degree |
| General and operations managers | $105,770 | +5.0% | Bachelor's degree |
| Financial managers | $166,570 | +9.7% | Bachelor's degree |
| Compensation, benefits, and job analysis specialists | $78,210 | +6.0% | Bachelor's degree |
| Budget analysts | $91,640 | +1.9% | Bachelor's degree |
| Credit analysts | $83,510 | -4.3% | Bachelor's degree |
| Financial and investment analysts | $102,740 | +7.2% | Bachelor's degree |
| Personal financial advisors | $105,070 | +1.4% | Bachelor's degree |
| Insurance underwriters | $81,370 | -3.8% | Bachelor's degree |
| Financial risk specialists | $117,330 | +7.4% | Bachelor's degree |
| Credit counselors | $52,230 | +3.3% | Bachelor's degree |
| Loan officers | $76,690 | +1.1% | Bachelor's degree |
| Financial specialists, all other | $81,100 | +4.1% | Bachelor's degree |
| Business teachers, postsecondary | $99,080 | +5.9% | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents | $78,660 | +1.4% | Bachelor's degree |
| Bill and account collectors | $47,030 | -10.4% | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Tellers | $43,030 | -13.2% | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Credit authorizers, checkers, and clerks | $50,080 | -7.4% | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Loan interviewers and clerks | $50,020 | -2.4% | High school diploma or equivalent |
| New accounts clerks | $47,670 | -6.5% | High school diploma or equivalent |
Occupations mapped to this field in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. Occupation wages describe all workers, not recent graduates.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk. CIP 2020 and SOC 2018 taxonomies. Published April 30, 2020. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, National. May 2025 reference period. Published April 30, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, Table 1.2: Occupational projections, 2025-35, and worker characteristics, 2025. Base year 2025, projected year 2035. Published August 27, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Detailed CIP codes in this field (9)
- 52.0801 Finance, General
- 52.0803 Banking and Financial Support Services
- 52.0804 Financial Planning and Services
- 52.0806 International Finance
- 52.0807 Investments and Securities
- 52.0808 Public Finance
- 52.0809 Credit Management
- 52.0810 Financial Risk Management
- 52.0899 Finance and Financial Management Services, Other
Model the cost of this degree
Compare this degree against your current path with your own tuition, aid, and salary.
Open the ROI calculator