Is finance the best major?
The short, simple answer is: Yes, finance is still a good career path, but it will probably not be as good relative to other careers as it has been over the past few decades. If you are at a top university or business school, have the qualifications, and start early, that's fine.
Understanding money is central to the finance major, so you should be detail-oriented and comfortable working with numbers. At the same time, work in finance also involves a lot of interaction with other people, so communication skills are also important.
Believe it or not, mastery of advanced math skills is not necessary to have a career in finance. With today's technology, all math-related tasks can be done by computers and calculators. That said, there are some basic math skills that would certainly make you a better candidate in the finance industry.
How satisfied are finance students compared to other degrees? Overall, finance students rate their satisfaction with their degree a 3.1 out of 5. This is low compared to other degrees which average a rating of 3.28 across all degrees.
However, this is just a simple misperception that many students have in the finance study. It is true that knowing math is essential because finance actually is about studying the flow of money. However, that doesn't mean you need a high level of mathematics skills like Calculus.
High earning potential: Many jobs in finance offer high salaries and growth potential, making it a lucrative career choice. Diverse career opportunities: With a finance degree, you can work in various roles and industries, from investment banking to risk management to financial planning.
Finance degrees are generally considered to be challenging. In a program like this, students gain exposure to new concepts, from financial lingo to mathematical problems, so there can be a learning curve.
Most finance programs require a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0-3.0. Some schools also require minimum SAT or ACT scores.
People who choose to major in finance are interested in numbers, financial markets, and finding ways to make money. They tend to be natural problem-solvers who like setting goals and researching ways to reach them.
Finance is a somewhat difficult major. The difficulty with finance comes down to its concepts that students would not have experienced before in their lives, the financial lingo in the field, and the concentration of math in the subject.
Is finance or economics harder?
As a finance degree heavily depends on financial analysis and modeling, students may find the material more difficult if they struggle with mathematical concepts. However, students seeking an economics degree might have difficulty understanding abstract ideas like economic theory and policy analysis.
You don't need an MBA to work in finance, but the field is highly competitive, especially at the entry-level. Internships offer experience, exposure, and a tryout for a full-time gig.
A finance degree is a valuable asset to any career. With a bachelor's, you can apply for various roles, including financial analyst, accountant, financial advisor, auditor, or treasury analyst. You could also pursue a career in investment banking or stockbroking within the banking industry.
Financial Manager Positions
These financial management positions include controllers, treasurers, credit managers, cash managers, risk managers and insurance managers. Since each of these positions requires strong analytical skills along with the ability to work independently, introverts tend to make ideal candidates.
A finance degree can open doors to a broad range of dynamic professional opportunities — often with high earning potential in diverse industries. Finance majors learn fundamental business skills that can translate to careers in a variety of organizations in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors.
#1- Accounting and Finance
These majors qualify for STEM-designation due to their heavy use of math.
The field of finance offers more career choices but also less predictability. In some cases, careers in finance might offer higher pay. Careers in accounting can offer more predictable and stable work but less pay in many cases.
Usually, if you're considering a finance major in college, it's suggested that you finish around three to four years of math during your high school years. The most advanced level you might need to reach varies based on the college you're interested in, but it could be as high as Algebra II or Pre-Calculus.
They can include high stress, big responsibility, long working hours, continuing education requirements, and, in some cases, a lack of job security—the finance industry is generally quite cyclical.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statics (BLS), careers in finance pay a median salary of $76,850 — 66% higher than the median salary for all occupations in the nation ($46,310).
Is finance harder than engineering?
Engineering is far more rigorous and much more science than art. Things have to work or they break. There are an incredible number of rules and complex math underpinning everything. Sure finance can be hard, but it can also be easy.
In 2021, the average salary estimate for workers in the business field was $63,000. Fast forward to 2023, those who had a bachelor's degree in finance tend to have slightly higher starting median incomes than those with accounting degrees.
Anything above a 3.5 is considered good and above a 3.7 is impressive. Keep in mind that your GPA doesn't make up your entire resume. Strong internships or extracurricular activities can make up for a sub-3.5 GPA, but they better be damn good and you shouldn't count on them making up for your GPA.
A 3.7 GPA is a Grade Point Average of 3.7 on a 4.0 scale. It indicates that you've earned a predominantly A- average in your courses. A 3.7 GPA is considered to be a very good GPA and is often an indicator of strong academic performance.
Finance can be a fiercely competitive field. It's a famously high-paying industry known to deal out six or seven figures in salaries and bonuses for those at the top. Even those on the bottom rung can expect to start at a good wage compared with other fields.
