Top 5 Jobs You Can Get with a Finance Master's Degree
A finance master's degree is a gateway to a number of successful career options in today's competitive economy. The increasing complexities of corporate finance, banking laws and compliance regulations demand a highly specialized workforce with a master's in finance. Navigating the corporate employment landscape begins with understanding the top jobs available to you with an online Master of Science in Finance.
Financial Analyst
The traditional roles of the financial analyst have flourished in the complex environment of today's banking and finance options. A graduate with a master's in finance will be prepared to research financial status for their client or organization, evaluate their financial history, current expenditures and investments as well as weigh risk tolerance. Their finance courses will help them to judge what recommendations will benefit the individual or corporate financial goals.
Many online Master's of Science in Finance degrees offer further specialization for jobseekers who want to enhance their career. Specializations include:
- Budget Analysis
- Credit Analysis
- Investment Analysis
- Mergers and Acquisitions
- Risk Analysis
Management and Financial Consulting
In the consulting arena, a finance master's degree will help you provide strategies on shareholder value, economic forecasts, treasure management and pricing securities. A finance consultant helps corporations see the bigger picture while exploring creative solutions to financial issues. Corporate and banking industries offer a number of opportunities for management and financial consultants.
The average consultant begins with a five-figure salary in the $70,000 a year range with growth opportunities seeing increases to a six-figure salary. A finance master's degree can open doors to new opportunities in corporate business, commercial and local banking.
Corporate Finance Officer
A finance degree can help you open the door to a career in corporate finance. Corporate finance is a division of most large corporations where the finance officer, agents and managers manage the money for the corporation as a whole. This includes, but is not limited to planning financial futures quarter by quarter, acquisition planning, quarterly adjustments and helping to identify, plan and manage short and long-term goals.
Whether the job is with a small firm or a large corporation, corporate finance officers must concentrate on meeting regulatory and compliance issues. The changes on the corporate and financial landscape of the last decade will continue to affect corporations for years to go. A well-educated finance officer with a master of science in finance is vital to corporate success.
Money Manager
Money managers (financial planners) work in a wide variety of corporate and banking settings. They help investors, manage assets, and provide financial advice and trade in securities. A money manager's job is to help the individual or the corporation's money grow. Different areas of finance apply in money management from positions in high-end stock trading corporations to helping families invest wisely for future goals such as paying for a child's college.
As a money manager or financial planner, successful individuals will need a solid background in fixed income investments, portfolio theory, financial futures, real estate planning and investments. Beyond finance courses, financial planners and money managers need strong interpersonal skills to facilitate client relations and trust.
Insurance Underwriter
An insurance underwriter must act not only in the capacity of finance manager, but also as a financial planner. Underwriters help businesses and individuals understand their insurance needs by assigning value to risk and property. Insurance helps protect from overwhelming losses that can devastate a business or family. The demand for insurance underwriters with a master's in finance is expanding with the aging baby boomer population.
Online M.S. finance programs offer multiple career options in the insurance industry from underwriter to asset management. Finance graduates seeking a career in insurance underwriting can specialize with certifications in the following areas:
- Associate in Commercial Underwriting
- Associate in Personal Insurance
- Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriter
- Chartered Life Underwriter
- Registered Health Underwriter
Specialized Financial Analyst
Graduates with practical experience and master's in finance are in high demand. Finance courses and online M.S. Finance programs can help finance degree graduates develop their interpersonal, business and finance skills and achieve entry to mid-level positions in high-demand positions related to their degree.
- Title Insurance
- Mortgage Banking
- Property Management
- Real Estate Appraisal
- Brokerage
- Leasing
- Real Estate Development
