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CIP 52.0801 Business

Finance, General

IPEDS Completions, US Department of Education · 2025

中文

Total graduates

52,782

2025 · 733 schools

International share

6.6%

3,471 international students

Bachelor's degrees

49,584

5.5% international

Master's degrees

2,984

24.3% international

Overview

Finance, General is a broad field of study that encompasses the management, creation, and study of money, investments, and other financial instruments. This major covers a range of topics including corporate finance, investment analysis, risk management, and financial markets. Students pursuing a degree in Finance, General are equipped with essential analytical and quantitative skills necessary for evaluating financial data and making informed decisions.

The curriculum typically includes courses in financial accounting, microeconomics, macroeconomics, statistics, and financial modeling. Students learn how to analyze financial statements, assess investment opportunities, and understand the dynamics of financial markets. Practical skills such as budgeting, forecasting, and financial planning are also emphasized, preparing students for real-world financial challenges.

Graduates of this program can pursue various career paths in sectors such as banking, investment, insurance, and corporate finance. Common job titles include financial analyst, investment banker, financial planner, and risk manager. The demand for finance professionals remains strong as businesses and organizations continuously seek individuals who can navigate economic uncertainties and optimize financial performance.

In addition to technical skills, a degree in finance also enhances critical thinking, problem-solving abilities, and effective communication, which are vital in the fast-paced financial environment. Overall, Finance, General is a versatile major that provides a solid foundation for a rewarding career in the financial industry.

Graduates by year

Graduates by degree level (first and second majors)

AssociateBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral

From 2002 to 2025, graduates grew 55% and the international share went from 9.3% to 6.6%.

International share (%)
Graduates by group, 2025
White
60.4%
Asian
8.2%
Hispanic
13.5%
Black
4.8%
Other
6.5%
Intl.
6.6%

Colleges that award this degree

In 2025, 733 schools awarded this degree as a first major. The table lists those in the 2027 U.S. News National or Liberal Arts rankings, plus the unranked schools with the most graduates.

RankSchoolStateGraduatesInternational
#3 Harvard University Massachusetts 89 27
#12 Columbia University in the City of New York New York 27 4
#16 Washington University in St Louis Missouri 185 83
#20 University of Notre Dame Indiana 307 26
#23 Georgetown University D.C. 378 22
#31 Boston College Massachusetts 271 31
#31 New York University New York 31 24
#34 University of Florida Florida 314 5
#34 University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Illinois 267 27
#34 Wake Forest University North Carolina 143 8
#34 The University of Texas at Austin Texas 433 15
#34 University of Wisconsin-Madison Wisconsin 328 13
#42 Northeastern University Massachusetts 17 1
#42 Villanova University Pennsylvania 208 5
#44 Rutgers University-New Brunswick New Jersey 502 39
#44 Case Western Reserve University Ohio 129 54
#44 Ohio State University-Main Campus Ohio 857 71
#44 Lehigh University Pennsylvania 161 8
#49 University of Maryland-College Park Maryland 376 14
#49 University of Washington-Seattle Campus Washington 262 43
#52 University of Georgia Georgia 536 3
#52 College of William and Mary Virginia 37 0
#52 Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Virginia 356 7
#55 Santa Clara University California 226 15
#55 University of Miami Florida 405 26
#55 The Pennsylvania State University Pennsylvania 512 80
#55 Purdue University-Main Campus Indiana 281 13
#59 George Washington University D.C. 65 11
#59 Florida State University Florida 735 22
#59 Tulane University of Louisiana Louisiana 415 101
#59 University of Massachusetts-Amherst Massachusetts 383 35
#59 University of Minnesota-Twin Cities Minnesota 296 5
#59 University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus Pennsylvania 192 17
#59 Texas A & M University-College Station Texas 408 2
#69 Michigan State University Michigan 390 22
#72 Syracuse University New York 143 10
#73 University of Connecticut Connecticut 229 17
#73 Howard University D.C. 102 3
#73 Rutgers University-Newark New Jersey 187 5
#73 Binghamton University New York 132 5
#80 University of California-Riverside California 42 26
#80 Pepperdine University California 40 4
#80 Clemson University South Carolina 379 2
#85 University of Delaware Delaware 297 59
#85 Southern Methodist University Texas 261 7
#90 Yeshiva University New York 78 8
#90 Baylor University Texas 242 12
#90 Texas Christian University Texas 302 9
#90 Marquette University Wisconsin 94 3
#95 American University D.C. 61 16
#95 University of Illinois at Chicago Illinois 237 23
#95 University of Missouri-Columbia Missouri 13 0
#95 Rutgers University--Camden New Jersey 38 2
#95 Rochester Institute of Technology New York 32 7
#100 Auburn University Alabama 407 18
#100 University of San Diego California 185 24
#100 Florida International University Florida 538 59
#100 University of South Florida-Main Campus Florida 457 46
#100 University of Iowa Iowa 391 3
#100 Saint Louis University Missouri 63 5
#100 Creighton University Nebraska 120 3
#100 Elon University North Carolina 134 2
#109 Loyola Marymount University California 147 23
#109 University of Colorado Boulder Colorado 62 12
#109 Fairfield University Connecticut 221 3
#109 Temple University Pennsylvania 199 11
#109 The University of Tennessee-Knoxville Tennessee 353 0
#116 University of San Francisco California 44 10
#116 Iowa State University Iowa 266 4
#116 University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus Oklahoma 237 5
#116 Brigham Young University-Provo Utah 196 10
#121 Arizona State University-Tempe Arizona 460 38
#121 University of Arizona Arizona 206 12
#121 University of Denver Colorado 127 7
#121 University of Central Florida Florida 401 16
#121 Loyola University Chicago Illinois 104 6
#121 University of Dayton Ohio 166 0
#121 University of South Carolina-Columbia South Carolina 462 14
#121 The University of Texas at Dallas Texas 271 8
#121 George Mason University Virginia 3 1
#133 Miami University-Oxford Ohio 469 8
#133 Thomas Jefferson University Pennsylvania 13 2
#137 University of Alabama at Birmingham Alabama 84 4
#137 San Jose State University California 7 0
#137 St John's University (NY) New York 128 5
#137 Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia Pennsylvania 104 6
#137 University of Scranton Pennsylvania 50 3
#137 University of Houston Texas 427 19
#137 James Madison University Virginia 162 1
#148 Mercer University Georgia 23 2
#148 University of Kansas Kansas 208 6
#148 University of Kentucky Kentucky 299 14
#148 University of Tulsa Oklahoma 28 2
#148 University of Rhode Island Rhode Island 115 1
#156 The University of Alabama Alabama 571 5
#156 Quinnipiac University Connecticut 112 3
#156 Kansas State University Kansas 120 2
#156 University of St Thomas (MN) Minnesota 136 5
#156 Seton Hall University New Jersey 154 4
#156 Oregon State University Oregon 129 7
#156 University of Portland Oregon 38 5
#156 Virginia Commonwealth University Virginia 102 3
#169 Bradley University Illinois 20 1
#169 DePaul University Illinois 230 7
#169 Butler University Indiana 79 1
#169 Simmons University Massachusetts 1 0
#169 Michigan Technological University Michigan 17 1
#169 University of Nebraska-Lincoln Nebraska 189 7
#169 Touro College New York 21 2
#169 University of North Carolina at Charlotte North Carolina 380 9
#179 University of Louisville Kentucky 68 2
#179 University of Mississippi Mississippi 230 2
#179 University of Cincinnati-Main Campus Ohio 287 11
#179 University of Utah Utah 243 8
#179 Seattle University Washington 53 11
#186 California Lutheran University California 14 6
#186 University of Hawaii at Manoa Hawaii 143 10
#186 Wayne State University Michigan 149 2
#186 Texas Tech University Texas 358 10
#191 Samford University Alabama 58 1
#191 University of Arkansas Arkansas 456 3
#191 Florida Atlantic University Florida 328 19
#191 Georgia State University Georgia 251 17
#191 Drake University Iowa 29 2
#191 Rowan University New Jersey 126 2
#191 Adelphi University New York 23 5
#191 Hofstra University New York 65 7
#191 Oklahoma State University-Main Campus Oklahoma 176 2
#191 Washington State University Washington 160 6
#202 Sacred Heart University Connecticut 118 4
#202 Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Louisiana 204 2
#202 East Carolina University North Carolina 114 0
#202 Ohio University-Main Campus Ohio 127 1
#202 University of St. Thomas (TX) Texas 26 1
#208 University of La Verne California 8 5
#208 University of Idaho Idaho 36 0
#208 Mississippi State University Mississippi 88 2
#208 University of North Carolina at Greensboro North Carolina 75 1
#208 Ohio Northern University Ohio 16 0
#208 Xavier University Ohio 56 1
#208 Belmont University Tennessee 21 0
#208 University of North Texas Texas 212 8
#219 Illinois State University Illinois 168 1
#219 University of Nevada-Reno Nevada 128 2
#219 North Carolina A&T State University North Carolina 28 0
#219 Gannon University Pennsylvania 30 4
#219 Robert Morris University Pennsylvania 42 1
#227 Ball State University Indiana 40 1
#227 University of Michigan-Dearborn Michigan 62 2
#227 University of North Dakota North Dakota 1 0
#227 West Chester University of Pennsylvania Pennsylvania 161 0
#227 University of Texas-San Antonio Texas 174 6
#227 West Virginia University West Virginia 125 8
#236 University of Colorado Denver Colorado 34 2
#236 Florida Institute of Technology Florida 5 2
#236 University of North Florida Florida 122 2
#236 Stetson University Florida 36 6
#236 University of Nevada--Las Vegas Nevada 153 0
#236 North Dakota State University-Main Campus North Dakota 90 0
#236 Kent State University at Kent Ohio 113 3
#236 Portland State University Oregon 84 7
#236 Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania Pennsylvania 32 0
#250 Nova Southeastern University Florida 83 12
#250 University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth Massachusetts 58 1
#250 New Mexico State University-Main Campus New Mexico 32 2
#250 Pace University-New York New York 98 19
#250 La Salle University Pennsylvania 41 2
#250 Lipscomb University Tennessee 29 0
#250 University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley Texas 115 5
#250 University of Wyoming Wyoming 70 3
#262 University of Alabama--Huntsville Alabama 44 1
#262 Aurora University Illinois 22 1
#262 University of Maine Maine 70 3
#262 Suffolk University Massachusetts 62 11
#262 Western New England University Massachusetts 36 0
#262 Andrews University Michigan 5 3
#262 Central Michigan University Michigan 33 0
#262 George Fox University Oregon 9 0
#262 DeSales University Pennsylvania 14 0
#262 University of South Dakota South Dakota 37 0
#262 University of Texas--El Paso Texas 97 9
#276 Northern Arizona University Arizona 118 3
#276 Harding University Arkansas 14 2
#276 California Baptist University California 14 1
#276 Regis University Colorado 11 0
#276 University of St. Francis Illinois 4 0
#276 Marian University (IN) Indiana 14 6
#276 Western Michigan University Michigan 185 98
#276 Bowling Green State University-Main Campus Ohio 72 1
#276 Widener University Pennsylvania 16 0
#288 University of Hartford Connecticut 22 0
#288 Southern Illinois University-Carbondale Illinois 21 3
#288 University of Indianapolis Indiana 55 39
#288 Wichita State University Kansas 57 2
#288 Arcadia University Pennsylvania 6 1
#288 University of Memphis Tennessee 92 1
#288 Texas State University Texas 185 3
#288 Utah State University Utah 139 2
#288 University of Wisconsin--Milwaukee Wisconsin 148 0
#299 Southern Connecticut State University Connecticut 44 1
#299 Boise State University Idaho 99 3
#299 Saint Mary's University of Minnesota Minnesota 5 0
#299 University of Nebraska--Omaha Nebraska 38 2
#299 University of Toledo Ohio 78 4
#299 Tennessee Technological University Tennessee 31 0
#299 Concordia University Wisconsin Wisconsin 12 0
#308 Northern Illinois University Illinois 62 2
#308 Oakland University Michigan 89 1
#308 University of Southern Mississippi Mississippi 32 1
#308 Maryville University of Saint Louis Missouri 21 3
#308 Wilkes University Pennsylvania 7 1
#308 Abilene Christian University Texas 22 0
#308 University of the Incarnate Word Texas 18 1
#317 Morgan State University Maryland 25 1
#317 Ferris State University Michigan 14 0
#317 Kean University New Jersey 64 5
#317 University of Mary North Dakota 9 0
#317 Indiana University of Pennsylvania-Main Campus Pennsylvania 47 0
#317 Prairie View A&M University Texas 21 0
#328 Georgia Southern University Georgia 142 1
#328 East Tennessee State University Tennessee 48 1
#328 Old Dominion University Virginia 82 0
#328 University of North Texas at Dallas Texas 38 0
#332 University of South Alabama Alabama 31 2
#332 Jacksonville University Florida 16 3
#332 University of Findlay Ohio 1 0
#332 Texas A&M University--Kingsville Texas 10 0
#332 Texas Woman's University Texas 15 0
#332 University of Lynchburg Virginia 1 0
#342 Mississippi College Mississippi 32 5
#342 Missouri State University Missouri 108 11
#342 Campbell University North Carolina 7 0
#342 University of Akron Ohio 27 0
#342 Cleveland State University Ohio 65 5
#342 University of Texas--Tyler Texas 27 1
#342 Kennesaw State University Georgia 224 6
#353 Jacksonville State University Alabama 41 5
#353 Arkansas State University Arkansas 35 1
#353 University of West Georgia Georgia 37 0
#353 University of Louisiana--Lafayette Louisiana 71 1
#353 University of Michigan--Flint Michigan 29 1
#353 Plymouth State University New Hampshire 20 3
#353 Youngstown State University Ohio 48 1
#353 University of Houston--Clear Lake Texas 37 1
#353 University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras Puerto Rico 43 0
#353 Pennsylvania Western University Pennsylvania 19 0
#365 University of Central Arkansas Arkansas 53 1
#365 Indiana State University Indiana 19 0
#365 University of Louisiana--Monroe Louisiana 5 0
#365 Jackson State University Mississippi 5 0
#365 The University of Montana Montana 31 3
#365 Gardner-Webb University North Carolina 11 0
#365 Liberty University Virginia 51 0
#365 Eastern Washington University Washington 54 0
#376 University of Arkansas--Little Rock Arkansas 17 2
#376 University of Bridgeport Connecticut 5 3
#376 Barry University Florida 11 5
#376 Concordia University-Saint Paul Minnesota 8 1
#382 Grand Canyon University Arizona 306 8
#382 National University California 32 0
#382 Post University Connecticut 30 2
#382 Wilmington University Delaware 105 4
#382 Palm Beach Atlantic University Florida 16 4
#382 St. Thomas University (FL) Florida 13 8
#382 Southeastern University Florida 5 1
#382 Columbus State University Georgia 24 0
#382 Valdosta State University Georgia 26 0
#382 Idaho State University Idaho 35 2
#382 Concordia University-Chicago Illinois 2 0
#382 Roosevelt University Illinois 21 1
#382 University of New Orleans Louisiana 44 10
#382 Southern University and A&M College Louisiana 15 0
#382 University of Southern Maine Maine 28 0
#382 Wright State University-Main Campus Ohio 12 0
#382 Northeastern State University Oklahoma 16 0
#382 Angelo State University Texas 32 5
#382 Texas A&M University--Corpus Christi Texas 47 2
#382 Dallas Baptist University Texas 29 1
#382 Houston Christian University Texas 8 0
#382 Lamar University Texas 56 1
#382 Tarleton State University Texas 19 0
#382 Texas Wesleyan University Texas 16 7
#382 Regent University Virginia 3 0
#382 Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce Puerto Rico 7 0
#382 Inter American University of Puerto Rico, Metropolitan Campus Puerto Rico 29 0
#382 Universidad Ana G. Mendez-Gurabo Campus Puerto Rico 7 0
LAC #3 Claremont McKenna College California 14 3
LAC #38 Trinity University Texas 38 5
LAC #47 Hillsdale College Michigan 28 0
LAC #49 St. Lawrence University New York 26 3
LAC #49 The University of the South Tennessee 28 0
LAC #62 Lake Forest College Illinois 30 3
LAC #62 Muhlenberg College Pennsylvania 32 0
LAC #68 College of St. Benedict Minnesota 1 0
LAC #68 Wofford College South Carolina 68 7
LAC #72 Saint Anselm College New Hampshire 26 0
LAC #74 Principia College Illinois 2 1
LAC #74 St. John's University (MN) Minnesota 11 0
LAC #85 Stonehill College Massachusetts 54 3
LAC #85 Susquehanna University Pennsylvania 30 0
LAC #91 Augustana College Illinois 27 10
LAC #91 Juniata College Pennsylvania 4 0
LAC #91 Ursinus College Pennsylvania 26 0
LAC #91 Washington and Jefferson College Pennsylvania 4 0
LAC #97 Austin College Texas 14 0
LAC #100 SUNY College at Geneseo New York 22 1
LAC #111 Saint Vincent College Pennsylvania 1 0
LAC #116 Ohio Wesleyan University Ohio 15 1
LAC #119 Albion College Michigan 15 1
LAC #119 Christopher Newport University Virginia 15 1
LAC #119 Ripon College Wisconsin 7 0
LAC #125 Emmanuel College Massachusetts 10 0
LAC #128 Cornell College Iowa 12 0
LAC #132 Saint Norbert College Wisconsin 28 1
LAC #142 Eastern Connecticut State University Connecticut 40 0
LAC #146 Gordon College Massachusetts 11 3
LAC #154 SUNY Old Westbury New York 34 2
LAC #160 Wittenberg University Ohio 12 1
LAC #168 Lyon College Arkansas 2 0
LAC #172 University of Wisconsin-Green Bay Wisconsin 50 1
LAC #180 Alabama State University Alabama 7 1
LAC #181 Bethune-Cookman University Florida 2 0
LAC #181 Bethany College West Virginia 2 1
LAC #184 Williams Baptist University Arkansas 11 4
LAC #184 Young Harris College Georgia 6 1
LAC #184 Harris-Stowe State University Missouri 2 2
LAC #184 Utah Tech University Utah 48 3
— CUNY Bernard M Baruch College New York 843 56
— Bentley University Massachusetts 382 49
— Southern New Hampshire University New Hampshire 345 1
— The University of Tampa Florida 271 9
— Fort Hays State University Kansas 221 2
— University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Wisconsin 211 2
— The University of Arizona Global Campus Arizona 202 2
— Western Governors University Utah 198 0
— Grand Valley State University Michigan 183 4
— University of Maryland Global Campus Maryland 178 4
— University of Wisconsin--La Crosse Wisconsin 177 1
— Bryant University Rhode Island 172 5
— Providence College Rhode Island 167 0
— Purdue University Global Indiana 150 1
— University of Houston-Downtown Texas 144 1
— Colorado State University Global Colorado 135 3
— Utah Valley University Utah 133 3
— Florida Gulf Coast University Florida 132 6
— Appalachian State University North Carolina 120 0
— University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Wisconsin 118 13
— College of Charleston South Carolina 109 3
— West Texas A & M University Texas 96 4
— Minnesota State University-Mankato Minnesota 94 9
— Pennsylvania State University-World Campus Pennsylvania 93 5
— Middle Tennessee State University Tennessee 91 6
— High Point University North Carolina 85 0
— Coastal Carolina University South Carolina 85 3
— University of Minnesota-Duluth Minnesota 82 1
— University of North Georgia Georgia 81 2
— Central Connecticut State University Connecticut 78 2

Purple: international students are 25% or more of the school's graduates.

Related jobs and pay

OccupationUS employmentMean hourly wageMean annual wage
General and Operations Managers 3,503,020 $64.87 $134,940
Financial Managers 841,710 $89.86 $186,910
Financial and Investment Analysts 361,980 $56.15 $116,800
Loan Officers 274,330 $42.21 $87,790
Personal Financial Advisors 266,800 $75.32 $156,670
Chief Executives 204,350 $129.63 $269,630
Financial Specialists, All Other 132,130 $45.10 $93,810
Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists 112,380 $40.54 $84,330
Business Teachers, Postsecondary 82,150 — $114,720
Credit Analysts 64,390 $48.49 $100,850
Financial Risk Specialists 63,850 $59.82 $124,420
Budget Analysts 47,160 $46.33 $96,370

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025.

Graduate counts: IPEDS Completions, US Department of Education, 2002–2025. Rankings: 2027 U.S. News.