Banker education requirements

Q: What degree do you need to be a banker?

You need a bachelor's degree in business or a related field to be a banker. There are several fields of study and degree levels available to someone interested in becoming a banker. Entry-level positions in banking typically require a bachelor's degree. Advanced degrees such as a master's or an MBA can improve your chances of advancing within a company or securing a management position. While business is a popular major for those pursuing a career in banking, there are a host of other fields of study that are relevant to the profession. Finance and accounting represent 20% of bachelor's degrees held by those in the banking field. Others working in the field have earned degrees in economics, communication, and computer science.

Q: What degree do you need to work at a bank?

You need either a bachelor's or master's degree in finance to work at a bank. Some investment banks and other financial institutions prefer job candidates to have a master's degree in this field, while others allow candidates with bachelor's degrees and impressive banking skills. Here are some other appropriate majors for aspiring bankers:

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a banker. Bankers usually study business, finance, or accounting. 56% of bankers hold a bachelor's degree, and 17% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 10,270 real banker resumes to see exactly what banker education sections show.

The most common colleges for bankers are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.

There are also many online banker courses to help get the education required to be a banker.

There are certain banker certifications that you should consider. These banker certifications include Certified Management Accountant (CMA) and Certified Sales Professional (CSP).

What education do you need to become a banker?

What degree do you need to be a banker?

The most common degree for bankers is bachelor's degree, with 56% of bankers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 17% and associate degree degree at 14%.

Bachelor's, 56%

Associate, 17%

High School Diploma, 14%

Master's, 7%

Other Degrees, 6%

What should I major in to become a banker?

You should major in business to become a banker. 34% of bankers major in business. Other common majors for a banker include finance and accounting.

Business, 34%

Finance, 11%

Accounting, 7%

Psychology, 5%

Other Majors, 43%

Most common colleges for bankers

Bankers often get their degrees at University of Phoenix, California State University - San Bernardino, and Ohio State University. Here are the most common colleges for bankers in the US based on their resumes.

Banker common college	Percentages
University of Phoenix	18.08%
California State University - San Bernardino	6.47%
Ohio State University	5.14%
University of California, Santa Barbara	5.14%
San Jose State University	4.98%

Show more common banker colleges

Best majors for bankers

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Business	33.7%
2	Finance	11.3%
3	Accounting	7.5%
4	Psychology	5.0%
5	Marketing	4.3%

Show more common banker majors

Best colleges for bankers

The best colleges for bankers are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Stanford University.

A banker with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for bankers. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become bankers.

1. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

2. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

3. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

4. SUNY at Binghamton

Vestal, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$9,808

Enrollment

13,990

5. Villanova University

Villanova, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$53,308

Enrollment

6,819

6. San Diego State University

San Diego, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,488

Enrollment

30,018

7. Bentley University

Waltham, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$49,880

Enrollment

4,177

8. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$53,948

Enrollment

17,238

9. SUNY Stony Brook

Stony Brook, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$9,625

Enrollment

17,407

10. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

20 best online courses for bankers

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4. Investment Banking: The Complete Financial Ratio Analysis

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6. The Advanced Real Estate Financial Modeling Bootcamp

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7. Customer Service Fundamentals: Putting People First

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Top 10 most affordable universities for bankers

The most affordable schools for bankers are Baruch College of the City University of New York, suny farmingdale, and usf sarasota-manatee.

If the best universities for bankers are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for bankers.

1. Baruch College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,262

Cost of attendance

14,046

2. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

3. USF Sarasota-Manatee

Sarasota, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,587

Cost of attendance

13,043

4. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,240

Cost of attendance

13,991

5. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,942

Cost of attendance

14,469

6. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

7. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

8. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

9. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

10. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez

Mayaguez, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$4,094

Cost of attendance

14,302

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for bankers

The hardest universities for bankers to get into are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Stanford University.

Some great schools for bankers are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for bankers based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.

1. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,508

2. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,492

3. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,497

4. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

5. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

6. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

7. Villanova University

Villanova, PA • Private

Admissions rate

29%

SAT average

1,407

8. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

Admissions rate

10%

SAT average

1,514

9. Bentley University

Waltham, MA • Private

Admissions rate

43%

SAT average

1,338

10. George Washington University, The

Washington, DC • Private

Admissions rate

42%

SAT average

1,380

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for bankers

The easiest schools for bankers to get into are Oklahoma Wesleyan University, holy names university, and barry university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a banker without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for bankers.

1. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

2. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

Admissions rate

70%

SAT average

849

3. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

4. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

5. University of North Texas at Dallas

Dallas, TX • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

992

6. La Roche College

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

99%

SAT average

1,008

7. Holy Family University

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

72%

SAT average

1,017

8. Saint Joseph's College of Maine

Standish, ME • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,069

9. Ottawa University

Ottawa, KS • Private

Admissions rate

78%

SAT average

1,024

10. LIM College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

1,061

Average banker salary by education level

According to our data, bankers with a Master's degree earn the highest average salary, at $62,349 annually. Bankers with a Doctorate degree earn an average annual salary of $53,474.

Banker education level	Banker salary
Master's Degree	$62,349
Bachelor's Degree	$44,379
Doctorate Degree	$53,474

Banker education FAQs

What degree do you need to be a banker?

What degree do you need to work at a bank?

What is the best college for Bankers?

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

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