Finance/accounting analyst education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a finance/accounting analyst. Finance/accounting analysts usually study accounting, business, or finance. 74% of finance/accounting analysts hold a bachelor's degree, and 17% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 1,649 real finance/accounting analyst resumes to see exactly what finance/accounting analyst education sections show.

The most common colleges for finance/accounting analysts are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.

There are also many online finance/accounting analyst courses to help get the education required to be a finance/accounting analyst.

There are certain finance/accounting analyst certifications that you should consider. These finance/accounting analyst certifications include Certified Management Accountant (CMA) and Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA).

What education do you need to become a finance/accounting analyst?

What degree do you need to be a finance/accounting analyst?

The most common degree for finance/accounting analysts is bachelor's degree, with 74% of finance/accounting analysts earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 17% and master's degree degree at 7%.

Bachelor's, 74%

Master's, 17%

Associate, 7%

High School Diploma, 1%

Other Degrees, 1%

What should I major in to become a finance/accounting analyst?

You should major in accounting to become a finance/accounting analyst. 37% of finance/accounting analysts major in accounting. Other common majors for a finance/accounting analyst include business and finance.

Accounting, 37%

Business, 27%

Finance, 19%

Economics, 5%

Other Majors, 12%

Most common colleges for finance/accounting analysts

Finance/accounting analysts often get their degrees at University of Phoenix, DePaul University, and University of Houston. Here are the most common colleges for finance/accounting analysts in the US based on their resumes.

Finance/accounting analyst common college	Percentages
University of Phoenix	14.15%
DePaul University	8.29%
University of Houston	6.34%
University of Central Florida	5.85%
University of South Florida	4.88%

Show more common finance/accounting analyst colleges

Best majors for finance/accounting analysts

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Accounting	36.9%
2	Business	26.7%
3	Finance	19.4%
4	Economics	5.0%
5	Management	2.2%

Show more common finance/accounting analyst majors

Best colleges for finance/accounting analysts

The best colleges for finance/accounting analysts are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Vanderbilt University.

A finance/accounting analyst with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for finance/accounting analysts. 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 finance/accounting analysts.

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. San Diego State University

San Diego, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,488

Enrollment

30,018

5. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$53,948

Enrollment

17,238

6. SUNY Stony Brook

Stony Brook, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$9,625

Enrollment

17,407

7. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

8. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, MN • Private

In-state tuition

$14,760

Enrollment

31,451

9. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Champaign, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$15,094

Enrollment

32,974

10. University of Notre Dame

Notre Dame, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$53,391

Enrollment

8,568

20 best online courses for finance/accounting analysts

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1. Financial Accounting - Subsidiary Ledgers & Special Journals

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Master Adjusting Entries & Financial Statements: A Comprehensive Guide for Accurate Accounting and Reporting...

3. Finance & Accounting for Management Consultants and Analysts

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A practical guide that will help you understand financial statements & do financial analyses during consulting projects...

4. Principles of Financial Accounting

4.5

(875)

Learn the complete accounting cycle -recording business transactions to presenting the Balance Sheet & Income Statement...

5. Microsoft Excel for Finance, Accounting & Financial Analysis

4.5

(1,596)

Excel tips & tricks for Accounting, Finance and Financial Analysis. Learn from the Bestselling Accounting Instructor...

6. Accounting & Financial Statement Analysis: Complete Training

4.6

(16,804)

Accounting & Financial Ratio Analysis made easy. Learn important accounting skills that will get your foot in the door!...

7. Financial Accounting & Excel-Comprehensive Accounting Course

4.3

(736)

Comprehensive accounting course to learn the accounting cycle in a practical way and pick up critical Excel fundamentals...

8. Financial Accounting-Debits & Credits-Accounting Transaction

4.5

(781)

Masterclass: Learn Accounting Principles, Financial Statements, Transactions & More in this Comprehensive Course...

9. Financial Accounting: A Comprehensive Guide with E-book

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Unlock Financial Accounting Mastery: Comprehensive Course for Students, Professionals, and Business Owners...

10. The Complete Introduction To Accounting and Finance

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The Original Course on Accounting & Finance! It's easy once you know the basics. Learn introductory accounting & finance...

11. Introduction to Sarbanes Oxley (SOX)

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12. Awaken the Accountant in You Master the Accounting Basics

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Learn How to Create an Accounting Worksheet Using Microsoft Excel from a Certified Public Accountant (CPA)...

14. Accounting, Bookkeeping & Financial Analysis (Accounting)

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Accounting & Bookkeeping Basics. Accounting & Financial Analysis Concepts. Learn Accounting & Bookkeeping...

15. Accounting 101: How to read an Accounting Balance Sheet

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Accounting 101: Non-Accountants' Guide to Accounting. Learn Accounting. Get Paid More, and Get Promoted Faster!...

16. Payroll Accounting: Laws, Calculations, and Journal Entries

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Master the complex world of payroll with practical examples, legislation insights, and comprehensive problems...

17. Accounting & Bookkeeping Masterclass - Beginner to Advanced

4.5

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Accounting, Bookkeeping Introduction, Accounting, Bookkeeping Entries, Accounting, Bookkeeping Adjustments & Reports...

18. Financial Accounting - Closing Process

4.3

(964)

Conquering the Closing Process: A Thorough Exploration of the Final Step in Accounting...

19. Accounting Made Easy: A Quick Guide to Financial Accounting

4.5

(2,757)

Accounting is not about Math, it is about concepts. And no one said it has to be hard. Learn the basics in just 2 hours!...

20. Introduction to Finance, Accounting, Modeling and Valuation

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Learn Finance & Accounting from Scratch by an Award Winning MBA Professor, Ivy Grad, worked @ Goldman & VC...

Top 10 most affordable universities for finance/accounting analysts

The most affordable schools for finance/accounting analysts are Baruch College of the City University of New York, suny farmingdale, and brooklyn college of the city university of new york.

If the best universities for finance/accounting analysts 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 finance/accounting analysts.

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. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,240

Cost of attendance

13,991

4. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

5. USF Sarasota-Manatee

Sarasota, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,587

Cost of attendance

13,043

6. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez

Mayaguez, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$4,094

Cost of attendance

14,302

7. California State University - Fullerton

Fullerton, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,886

Cost of attendance

17,645

8. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

9. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

10. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,942

Cost of attendance

14,469

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for finance/accounting analysts

The hardest universities for finance/accounting analysts to get into are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Vanderbilt University.

Some great schools for finance/accounting analysts 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 finance/accounting analysts 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. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

Admissions rate

10%

SAT average

1,514

4. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

5. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

6. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

7. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

17%

SAT average

1,507

8. Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,506

9. Boston College

Chestnut Hill, MA • Private

Admissions rate

28%

SAT average

1,429

10. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for finance/accounting analysts

The easiest schools for finance/accounting analysts to get into are Oklahoma Wesleyan University, holy names university, and university of houston - downtown.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a finance/accounting analyst 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 finance/accounting analysts.

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. University of Houston - Downtown

Houston, TX • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

1,012

4. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

5. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

6. University of North Texas at Dallas

Dallas, TX • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

992

7. Oregon Institute of Technology

Klamath Falls, OR • Private

Admissions rate

96%

SAT average

1,139

8. Grand View University

Des Moines, IA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,060

9. Fresno Pacific University

Fresno, CA • Private

Admissions rate

85%

SAT average

1,053

10. Holy Family University

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

72%

SAT average

1,017

Average finance/accounting analyst salary by education level

Finance/accounting analysts with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $76,548 annually. With a Master's degree, finance/accounting analysts earn a median annual income of $68,701 compared to $62,301 for finance/accounting analysts with an Bachelor's degree.

Finance/accounting analyst education level	Finance/accounting analyst salary
Master's Degree	$68,701
Bachelor's Degree	$62,301
Doctorate Degree	$76,548

Finance/accounting analyst education FAQs

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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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