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Finance assistant education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a finance assistant. Finance assistants usually study business, accounting, or finance. 59% of finance assistants hold a bachelor's degree, and 19% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 17,026 real finance assistant resumes to see exactly what finance assistant education sections show.
The most common colleges for finance assistants are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.
There are also many online finance assistant courses to help get the education required to be a finance assistant.
There are certain finance assistant certifications that you should consider. These finance assistant certifications include Medical Assistant and Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA).
What education do you need to become a finance assistant?
What degree do you need to be a finance assistant?
- Bachelor's, 59%
- Associate, 19%
- High School Diploma, 8%
- Master's, 7%
- Other Degrees, 7%
What should I major in to become a finance assistant?
- Business, 31%
- Accounting, 20%
- Finance, 10%
- Psychology, 5%
- Other Majors, 34%
Most common colleges for finance assistants
| Finance assistant common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Phoenix | 17.55% |
| University of Houston | 6.48% |
| DeVry University | 5.18% |
| University of California - Davis | 5.18% |
| New York University | 4.95% |
Best majors for finance assistants
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Business | 30.8% |
| 2 | Accounting | 19.6% |
| 3 | Finance | 9.7% |
| 4 | Psychology | 4.9% |
| 5 | Economics | 3.5% |
Best colleges for finance assistants
The best colleges for finance assistants are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Boston College.
A finance assistant 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 assistants. 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 assistants.
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. Western Carolina University
Cullowhee, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$3,926
Enrollment
9,835
4. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
5. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Enrollment
14,629
6. SUNY at Binghamton
Vestal, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$9,808
Enrollment
13,990
7. Villanova University
Villanova, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$53,308
Enrollment
6,819
8. Boston College
Chestnut Hill, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,464
Enrollment
9,639
9. San Diego State University
San Diego, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,488
Enrollment
30,018
10. Ball State University
Muncie, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,896
Enrollment
15,529
20 best online courses for finance assistants
Advertising disclosure
1. Financial Accounting-Adjusting Entries & Financial Statement
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Comprehensive accounting course to learn the accounting cycle in a practical way and pick up critical Excel fundamentals...
4. Financial Accounting - Subsidiary Ledgers & Special Journals
Mastering Special Journals and Subsidiary Ledgers: A Comprehensive Guide to Streamlined Accounting Practices...
5. Financial Accounting: The Complete Introductory Crash Course
Learn the Basics of Financial Accounting: Financial Statements, Debits and Credits, The Accounting Cycle and More!...
6. Principles of Financial Accounting
Learn the complete accounting cycle -recording business transactions to presenting the Balance Sheet & Income Statement...
7. Microsoft Excel for Finance, Accounting & Financial Analysis
Excel tips & tricks for Accounting, Finance and Financial Analysis. Learn from the Bestselling Accounting Instructor...
8. Accounting & Financial Statement Analysis: Complete Training
Accounting & Financial Ratio Analysis made easy. Learn important accounting skills that will get your foot in the door!...
9. Payroll Accounting: Laws, Calculations, and Journal Entries
Master the complex world of payroll with practical examples, legislation insights, and comprehensive problems...
10. ACCA: FA (F3) Financial Accounting
Let's get to grasps of how to perform the basics of financial accounting...
11. Financial Accounting: A Comprehensive Guide with E-book
Unlock Financial Accounting Mastery: Comprehensive Course for Students, Professionals, and Business Owners...
12. Accounting basics, create financial statements easily
Discover, develop, practice your financial information and explore the world of accounting...
13. Excel Accounting Problem
Learn How to Create an Accounting Worksheet Using Microsoft Excel from a Certified Public Accountant (CPA)...
14. Accounting Made Easy: A Quick Guide to Financial Accounting
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!...
15. Accounting, Finance and Banking - A Comprehensive Study
Learn Fundamentals to Advanced Concepts of three different but interrelated domains in a single course...
16. The Complete Introduction To Accounting and Finance
The Original Course on Accounting & Finance! It's easy once you know the basics. Learn introductory accounting & finance...
17. Financial Accounting - Closing Process
Conquering the Closing Process: A Thorough Exploration of the Final Step in Accounting...
18. Introductory Financial Accounting
Learn the basics of Accounting including: the accounting cycle, inventory, depreciation, receivables, and more!...
19. Financial Statement Auditing Cycles
In this course, we learn how public accountants plan and execute an audit...
20. Introduction to Finance, Accounting, Modeling and Valuation
Learn Finance & Accounting from Scratch by an Award Winning MBA Professor, Ivy Grad, worked @ Goldman & VC...
Top 10 most affordable universities for finance assistants
The most affordable schools for finance assistants are Baruch College of the City University of New York, usf sarasota-manatee, and suny farmingdale.
If the best universities for finance assistants 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 assistants.
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. USF Sarasota-Manatee
Sarasota, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,587
Cost of attendance
13,043
3. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
4. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez
Mayaguez, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$4,094
Cost of attendance
14,302
5. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
6. Minot State University
Minot, ND • Private
In-state tuition
$7,064
Cost of attendance
15,576
7. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
8. Dickinson State University
Dickinson, ND • Private
In-state tuition
$6,768
Cost of attendance
15,506
9. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
10. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for finance assistants
The hardest universities for finance assistants to get into are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Boston College.
Some great schools for finance assistants 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 assistants 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
8%
SAT average
1,508
2. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
3. Boston College
Chestnut Hill, MA • Private
Admissions rate
28%
SAT average
1,429
4. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
5. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
6. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
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. SUNY at Binghamton
Vestal, NY • Private
Admissions rate
40%
SAT average
1,376
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for finance assistants
The easiest schools for finance assistants to get into are Oklahoma Wesleyan University, holy names university, and notre dame college.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a finance assistant 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 assistants.
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. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
4. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
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. Ottawa University
Ottawa, KS • Private
Admissions rate
78%
SAT average
1,024
9. Saint Joseph's College of Maine
Standish, ME • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,069
10. Kean University
Union, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
991
Average finance assistant salary by education level
| Finance assistant education level | Finance assistant salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $45,035 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $40,301 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $43,065 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $40,898 |
Finance assistant education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025