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Finance director education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a finance director. Finance directors usually study accounting, business, or finance. 71% of finance directors hold a bachelor's degree, and 20% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 25,093 real finance director resumes to see exactly what finance director education sections show.
The most common colleges for finance directors are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.
There are also many online finance director courses to help get the education required to be a finance director.
There are certain finance director certifications that you should consider. These finance director certifications include Certified Management Accountant (CMA) and Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA).
What education do you need to become a finance director?
What degree do you need to be a finance director?
- Bachelor's, 71%
- Master's, 20%
- Associate, 5%
- High School Diploma, 1%
- Other Degrees, 3%
What should I major in to become a finance director?
- Accounting, 35%
- Business, 28%
- Finance, 15%
- Economics, 4%
- Other Majors, 18%
Most common colleges for finance directors
| Finance director common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Phoenix | 12.52% |
| New York University | 6.67% |
| Pennsylvania State University | 6.33% |
| University of Maryland - College Park | 5.71% |
| Arizona State University | 5.05% |
Best majors for finance directors
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Accounting | 35.4% |
| 2 | Business | 28.1% |
| 3 | Finance | 15.5% |
| 4 | Economics | 4.0% |
| 5 | Political Science | 3.4% |
Best colleges for finance directors
The best colleges for finance directors are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and University of Southern California.
A finance director 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 directors. 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 directors.
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 finance directors
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1. Financial Statements: Balance Sheet, Income Stmt, Cash Flow
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4. Financial Statement Auditing Cycles
In this course, we learn how public accountants plan and execute an audit...
5. Financial Accounting-Adjusting Entries & Financial Statement
Master Adjusting Entries & Financial Statements: A Comprehensive Guide for Accurate Accounting and Reporting...
6. Financial Statement Analysis
Learn how to make understanding financial statements your superpower!...
7. Corporate Finance #1 Introduction & Financial Statements
Navigating the Intersection of Finance, Accounting, and Economics for Effective Corporate Decision-Making...
8. Audit - Financial Statement
Master the Art of Auditing Financial Statements: In-Depth Analysis, Techniques, and Real-World Case Studies...
9. Complete Financial Modeling for Project Finance in Excel
Learn Financial Modeling for Project Finance and Infrastructure Valuation ( DCF and IRR )...
10. Business Finance: A Complete Introduction
A primer in Business Accounting, Financial Ratio Analysis, and Return on Investment Analysis...
11. Finance for Non Finance Executives
Accounting and Finance Fundamentals for Non Finance Executives...
12. Accounting & Financial Statement Analysis: Complete Training
Accounting & Financial Ratio Analysis made easy. Learn important accounting skills that will get your foot in the door!...
13. Personal Finance: Financial Security Thinking & Principles
How to secure your financial future the fun & easy way! Personal Finance: Financial Security Thinking & Principles...
14. The Personal Finance and Wealth Management Masterclass
Become an Expert in Personal Finance and Investing. Learn MBA-Level Financial Analysis. Master Finance Fundamentals...
15. SAP Finance and Controlling
Master SAP Finance and Controlling...
16. Financial Statements Analysis for absolute beginners
Understand Financial Statements and Analyze Financial Statements for Business and Financial Analysis...
17. Financial Planning & Analysis: Building a Company's Budget
Learn the Fundamentals of Financial Planning and Position Your Career for Success!...
18. How to Read Financial Statements: Build Financial Literacy.
Read financial statements and speak the language of business without the drudgery of a traditional accounting course...
19. Principles of Financial Accounting
Learn the complete accounting cycle -recording business transactions to presenting the Balance Sheet & Income Statement...
20. Corporate Finance: Financial Analysis and Decision-Making
Unlocking Financial Insights for Informed Decision-Making and Valuation Strategies: An In-Depth Course...
Top 10 most affordable universities for finance directors
The most affordable schools for finance directors are Baruch College of the City University of New York, usf sarasota-manatee, and suny farmingdale.
If the best universities for finance directors 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 directors.
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. 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. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
7. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
8. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
9. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez
Mayaguez, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$4,094
Cost of attendance
14,302
10. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for finance directors
The hardest universities for finance directors to get into are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and University of Southern California.
Some great schools for finance directors 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 directors 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. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
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. Villanova University
Villanova, PA • Private
Admissions rate
29%
SAT average
1,407
7. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
8. Bentley University
Waltham, MA • Private
Admissions rate
43%
SAT average
1,338
9. George Washington University, The
Washington, DC • Private
Admissions rate
42%
SAT average
1,380
10. University of Rochester
Rochester, NY • Private
Admissions rate
29%
SAT average
1,422
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for finance directors
The easiest schools for finance directors 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 finance director 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 directors.
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. Ottawa University
Ottawa, KS • Private
Admissions rate
78%
SAT average
1,024
8. Holy Family University
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
72%
SAT average
1,017
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 director salary by education level
| Finance director education level | Finance director salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $155,296 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $103,323 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $132,656 |
| Doctorate Degree | $164,528 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $103,308 |
Finance director education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025