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Finance management analyst education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a finance management analyst. Finance management analysts usually study business, finance, or accounting. 72% of finance management analysts hold a bachelor's degree, and 17% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 2,127 real finance management analyst resumes to see exactly what finance management analyst education sections show.

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

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

There are certain finance management analyst certifications that you should consider. These finance management analyst certifications include Certified in Financial Management and Certified Resume Specialist: Accounting and Finance (CRS+AF).

What education do you need to become a finance management analyst?

What degree do you need to be a finance management analyst?

The most common degree for finance management analysts is bachelor's degree, with 72% of finance management 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, 72%
  • Master's, 17%
  • Associate, 7%
  • High School Diploma, 2%
  • Other Degrees, 2%

What should I major in to become a finance management analyst?

You should major in business to become a finance management analyst. 30% of finance management analysts major in business. Other common majors for a finance management analyst include finance and accounting.

Most common colleges for finance management analysts

Finance management analysts often get their degrees at University of Phoenix, Strayer University, and George Mason University. Here are the most common colleges for finance management analysts in the US based on their resumes.
Finance management analyst common collegePercentages
University of Phoenix11.58%
Strayer University10.42%
George Mason University6.95%
University of Maryland - College Park6.18%
Saint Leo University5.79%

Best majors for finance management analysts

RankMajorPercentages
1Business30.3%
2Finance23.4%
3Accounting19.8%
4Economics6.2%
5Management3.7%

Best colleges for finance management analysts

The best colleges for finance management analysts are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and University of Southern California.

A finance management 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 management 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 management analysts.

1. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

2. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

3. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

4. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

5. Lehigh University

Bethlehem, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$52,930

Enrollment

5,030

6. George Washington University, The

Washington, DC • Private

In-state tuition

$55,230

Enrollment

12,161

7. Pennsylvania State University

University Park, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$18,454

Enrollment

40,108

8. University of Georgia

Athens, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$11,830

Enrollment

29,474

9. University of Rochester

Rochester, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$53,909

Enrollment

6,348

10. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$50,420

Enrollment

7,582

20 best online courses for finance management analysts

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Top 10 most affordable universities for finance management analysts

The most affordable schools for finance management analysts are Baruch College of the City University of New York, university of florida, and usf sarasota-manatee.

If the best universities for finance management 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 management 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. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

3. USF Sarasota-Manatee

Sarasota, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,587

Cost of attendance

13,043

4. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

5. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

6. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

7. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

8. University of South Florida

Tampa, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,410

Cost of attendance

20,456

9. University of Houston - Victoria

Victoria, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$6,491

Cost of attendance

19,075

10. California State University - Fullerton

Fullerton, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,886

Cost of attendance

17,645

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for finance management analysts

The hardest universities for finance management analysts to get into are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and University of Southern California.

Some great schools for finance management 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 management 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

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. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

5. Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,506

6. Lehigh University

Bethlehem, PA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,380

7. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

8. University of Notre Dame

Notre Dame, IN • Private

Admissions rate

18%

SAT average

1,502

9. University of Rochester

Rochester, NY • Private

Admissions rate

29%

SAT average

1,422

10. Boston College

Chestnut Hill, MA • Private

Admissions rate

28%

SAT average

1,429

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for finance management analysts

The easiest schools for finance management analysts to get into are Oklahoma Wesleyan University, notre dame de namur university, and holy names university.

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

1. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

2. Notre Dame de Namur University

Belmont, CA • Private

Admissions rate

82%

SAT average

983

3. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

Admissions rate

70%

SAT average

849

4. University of the Incarnate Word

San Antonio, TX • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,044

5. University of North Texas at Dallas

Dallas, TX • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

992

6. Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,031

7. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

8. Felician University

Lodi, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

999

9. Ottawa University

Ottawa, KS • Private

Admissions rate

78%

SAT average

1,024

10. University of Houston - Downtown

Houston, TX • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

1,012

Average finance management analyst salary by education level

Finance management analysts with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $84,335 annually. With a Master's degree, finance management analysts earn a median annual income of $79,922 compared to $72,557 for finance management analysts with an Bachelor's degree.
Finance management analyst education levelFinance management analyst salary
Master's Degree$79,922
Bachelor's Degree$72,557
Doctorate Degree$84,335

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
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.

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