Fixed income manager education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a fixed income manager. Fixed income managers usually study finance, business, or economics. 75% of fixed income managers hold a bachelor's degree, and 21% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 648 real fixed income manager resumes to see exactly what fixed income manager education sections show.

The most common colleges for fixed income managers are the New York University and the New York University.

There are also many online fixed income manager courses to help get the education required to be a fixed income manager.

What education do you need to become a fixed income manager?

What degree do you need to be a fixed income manager?

The most common degree for fixed income managers is bachelor's degree, with 75% of fixed income managers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 21% and master's degree degree at 2%.

Bachelor's, 75%

Master's, 21%

Doctorate, 2%

Associate, 2%

Other Degrees, 0%

What should I major in to become a fixed income manager?

You should major in finance to become a fixed income manager. 28% of fixed income managers major in finance. Other common majors for a fixed income manager include business and economics.

Finance, 28%

Business, 23%

Economics, 12%

Accounting, 7%

Other Majors, 30%

Most common colleges for fixed income managers

Fixed income managers often get their degrees at New York University, Northeastern University, and Pace University. Here are the most common colleges for fixed income managers in the US based on their resumes.

Fixed income manager common college	Percentages
New York University	16.13%
Northeastern University	8.06%
Pace University	7.26%
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey	6.45%
Baruch College of the City University of New York	5.65%

Show more common fixed income manager colleges

Best majors for fixed income managers

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Finance	27.6%
2	Business	23.1%
3	Economics	12.2%
4	Accounting	6.7%
5	Political Science	5.3%

Show more common fixed income manager majors

Best colleges for fixed income managers

The best colleges for fixed income managers are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Stanford University.

A fixed income manager with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for fixed income managers. 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 fixed income managers.

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 fixed income managers

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3. Bonds & Fixed Income Securities: Structure, Prices & Markets

4.6

(1,615)

Fixed Income Convertible Bonds Structured Products Mortgage Backed Securities (MBS) Asset Backed (ABS) CDOs...

4. Fixed Income Analytics: Pricing and Risk Management

4.4

(327)

With Python Tools for Bonds and Money Market Instruments...

5. Introduction to Capital Markets

4.5

(862)

Equities, Fixed Income and Derivative market...

6. Level 1 CFA® Exam Prep Bootcamp (Part 2/2)

4.6

(1,021)

Level 1 CFA® Bootcamp: Financial Reporting, Portfolio Management, Equity Investments, Fixed Income, Derivatives...

7. Interest Rate Swaps: Structure, Pricing & Risk Management

4.5

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Interest Rate Swaps Risk Management Hedging OTC Clearinghouses Swap Valuation Floating Interest Rates...

8. Fixed Income Securities: Become a Bond Analyst & Investor

4.3

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An Introduction to Bond Markets: Everything You Need to Know About Bonds...

9. Capital Markets Immersion: A Financial Markets Introduction

4.5

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10. Investment Analysis & Portfolio Management - Core Finance

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13. Financial Statements: Balance Sheet, Income Stmt, Cash Flow

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14. Canadian Securities Course (CSC) tutorials

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This course helps prepare participants for Canadian Securities course (CSC) conducted by CSI...

15. Level I CFA® Prep Course (2023) - Fixed Income

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Deep dive into Fixed Income with the Bestselling CFA® prep course updated for 2023 exam With visual learning + Quizzes...

16. The Complete Financial Analyst Training & Investing Course

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Succeed as a Financial Analyst &Investor by Award Winning MBA Prof who worked @Goldman, in Hedge Funds & Venture Capital...

17. Investing In Bonds: The Complete Bond Investing Course!

4.6

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All Bond Investing Types. Government & Corporate Bonds. Bond Strategies. Bond Risks, Bond Funds, Fixed Income Bonds...

18. Passive Income Investing And Side-Gig Mastery!

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19. IFIC Investment Funds in Canada Exam Preparation

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Pass the IFIC or IFC exam in the smart way!...

20. Financial Risk Management (FRM): Foundational FRM Principles

4.5

(960)

Minimize Financial Risks While Maximizing Financial Reward. + Financial Risk Management (FRM) Process Implementation...

Top 10 most affordable universities for fixed income managers

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

If the best universities for fixed income managers 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 fixed income managers.

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 fixed income managers

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

Some great schools for fixed income managers 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 fixed income managers 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 fixed income managers

The easiest schools for fixed income managers 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 fixed income manager 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 fixed income managers.

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 fixed income manager salary by education level

Fixed income managers with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $200,132 annually. With a Master's degree, fixed income managers earn a median annual income of $182,496 compared to $141,884 for fixed income managers with an Bachelor's degree.

Fixed income manager education level	Fixed income manager salary
Master's Degree	$182,496
High School Diploma or Less	$95,186
Bachelor's Degree	$141,884
Doctorate Degree	$200,132
Some College/ Associate Degree	$95,163

Fixed income manager education FAQs

What is the best college for Fixed Income Managers?

Have more questions? See all answers to common executive management questions.

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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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