Hedge fund manager education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a hedge fund manager. Hedge fund managers usually study finance, business, or economics. 74% of hedge fund managers hold a bachelor's degree, and 16% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 215 real hedge fund manager resumes to see exactly what hedge fund manager education sections show.

The most common colleges for hedge fund managers are the University of Michigan - Ann Arbor and the University of Michigan - Ann Arbor.

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

What education do you need to become a hedge fund manager?

What degree do you need to be a hedge fund manager?

The most common degree for hedge fund managers is bachelor's degree, with 74% of hedge fund managers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 16% and master's degree degree at 4%.

Bachelor's, 74%

Master's, 16%

Associate, 4%

Diploma, 2%

Other Degrees, 4%

What should I major in to become a hedge fund manager?

You should major in finance to become a hedge fund manager. 30% of hedge fund managers major in finance. Other common majors for a hedge fund manager include business and economics.

Finance, 30%

Business, 20%

Economics, 12%

Accounting, 9%

Other Majors, 29%

Most common colleges for hedge fund managers

Hedge fund managers often get their degrees at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor, Baruch College of the City University of New York, and Pace University. Here are the most common colleges for hedge fund managers in the US based on their resumes.

Hedge fund manager common college	Percentages
University of Michigan - Ann Arbor	8.16%
Baruch College of the City University of New York	8.16%
Pace University	6.12%
Pennsylvania State University	6.12%
California State University - San Bernardino	6.12%

Show more common hedge fund manager colleges

Best majors for hedge fund managers

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Finance	29.9%
2	Business	19.5%
3	Economics	12.1%
4	Accounting	9.2%
5	History	4.0%

Show more common hedge fund manager majors

Best colleges for hedge fund managers

The best colleges for hedge fund managers are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Vanderbilt University.

A hedge fund 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 hedge fund 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 hedge fund 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. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$53,948

Enrollment

17,238

8. SUNY Stony Brook

Stony Brook, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$9,625

Enrollment

17,407

9. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

10. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, MN • Private

In-state tuition

$14,760

Enrollment

31,451

20 best online courses for hedge fund managers

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Top 10 most affordable universities for hedge fund managers

The most affordable schools for hedge fund managers are Baruch College of the City University of New York, suny farmingdale, and university of florida.

If the best universities for hedge fund 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 hedge fund 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. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

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 - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

6. USF Sarasota-Manatee

Sarasota, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,587

Cost of attendance

13,043

7. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,942

Cost of attendance

14,469

8. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

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 hedge fund managers

The hardest universities for hedge fund managers to get into are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Vanderbilt University.

Some great schools for hedge fund 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 hedge fund 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. 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. Villanova University

Villanova, PA • Private

Admissions rate

29%

SAT average

1,407

8. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

17%

SAT average

1,507

9. Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,506

10. Boston College

Chestnut Hill, MA • Private

Admissions rate

28%

SAT average

1,429

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for hedge fund managers

The easiest schools for hedge fund managers to get into are Oklahoma Wesleyan University, notre dame college, and holy names university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a hedge fund 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 hedge fund managers.

1. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

2. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

3. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

Admissions rate

70%

SAT average

849

4. Kean University

Union, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

86%

SAT average

991

5. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

6. William Paterson University of New Jersey

Wayne, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

93%

SAT average

994

7. Iona College

New Rochelle, NY • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,089

8. Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey - Camden

Camden, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

71%

SAT average

1,086

9. Midwestern State University

Wichita Falls, TX • Private

Admissions rate

71%

SAT average

1,033

10. Rosemont College

Rosemont, PA • Private

Admissions rate

89%

SAT average

1,026

Average hedge fund manager salary by education level

Hedge fund managers with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $208,890 annually. With a Master's degree, hedge fund managers earn a median annual income of $190,269 compared to $157,387 for hedge fund managers with an Bachelor's degree.

Hedge fund manager education level	Hedge fund manager salary
Master's Degree	$190,269
High School Diploma or Less	$105,883
Bachelor's Degree	$157,387
Doctorate Degree	$208,890
Some College/ Associate Degree	$114,956

Hedge fund manager education FAQs

What is the best college for Hedge Fund Managers?

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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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