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Lead finance analyst education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a lead finance analyst. Lead finance analysts usually study business, accounting, or finance. 71% of lead finance analysts hold a bachelor's degree, and 22% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 1,531 real lead finance analyst resumes to see exactly what lead finance analyst education sections show.
The most common colleges for lead finance analysts are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.
There are also many online lead finance analyst courses to help get the education required to be a lead finance analyst.
There are certain lead finance analyst certifications that you should consider. These lead finance analyst certifications include Certified Management Accountant (CMA) and Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA).
What education do you need to become a lead finance analyst?
What degree do you need to be a lead finance analyst?
- Bachelor's, 71%
- Master's, 22%
- Associate, 5%
- Diploma, 0%
- Other Degrees, 2%
What should I major in to become a lead finance analyst?
- Business, 28%
- Accounting, 26%
- Finance, 25%
- Economics, 3%
- Other Majors, 18%
Most common colleges for lead finance analysts
| Lead finance analyst common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Phoenix | 15.64% |
| New York University | 7.11% |
| DePaul University | 6.16% |
| University of Maryland - College Park | 5.69% |
| George Mason University | 5.21% |
Best majors for lead finance analysts
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Business | 28.2% |
| 2 | Accounting | 25.8% |
| 3 | Finance | 25.3% |
| 4 | Economics | 2.6% |
| 5 | Management | 2.5% |
Best colleges for lead finance analysts
The best colleges for lead finance analysts are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Vanderbilt University.
A lead finance 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 lead finance 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 lead finance analysts.
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. San Diego State University
San Diego, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,488
Enrollment
30,018
5. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$53,948
Enrollment
17,238
6. SUNY Stony Brook
Stony Brook, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$9,625
Enrollment
17,407
7. New York University
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$51,828
Enrollment
26,339
8. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Minneapolis, MN • Private
In-state tuition
$14,760
Enrollment
31,451
9. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Champaign, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$15,094
Enrollment
32,974
10. University of Notre Dame
Notre Dame, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$53,391
Enrollment
8,568
20 best online courses for lead finance analysts
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1. Finance & Accounting for Management Consultants and Analysts
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Mastering Special Journals and Subsidiary Ledgers: A Comprehensive Guide to Streamlined Accounting Practices...
5. Financial Statement Analysis
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6. Financial Statements: Balance Sheet, Income Stmt, Cash Flow
How To Quickly Read & Understand The Big 3 Financial Statements: Balance Sheet, Income Statement, Cash Flow 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. Financial Analysis for Management Consultants & Analysts
A practical guide with case studies and examples of financial analyses done during consulting projects...
9. Accounting & Financial Statement Analysis: Complete Training
Accounting & Financial Ratio Analysis made easy. Learn important accounting skills that will get your foot in the door!...
10. Complete Financial Modeling for Project Finance in Excel
Learn Financial Modeling for Project Finance and Infrastructure Valuation ( DCF and IRR )...
11. Principles of Financial Accounting
Learn the complete accounting cycle -recording business transactions to presenting the Balance Sheet & Income Statement...
12. Introduction to Sarbanes Oxley (SOX)
This course is an overview of the proper processes, controls and tests for adequate internal control...
13. Financial Accounting-Debits & Credits-Accounting Transaction
Masterclass: Learn Accounting Principles, Financial Statements, Transactions & More in this Comprehensive Course...
14. Financial Analysis and Financial Modeling using MS Excel
Perform financial analysis & financial modeling using Microsoft excel. For people who want to become a Financial Analyst...
15. Finance Training for Financial Analysts
The comprehensive course in Excel, Accounting, Financial Analysis, Forecasting, Business Valuation and Power Point...
16. The Complete Financial Analyst Course 2023
Excel, Accounting, Financial Statement Analysis, Business Analysis, Financial Math, Power Point: Everything is Included!...
17. 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...
18. Financial Accounting: The Complete Introductory Crash Course
Learn the Basics of Financial Accounting: Financial Statements, Debits and Credits, The Accounting Cycle and More!...
19. Accounting basics, create financial statements easily
Discover, develop, practice your financial information and explore the world of accounting...
20. Financial Statements Analysis for absolute beginners
Understand Financial Statements and Analyze Financial Statements for Business and Financial Analysis...
Top 10 most affordable universities for lead finance analysts
The most affordable schools for lead finance analysts are Baruch College of the City University of New York, suny farmingdale, and brooklyn college of the city university of new york.
If the best universities for lead finance 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 lead finance 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. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
3. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
4. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
5. USF Sarasota-Manatee
Sarasota, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,587
Cost of attendance
13,043
6. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez
Mayaguez, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$4,094
Cost of attendance
14,302
7. California State University - Fullerton
Fullerton, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,886
Cost of attendance
17,645
8. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
9. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
10. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for lead finance analysts
The hardest universities for lead finance analysts to get into are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Vanderbilt University.
Some great schools for lead finance 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 lead finance 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. 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. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,507
8. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,506
9. Boston College
Chestnut Hill, MA • Private
Admissions rate
28%
SAT average
1,429
10. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for lead finance analysts
The easiest schools for lead finance analysts to get into are Oklahoma Wesleyan University, holy names university, and university of houston - downtown.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a lead finance 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 lead finance analysts.
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. University of Houston - Downtown
Houston, TX • Private
Admissions rate
83%
SAT average
1,012
4. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
5. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
6. University of North Texas at Dallas
Dallas, TX • Private
Admissions rate
83%
SAT average
992
7. Oregon Institute of Technology
Klamath Falls, OR • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,139
8. Grand View University
Des Moines, IA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,060
9. Fresno Pacific University
Fresno, CA • Private
Admissions rate
85%
SAT average
1,053
10. Holy Family University
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
72%
SAT average
1,017
Average lead finance analyst salary by education level
| Lead finance analyst education level | Lead finance analyst salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $93,619 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $85,139 |
| Doctorate Degree | $103,986 |
Lead finance analyst education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common business and financial questions.
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025