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Market risk specialist education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a market risk specialist. Market risk specialists usually study finance, project management, or science, technology, and society. 60% of market risk specialists hold a master's degree, and 40% hold an bachelor's degree. We analyzed 12 real market risk specialist resumes to see exactly what market risk specialist education sections show.

The most common colleges for market risk specialists are the Cornell University and the Cornell University.

There are also many online market risk specialist courses to help get the education required to be a market risk specialist.

What education do you need to become a market risk specialist?

What degree do you need to be a market risk specialist?

  • Master's, 60%
  • Bachelor's, 40%

What should I major in to become a market risk specialist?

You should major in finance to become a market risk specialist. 33% of market risk specialists major in finance. Other common majors for a market risk specialist include project management and science, technology, and society.

Most common colleges for market risk specialists

Market risk specialists often get their degrees at Cornell University, Villanova University, and University of Texas at Austin. Here are the most common colleges for market risk specialists in the US based on their resumes.
Market risk specialist common collegePercentages
Cornell University25.00%
Villanova University25.00%
University of Texas at Austin12.50%
Massachusetts Institute of Technology12.50%
George Washington University, The12.50%

Best majors for market risk specialists

Best colleges for market risk specialists

The best colleges for market risk specialists are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Vanderbilt University.

A market risk specialist with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for market risk specialists. 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 market risk specialists.

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 North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$8,987

Enrollment

18,946

4. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$53,948

Enrollment

17,238

5. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

6. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

7. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Champaign, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$15,094

Enrollment

32,974

8. Syracuse University

Syracuse, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$51,853

Enrollment

14,759

9. SUNY at Buffalo

Buffalo, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$10,099

Enrollment

21,404

10. San Diego State University

San Diego, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,488

Enrollment

30,018

20 best online courses for market risk specialists

Advertising disclosure

1. Market Risk Management: Frameworks & Strategies

coursera

This course provides the foundation for understanding the frameworks used to develop market risk management strategies. You will identify the market risks associated with each type of financial instrument. You will be introduced to techniques for estimating the risk associated with each class of investments. By the end of the course, you will be able to select the most effective derivatives for managing risk of a single asset and a portfolio of assets, develop asset selection strategies for...

2. Corporate Finance II: Financing Investments and Managing Risk

coursera

In this course you will learn how companies decide on how much debt to take, and whether to raise capital from markets or from banks. You will also learn how to measure and manage credit risk and how to deal with financial distress. You will discuss the mechanics of dividends and share repurchases, and how to choose the best way to return cash to investors. You will also learn how to use derivatives and liquidity management to offset specific sources of financial risk, including currency risks...

3. Internal Audit: a Guide for Management

udemy
4.5
(1,333)

Internal Audit, Risk Management, Compliance, Governance, Internal Controls, CIA, Audit Report, Audit Charter, IIA...

4. Introduction to Compliance Risk Management CRM

udemy
4.1
(300)

Compliance risk management CRM for Compliance, Risk Management, Internal Audit and IS Security Professionals...

5. Capital Markets Immersion: A Financial Markets Introduction

udemy
4.5
(2,256)

Capital Markets Financial Markets Financial Risk Financial Math Yield Curves Derivatives Swaps Options...

6. Informed Risk Taking: Risk Management Process - Analysis

udemy
4.5
(1,247)

Risk Management Strategies : Risk Analysis Techniques : Risk Management Principles : Risk Management Process : Methods...

7. Internal Auditing Part I

udemy
4.3
(605)

Learn how to conduct an audit from start to end. This course can be used as a guide to audit almost any process...

8. Learn Risk Management: Risk Planning in Agile and Scrum

udemy
4.4
(712)

Complete Risk Management and Risk Planning Training: Identify Project Risks, Create Risk Plan and Monitor Risks in Scrum...

9. 3-in-1 Banking, Banking Risk and Compliance Masterclass

udemy
4.6
(515)

The essentials of the banking business (business model, compliance, others), financial risk management and compliance...

10. IT Audit Fundamentals Introduction to Controls

udemy
4.5
(3,021)

Learn foundational principles of IT audits and controls...

11. The Risk Management Certification Program (PMI-RMP) (PMBOK7)

udemy
4.3
(829)

Planning Risk Management, Identifying Risk, Analyzing Risk and Responding to Risk by PMBOK6 (PMBOK7 Updated)...

12. Operational Risks Management ORM

udemy
4.3
(1,174)

Operational Risks Management ORM Case Studies for Risk Management, Compliance, Audit, IS Security, Banking Professionals...

13. Lead Auditor Tools for a Professional Internal Audit

udemy
4.5
(1,979)

Be a Pro Internal Auditor. This is the only course with 1-on-1 online meeting with the instructor & e-mail support...

14. Internal Controls - Design, Implementation and Monitoring

udemy
4.4
(1,188)

Become a compliance specialist, maintain strong internal controls for SOX or FCPA, prepare for internal & external audit...

15. IT Audit Complete Course

udemy
4.5
(350)

Learn how to test ITGC, ITAC, SOX Audit & SOC Audit...

16. Audit Command Language for Beginners

udemy
4.1
(269)

Audit, analyse and visualize data...

17. Product Management Marketing: Dekker's Product Marketing MBA

udemy
4.6
(2,007)

Be a Product Marketing Manager - Product Management : Product Manager MBA : Product to Market : Product Owner Launch GTM...

18. Basel Norms (Basel 1/ Basel 2/ Basel 3 till 2015) Simplified

udemy
4.5
(1,401)

Introduction and side by side comparison of Basel I / Basel II/ Basel III, Different Risk Measures & capital associated...

19. The Agile Methodology for Project Risk Managers

udemy
4
(348)

The Agile Project Management and Risk Management for Project Professionals Full Course...

20. Audit - Financial Statement

udemy
4.4
(2,545)

Master the Art of Auditing Financial Statements: In-Depth Analysis, Techniques, and Real-World Case Studies...

Top 10 most affordable universities for market risk specialists

The most affordable schools for market risk specialists are USF Sarasota-Manatee, baruch college of the city university of new york, and california state university - long beach.

If the best universities for market risk specialists 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 market risk specialists.

1. USF Sarasota-Manatee

Sarasota, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,587

Cost of attendance

13,043

2. Baruch College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,262

Cost of attendance

14,046

3. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

4. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

5. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

6. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,942

Cost of attendance

14,469

7. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

8. Florida Atlantic University

Boca Raton, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$4,831

Cost of attendance

19,559

9. California State University - Fullerton

Fullerton, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,886

Cost of attendance

17,645

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 market risk specialists

The hardest universities for market risk specialists to get into are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Vanderbilt University.

Some great schools for market risk specialists 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 market risk specialists 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. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

8. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC • Private

Admissions rate

23%

SAT average

1,398

9. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

Admissions rate

5%

SAT average

1,520

10. Villanova University

Villanova, PA • Private

Admissions rate

29%

SAT average

1,407

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for market risk specialists

The easiest schools for market risk specialists to get into are Gwynedd Mercy University, barry university, and notre dame college.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a market risk specialist 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 market risk specialists.

1. Gwynedd Mercy University

Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,031

2. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

3. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

4. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

5. The University of Texas Permian Basin

Odessa, TX • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,046

6. Ottawa University

Ottawa, KS • Private

Admissions rate

78%

SAT average

1,024

7. Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,031

8. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

Admissions rate

70%

SAT average

849

9. Curry College

Milton, MA • Private

Admissions rate

93%

SAT average

1,026

10. University of the Incarnate Word

San Antonio, TX • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,044

Average market risk specialist salary by education level

Market risk specialists with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $110,158 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, market risk specialists earn a median annual income of $89,215 compared to $73,977 for market risk specialists with an Associate degree.
Market risk specialist education levelMarket risk specialist salary
Master's Degree$110,158
Bachelor's Degree$89,215
Some College/ Associate Degree$73,977

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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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