Options trader education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become an options trader. Options traders usually study finance, business, or economics. 82% of options traders hold a bachelor's degree, and 12% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 1,046 real options trader resumes to see exactly what options trader education sections show.

The most common colleges for options traders are the DePaul University and the DePaul University.

There are also many online options trader courses to help get the education required to be an options trader.

What education do you need to become an options trader?

What degree do you need to be an options trader?

The most common degree for options traders is bachelor's degree, with 82% of options traders earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 12% and master's degree degree at 3%.

Bachelor's, 82%

Master's, 12%

Associate, 3%

Doctorate, 1%

Other Degrees, 2%

What should I major in to become an options trader?

You should major in finance to become an options trader. 31% of options traders major in finance. Other common majors for an options trader include business and economics.

Finance, 31%

Business, 21%

Economics, 16%

Political Science, 4%

Other Majors, 28%

Most common colleges for options traders

Options traders often get their degrees at DePaul University, University of Illinois at Chicago, and University of Chicago. Here are the most common colleges for options traders in the US based on their resumes.

Options trader common college	Percentages
DePaul University	12.17%
University of Illinois at Chicago	8.47%
University of Chicago	6.88%
University of Iowa	6.35%
New York University	5.82%

Show more common options trader colleges

Best majors for options traders

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Finance	30.5%
2	Business	21.0%
3	Economics	15.8%
4	Political Science	3.9%
5	Marketing	3.6%

Show more common options trader majors

Best colleges for options traders

The best colleges for options traders are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Stanford University.

An options trader with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for options traders. 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 options traders.

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. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

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 options traders

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Top 10 most affordable universities for options traders

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

If the best universities for options traders 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 options traders.

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 - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

6. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

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. 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 options traders

The hardest universities for options traders to get into are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Stanford University.

Some great schools for options traders 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 options traders 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. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

Admissions rate

10%

SAT average

1,514

5. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

6. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,513

7. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

8. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

9. Villanova University

Villanova, PA • Private

Admissions rate

29%

SAT average

1,407

10. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,520

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for options traders

The easiest schools for options traders to get into are Oklahoma Wesleyan University, notre dame college, and kean university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an options trader 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 options traders.

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. Kean University

Union, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

86%

SAT average

991

4. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

Admissions rate

70%

SAT average

849

5. Iona College

New Rochelle, NY • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,089

6. William Paterson University of New Jersey

Wayne, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

93%

SAT average

994

7. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

8. Midwestern State University

Wichita Falls, TX • Private

Admissions rate

71%

SAT average

1,033

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

Camden, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

71%

SAT average

1,086

10. Rosemont College

Rosemont, PA • Private

Admissions rate

89%

SAT average

1,026

Average options trader salary by education level

Options traders with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $139,309 annually. With a Doctorate degree, options traders earn a median annual income of $127,608 compared to $110,159 for options traders with an Bachelor's degree.

Options trader education level	Options trader salary
Master's Degree	$139,309
Bachelor's Degree	$110,159
Doctorate Degree	$127,608

Options trader education FAQs

What is the best college for Options Traders?

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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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