Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Program finance analyst education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a program finance analyst. Program finance analysts usually study business, finance, or accounting. 78% of program finance analysts hold a bachelor's degree, and 14% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 1,396 real program finance analyst resumes to see exactly what program finance analyst education sections show.
The most common colleges for program finance analysts are the University of Maryland - College Park and the University of Maryland - College Park.
There are also many online program finance analyst courses to help get the education required to be a program finance analyst.
There are certain program finance analyst certifications that you should consider. These program finance analyst certifications include Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and Certified in Financial Management.
What education do you need to become a program finance analyst?
What degree do you need to be a program finance analyst?
- Bachelor's, 78%
- Master's, 14%
- Associate, 7%
- High School Diploma, 0%
- Other Degrees, 1%
What should I major in to become a program finance analyst?
- Business, 36%
- Finance, 24%
- Accounting, 16%
- Economics, 6%
- Other Majors, 18%
Most common colleges for program finance analysts
| Program finance analyst common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Maryland - College Park | 9.61% |
| University of Phoenix | 8.73% |
| George Mason University | 7.42% |
| Strayer University | 6.55% |
| University of Central Florida | 6.11% |
Best majors for program finance analysts
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Business | 36.1% |
| 2 | Finance | 24.4% |
| 3 | Accounting | 16.1% |
| 4 | Economics | 5.8% |
| 5 | Management | 3.0% |
Best colleges for program finance analysts
The best colleges for program finance analysts are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Vanderbilt University.
A program 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 program 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 program 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 program finance analysts
Advertising disclosure
1. Financial Analysis for Management Consultants & Analysts
A practical guide with case studies and examples of financial analyses done during consulting projects...
2. 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...
3. Financial Statement Analysis
Learn how to make understanding financial statements your superpower!...
4. Finance Training for Financial Analysts
The comprehensive course in Excel, Accounting, Financial Analysis, Forecasting, Business Valuation and Power Point...
5. The Complete Financial Analyst Training & Investing Course
Succeed as a Financial Analyst &Investor by Award Winning MBA Prof who worked @Goldman, in Hedge Funds & Venture Capital...
6. Complete Financial Modeling for Project Finance in Excel
Learn Financial Modeling for Project Finance and Infrastructure Valuation ( DCF and IRR )...
7. The Complete Financial Analyst Course 2023
Excel, Accounting, Financial Statement Analysis, Business Analysis, Financial Math, Power Point: Everything is Included!...
8. Finance & Accounting for Management Consultants and Analysts
A practical guide that will help you understand financial statements & do financial analyses during consulting projects...
9. Financial Reporting & Analysis: Complete Preparation
Learn to Read, Understand, and Analyse the Financial Statements of a Company...
10. Learn to be a Financial Analyst
Master the skills you need to get a job as a financial analyst: forecasting, budgets, variance analysis and more...
11. 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...
12. Financial Modeling for Business Analysts and Consultants
Learn Financial Modeling in Excel that will allow you to participate in due diligence, strategy or turn around projects...
13. Audit - Financial Statement
Master the Art of Auditing Financial Statements: In-Depth Analysis, Techniques, and Real-World Case Studies...
14. Financial Statement Auditing Cycles
In this course, we learn how public accountants plan and execute an audit...
15. Cost Accounting and Financial Management - A Complete Study
Learn theory and practical concepts in Cost Accounting and Financial Management with loads of video lectures...
16. Personal Finance: Financial Security Thinking & Principles
How to secure your financial future the fun & easy way! Personal Finance: Financial Security Thinking & Principles...
17. Financial Accounting-Adjusting Entries & Financial Statement
Master Adjusting Entries & Financial Statements: A Comprehensive Guide for Accurate Accounting and Reporting...
18. Financial Statement Analysis - Ratio Analysis
Master the Art of Financial Statement Analysis: Unlocking Insights through Vertical, Horizontal, and Ratio Analysis...
19. Financial Statements Analysis for absolute beginners
Understand Financial Statements and Analyze Financial Statements for Business and Financial Analysis...
20. Accounting & Financial Statement Analysis: Complete Training
Accounting & Financial Ratio Analysis made easy. Learn important accounting skills that will get your foot in the door!...
Top 10 most affordable universities for program finance analysts
The most affordable schools for program 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 program 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 program 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 program finance analysts
The hardest universities for program finance analysts to get into are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Vanderbilt University.
Some great schools for program 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 program 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 program finance analysts
The easiest schools for program 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 program 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 program 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 program finance analyst salary by education level
| Program finance analyst education level | Program finance analyst salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $62,673 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $56,891 |
| Doctorate Degree | $69,755 |
Program finance analyst education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common business and financial questions.
Search for program finance analyst jobs
Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025