Finance
Financial markets, investment analysis, banking, and corporate finance.
Who It's For
You enjoy working with numbers, understanding markets, and figuring out how money and investments work. If you are analytical, detail-oriented, and excited about topics like stock valuation, corporate strategy, or risk management, finance is a strong match. Students who are competitive, enjoy fast-paced environments, and are comfortable with quantitative reasoning tend to thrive.
If you dislike working with spreadsheets and financial models for extended periods, finance can feel repetitive. Students who prefer creative or people-centered work may find the quantitative and competitive culture of finance programs and careers unfulfilling.
How Your High School Classes Connect
How much each subject matters in this degree
Common Coursework
Analyze costs, budgets, and financial data to help managers make internal business decisions.
Analyze how individuals and firms make decisions about prices, production, and resource allocation.
Apply derivatives and integrals to optimize profit, cost, and revenue in business contexts.
Use probability, regression, and hypothesis testing to make data-driven business decisions.
Record business transactions and prepare income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow reports.
Learn how companies raise capital, evaluate investments, and manage financial risk.
Evaluate a company's financial health by dissecting its income statement, balance sheet, and cash flows.
Analyze stocks, bonds, and funds to build diversified portfolios that balance risk and return.
Study economy-wide forces — GDP growth, inflation, unemployment, and government monetary policy.
Study how banks create money, set interest rates, and how the Federal Reserve shapes the economy.
Build spreadsheet models to forecast revenue, value companies, and analyze deal scenarios.
Price options, futures, and swaps, and use them to hedge against financial risk.
Analyze exchange rates, global capital flows, and how multinational companies manage currency risk.
Common Next Steps
Brightest = most common path
Top Colleges for Finance
Related Careers
Primary Path
Also Common
Job Market Outlook
Explore Career Paths
Interactive map showing how Finance connects to 9+ careers
Is Finance right for you?
Take our free 20-minute assessment to find out if finance matches your personality, interests, and strengths.
Take the Free Assessment