If you’re considering a career in finance, you don’t need a degree in finance, economics, or banking — but having one will help you skip a few rungs of the ladder after graduation. Majoring in a finance topic will give you priority for internships and you’ll be an early pick in interviews. This is for two reasons. First, you’ll have the book smarts for the job. Perhaps even more importantly, being on a finance track will put you on the path of the types of people you need to build relationships with to succeed in finance professional. Being a banker is all about relationships, and it’s never too early to start building the right ones.
For our list of the best colleges for students who want to be a banker, we prioritized schools that offer mentorship opportunities and assistance finding internships and jobs alongside top-tier academic programs. Schools in or near major metropolitan areas also rank high on the list because that’s where the jobs (and the internships) are.
If you want to be a banker, send us an email. We help students chart a course to a successful future.
University of Pennsylvania— Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania offers the most prestigious finance degree in America, and has the networking opportunities to match. The finance concentration prepares students to work in , from asset management to the financial management of massive businesses. There are tracks in Corporate Finance, Capital Markets and Banking, Private Equity and Venture Capital, Investments, and Quantitative Finance, and you’d have access to an amazing alumni network.
Columbia University — New York, New York
Pursuing the major in at Columbia means earning an Ivy League degree in one of the world’s financial capitals. This intensive economics program comes with equally intense opportunities, as students in the program receive priority treatment for internships and interviews at the foremost banking institutions globally. In the classroom you’ll take courses like “International Trade,” “Financial Crises,” and “Venturing to Change the World,” and outside of it, you’ll learn from the best.
New York University — New York, New York
Like Columbia, NYU is a top-tier school at the center of the global world of finance — but with a slightly more approachable acceptance rate. The in NYU Stern has two subfields: Corporate Finance and Investment/Capital Markets. Through the , students can study abroad while enrolling in another top business school around the globe.
University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill — Chapel Hill, North Carolina
The Business Major at isn’t a traditional finance degree, but offers everything you need with some impressive additional features. The major is very flexible, with areas of emphasis that include Investment Banking and Investment Management. Both tracks are specifically aimed at preparing students for careers in banking, and the curriculum includes courses in cryptocurrencies and blockchain technologies. Students also have access to hands-on job training and an alumni network of over 42,000.
Boston College — Boston, Massachusetts
Consistently ranked as one of the top 10 undergraduate finance programs in the country, the in the Carroll School of Management at Boston College prepares students “for the ever-changing global economic environment, and provide[s] them with the most advanced innovation tools.”
University of Michigan - Ann Arbor — Ann Arbor, Michigan
Students in the major with a concentration in Finance in the Dearborn College of Business have access to career-themed pathways including Financial Management and Financial Services, or you can design your own path. Outside of the classroom, students can take on an internship or even apply for the with AmeriCorps.
University of California - Berkeley — Berkeley, California
Berkeley students interested in finance can pursue a degree in through the Haas School of Business with a concentration in finance and financial services. In the program, students learn “the knowledge and technical skills necessary to understand the modern business world,” with a liberal arts foundation through courses like “Leading People” and “The Social, Political and Ethical Env. Of Business.”
Carnegie Mellon University — Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
The Tepper School of Business at Carnegie Mellon offers a Bachelor of Science in . The faculty in the program are at the forefront of their fields, and the curriculum is designed to teach students not just how to manage money, but also how to lead a team, build professional relationships, and bring other people up alongside them.
Indiana University — Bloomington, Indiana
The major in through the Kelley School of Business has its roots in the founding of the program in 1830. Students on investment, management decision making, taxes, and other key topics for future bankers. In the words of the program, “Our students have the talent to succeed, the humility to grow and the tenacity to persevere.”
University of Virginia — Charlottesville, Virginia
The at the University of Virginia is housed under the umbrella of the Bachelor of Science in Commerce. Students in the program are aggressively recruited by top employers, and the concentration is designed to meet the needs of hiring personnel nationally, including in hedge funds, investment banking, private equity, and asset management.
As far as return on investment, going into finance and banking is one of the fastest ways to become a high-earner as a young professional. The track isn’t an easy one. It means long hours, high expectations, and a hell of a lot of stress — especially early on — but if you have the stamina and the drive you’ve got this.
If you want to get on a professional track that makes six figures, send us an email. We help students like you find, and get into, their perfect college.