As an international student, choosing the right country to pursue a finance degree is crucial. You want to study in a country that has a strong financial market size and brimming with career opportunities. The United States Of America perfectly fits this description. It has one of the largest financial markets in the world with financial institutions holding assets of over $22 trillion. This translates into diverse career opportunities for finance courses in USA.
The US finance market isn’t just large, it’s thriving. The finance sector employs approximately 8 million people in a variety of roles from banking to financial advising. Plus, the Bureau Of Labor Statistics projects a 9% growth in employment for financial analysts from 2023 to 2033, which is growing faster than all other occupations. All these data points emphasize why international students should consider the US as their preferred destination to pursue a finance degree.
Top 10 Universities Offering Finance Courses In The USA
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PictureUniversity NameTop ElectivesUniversity Details
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University Of Pennsylvania (Wharton)Finance MBA ProgramFull-time/On campus
Duration: 2 years (MBA)
Intake: Fall (Aug 2024)
Spring (Janu 2025) and Summer (Approximately May 2025)
Tuition Fees: $84,000 (MBA)
Placement: 83%
QS Ranking: 11
Acceptance Rate: 24% -
Columbia University (Columbia Business School)MBAFull-time/On campus
Duration: 2 years
Intake: Fall (August 2025)
Tuition Fees: $88,000
Placement: 84%
World QS University Ranking: 34
Overall Acceptance Rate: 15% to 20% -
New York University (Stern)MBA FinanceFull-time/On campus
Duration: 2 years
Intake: Fall (Mid August 2025)
Tuition Fees: $86,000 Placement: 85%
World QS University Ranking: 43
Overall Acceptance Rate: 31% -
Northwestern University (Kellogg)MBA (Finance Major)Full-time/On campus
Duration: 2 years
Intake: Fall (August 2025)
Tuition Fees: $83,000
Placement: 85%
World QS University Ranking: 50
Overall Acceptance Rate: 33% -
University Of BridgeportMaster’s FinanceFull-time/On campus
Duration: 2 years
Intake: Fall (August 2025) and Spring 2025
Tuition Fees: $805 per credit hour
Placement: 80%
World QS University Ranking: 201-250
Overall Acceptance Rate: 82% -
Gonzaga UniversityUndergraduate (Finance Concentration)Full-time/On Campus
Duration: 4 years
Intake: Fall (Aug) & Spring (Jan)
Tuition Fees: $54,000 per year
Placement: 90%
QS Rankings: 251-300
Acceptance Rate: 76% -
University Of Central FloridaUndergraduate FinanceFull-time/On campus
Duration: 4 years
Intake: Fall (Aug 2025), Spring (Jan 2025), and Summer (May 2025)
Tuition Fees: $20,000 per year
Placement: 41%
QS Rankings: 741 to 750
Acceptance Rate: 43% -
University Of Massachusetts (Boston)MS FinanceFull-time/On campus
Duration: 2 years
Intake: Fall (Aug 2025) and Spring (Jan or Feb 2025)
Tuition Fees: $29,000 to $36,000 per year
Placement: 95%
QS Rankings: 1000 to 1200
Acceptance Rate: 83% -
Cleveland State UniversityBBA (Finance Major)Full-time/On Campus
Duration: 4 years
Intake: Spring 2025, Fall 2025, & Summer 2025
Tuition Fees: $37,000 per year
Placement: 63%
QS Rankings: 1200-1400
Acceptance Rate: 95% -
Avila UniversityMBA FinanceFull-time
Online and On Campus
Duration: 12 to 18 months
Intake: Fall (Sep 2025), Spring (Jan 2025), and Summer (April 2025)
Tuition Fees: $600 per credit hour
Placement: 90% to 95%
QS Rankings: 1500
Acceptance Rate: 68%
Structure Of The Finance Courses In USA
The structure of the finance courses varies between undergraduate and graduate programs. Here’s a breakdown of the structure of undergraduate and graduate programs in finance:
Undergraduate Program
- An undergraduate degree in finance is typically offered as a BBA (Bachelor of Business Administration). The course duration is four years.
- The program involves core business courses, finance courses, and electives.
- The core business courses cover topics such as accounting, economics, marketing, and so on.
- The core finance courses include principles of finance, corporate finance, financial modeling, etc.
- The electives cover topics such as real estate finance, international finance, financial planning, etc.
Graduate Program
- A US graduate degree in finance is typically an MS in Finance or MBA. The course duration is one to two years.
- Both MS and MBA include core finance subjects. The MS in finance covers subjects such as advanced corporate finance, financial econometrics, fixed-income securities, financial statement analysis, and so on. While MBA covers topics such as corporate strategy, financial analysis for managers, global finance, etc.
Admission Requirements For International Students
| University | Subject | GPA | Test Scores |
|---|---|---|---|
| University Of Pennsylvania (Wharton) | MBA Finance | Completion of undergraduate program from an accredited US college or equivalent degree from a foreign country. | Accepts IELTS and TOEFL scores GMAT – Minimum 728 |
| New York University (Stern) | MBA Finance | Students are required to hold a four-year Bachelor’s degree from a recognized university in the US or an equivalent degree from a foreign country. | GMAT – 729 IELTS – 7.0 TOEFL – Minimum 100 |
| Columbia University (Columbia Business School) | MBA | The program doesn’t have a minimum GPA requirement but candidates should aim for a minimum of 3.6 GPA score. | IELTS – 7.5 TOEFL – 107 GMAT – 730 |
| Northwestern University (Kellogg) | MBA (Finance Major) | Must have a four-year Bachelor’s degree from a recognized US university. International students must ensure their degree is equivalent to a US baccalaureate. | IELTS – Minimum 7.0 TOEFL – Minimum 80 GMAT – 731 |
| University Of Bridgeport | Master’s Finance | Must have a four-year Bachelor’s degree from a recognized US university. International students must ensure their degree is equivalent to a US baccalaureate. Students with a three-year Bachelor’s degree from an Indian institution with a NAAC “A” rating in B.COM or BBA can apply. | TOEFL – 80 IELTS – 6.0 |
| University Of Massachusetts (Boston) | MS Finance | A minimum GPA of 2.75 on a scale of 4.0 (or international equivalent) in all undergraduate work. | TOEFL – 90 IELTS – 6.5 |
| University Of Central Florida | Undergraduate Finance | A high-school diploma with a competitive GPA score. | TOEFL – 80 IELTS – 6.5 |
| Avila University | MBA Finance | Applicants must have a Bachelor’s degree with a GPA of 2.75 or higher | TOEFL – 75 IELTS – 6.0 |
| Gonzaga University | Undergraduate (Finance Concentration) | GPA of 3.2 or more | IELTS – 6.5 |
| Cleveland State University | BBA (Finance Major) | A minimum GPA of 2.3 or more | TOEFL – 78 IELTS – 6.0 |
Document Requirements
| University | Document Requirements |
|---|---|
| University Of Pennsylvania (Wharton) | Transcripts GMAT/GRE test scores English language test scores Resume Two letters of recommendation |
| New York University (Stern) | Academic transcripts Essays CV Standardized test scores |
| Columbia University (Columbia Business School) | Transcripts Resume Essays Recommendation GRE/GMAT and English language test scores Copy of application fee Financial documents |
| Northwestern University (Kellogg) | Transcripts from all educational institutions CV Test scores Two recommendation letters Two written essays |
| University Of Bridgeport | Academic records Proof of funding Proof of English proficiency At least two letters of recommendation A personal statement A CV A copy of your current passport |
| University Of Massachusetts (Boston) | Official transcripts Test Scores Letters of recommendation Statement of purpose CV |
| University Of Central Florida | Transcripts Official score reports Financial documents |
| Avila University | Transcripts TOEFL or IELTS score report Copy of passport GRE/GMAT score report Financial documents |
| Gonzaga University | Proof of English proficiency Personal Essay Official transcripts Copy of your passport |
| Cleveland State University | High school/secondary school transcripts Copy of passport English language test scores |
Application Process
| University | Online Application Link | Common Steps Involved In The Application Process |
|---|---|---|
| University Of Pennsylvania (Wharton) | Application Link | Select the university and go to their application page. Create an account on their university portal. Login into the account and fill out the application form. The form requires you to provide personal information, education history, work history (if applicable), test scores, etc. Upload scanned copies of transcripts and other important documents. Some universities may ask you to write essays. The essays to be written would be under 500 words. Review the application form. Pay the application fee and submit the form. |
| New York University (Stern) | Application Link | |
| Columbia University (Columbia Business School) | Application Link | |
| Northwestern University (Kellogg) | Application Link | |
| University Of Bridgeport | Application Link | |
| University Of Massachusetts (Boston) | Application Link | |
| University Of Central Florida | Application Link | |
| Avila University | Application Link | |
| Gonzaga University | Application Link | |
| Cleveland State University | Application Link |
Scholarships for Finance Courses in USA
| University | Scholarship | Link | Application Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|
| University Of Pennsylvania (Wharton) | Agha Khan Foundation Scholarship: The Agha Khan Foundation offers limited scholarships for pursuing postgraduate degrees to students from developing countries | Scholarship Link | Currently, there’s no application deadline available on the website. However, the deadline for the year 2024 was March, 2024. |
| New York University (Stern) | Full-Time MBA Scholarship: The scholarship is a merit-based scholarship given to international and domestic students. The scholarship is given to about 20% to 25% of students admitted to full-time MBA programs. | Scholarship Link | No separate application is necessary. The scholarship is awarded based on merit during the MBA application process. |
| Columbia University (Columbia Business School) | MBA Scholarships: Columbia University offers partial tuition fee scholarships to both domestic and international students. The award amount ranges between $10,000 and $30,000. | Scholarship Link | October, 15 |
| Northwestern University (Kellogg) | Finance Fellows: It is a full-tuition scholarship awarded to students who are pursuing a two-year program at Kellogg. | Scholarship Link | The date of the deadline is indicated in the application portal. |
| University Of Bridgeport | International Graduate Student Scholarship: The university offers graduate scholarships to incoming international students. There are two amounts awarded to students – $3,000 and $4,000. | Scholarship Link | All applicants will be automatically considered based on merit when the students send the University of Bridgeport international application. |
Trends In The Finance Job Market In The USA
- Employment in the finance and insurance industry has seen a significant increase since 2019. According to Statista, the employment in the finance and insurance industry in 2019 was 277,977, employing less than 5 employees per firm. The report projects that by 2026, there will be 2.94 million workers in the finance and insurance industry. This means you can have promising career opportunities in the finance sector.
- The fintech market in the USA is an area to watch closely. According to reports, the fintech market in the USA is projected to grow at a CAGR of 12% from 2022 to 2027, reaching $382 billion by 2027. This growth will lead to the creation of several jobs in the fintech industry.
- Did you know that the finance industry in the US is one of the leading industries seeking data science and analytics professionals? According to data from IBM, the finance and insurance sector accounts for roughly 20% of the demand for data science and analytics professionals. If you are an international student with a background in data science and plan to pursue a finance course in the US, your profile will be well-suited for such job roles after graduation.
Job Roles And Expected Salaries
| Job Role | Expected Salary |
|---|---|
| Finance Analyst | $65,000 to $85,000 per year |
| Investment Banking Analyst | $80,000 to $100,000 per year |
| Risk Manager | $90,000 to $120,000 per year |
| Financial Consultant/Advisor | $60,000 to $75,000 per year |
| Corporate Finance Associate | $75,000 to $90,000 per year |
Conclusion
The US has one of the leading financial markets in the world, offering diverse career opportunities in the finance sector. As an international student, all you need to do is find the right finance program and university. Attending a top university can be a game-changer for your career as it provides a solid academic foundation, and offers excellent internships, and networking opportunities. Review our list of top universities and explore the programs that align with your career goals.
FAQs
Internships are part of the finance programs, especially if you are studying in top institutions.
Each university offers different types of degrees in finance. However, the most common degrees in finance offered by universities are MBA, BBA, Master’s, and PhD. Some universities also offer specialized programs such as Master of Financial Engineering and Master of Quantitative Finance.
Yes, international students can participate in investment clubs, finance clubs, and other finance-related clubs. In addition to this, students can compete in national and international finance case competitions. By participating in such activities, the students will develop practical skills.
Yes, locations do matter. Studying in universities that are close to major financial hubs, offers students access to internships and job opportunities.