Finance is a very exciting field for those that love numbers. It’s also a very rapidly expanding industry that has a lot to offer careerwise. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, job growth for finance managers comes in around 20%! That’s almost three times faster than the national average. That is just one of the careers you can hold with a finance degree. Businesses rely on those with a finance degree to keep things moving in the right direction, and there are plenty of other paths you could take, working one on one and dealing with peoples’ personal finances, working for a government agency, and so on. Overall, the field of finance is projected to grow as much as 12% over the next decade, a rate that is also higher than the national average.

Masters Degrees in Finance

There are multiple levels of finance degrees, and you can hold plenty of jobs with a bachelor’s degree, but you may find that there is a lot to gain from earning your master’s as well. A bachelor’s program in finance will have a curriculum designed to give students a very basic understanding of finance, and it will open up doors for you in a multitude of entry-level positions. At the master’s level, you can choose to specialize your education into one area of finance, which will help you hone in on the job you truly want.

At the master’s level, you can choose from an MBA with a concentration in finance or a Master of Science in Finance. Each of these will cover the core principles of finance, like macroeconomics, financial planning, financial risk and mitigation, and more. You can concentrate (through electives or a specialization track at the school of your choice) in an area of finance that you’re most interested in. Some options could include Corporate Finances or Financial Services.

By taking the next step and tailoring your education, you will expand your career horizons and be more prepared for the job that you’re after. The additional skills you will gain in analytics, business, and even psychology while you’re earning your master’s in finance will make you a highly competitive candidate as well.

Earning a Masters in Finance Online

When you have decided to take the next step in your finance education, picking a school can be kind of tough — especially if you’re someone who already has a family, a career, or some other obligations. Online education offers a great solution to that.

Online master’s degrees in finance are not hard to come by at all; there are plenty of different schools to choose from. Some of them may offer a certain concentration that an institution local to you doesn’t, which provides you with a great opportunity. Online degree programs are also very flexible. A lot of them feature asynchronous learning, so you’re not bound to a certain class schedule. You also will very rarely have to appear on campus, if at all. Some programs allow you to earn your degree right from the comfort of your own home. So, you don’t have to worry about commuting or relocating.

Finance masters degrees online also have some other benefits. You could see lower costs associated with earning your degree because there may be fewer fees, fewer materials to buy, and many schools allow online students to pay the same tuition rate as in-state students.

If this sounds like something you would like to capitalize on, we’ve ranked the thirty best online masters degrees in finance in this article to kickstart your research. All of the schools were ranked according to the following.

Methodology

To create our ranking of the top online master’s degrees in finance, we started by collecting a list of schools that met a few initial ranking criteria. Each school had to offer at least one distance-based master’s program in finance, either in a hybrid or fully-online format. Master of Business Administration degrees were included along with Master of Science in Finance degrees. Financial engineering, financial analytics, and any other finance-related master’s degrees were considered. Each school, in order to be eligible for this ranking, had to be based in the United States and hold proper accreditation. No for-profit schools were considered for this ranking.

Once the list of schools was gathered, they were scored out of a possible 300 points. There were three factors that were used to create the final score.

  • Freshman Retention Rate (⅓ of final score)
  • Graduation Rate (⅓ of final score)
  • Affordability(⅓ of final score)

The top 30 online master’s degrees in finance are ranked in ascending order below based on their final scores. In the event of a tie, we chose to use the alphabetical ordering of the school names to determine their placement. We would like to note that no institution is ever given any preferential treatment of any kind, for any reason. We take pride in being transparent about our methodology and presenting you with an honest ranking full of great degree programs to help you select the program that fits your needs.

All of the information used to rank the schools and presented in this article was collected from the school’s websites whenever possible. Additional data was collected from the National Center for Education Statistics and U.S. News & World Report. All of the cost information presented was collected based on Niche.com’s report of the Average Net Price. These rates were accurate at the time of writing but, based on your individual circumstances, you may pay a different amount.

  1. Johns Hopkins University
    MERIT: 270
    View Profile Average Cost: $29,066

    Master of Science in Finance

    Johns Hopkins University

    Johns Hopkins University offers an online Master of Science in Finance through the Carey Business School. The university describes this program as being STEM-designated. The curriculum emphasizes computational, statistical, and econometric techniques for financial decisions; it does so without neglecting the many other theoretical and practical things you will need to excel in your career. Additional topics you’ll study include portfolio allocation, risk management, valuation, governance, and more.

    This program consists of 36 credits in total. The program can be completed in one year of full-time study, but online students can only pursue their degree at a part-time pace that takes two years to complete. The curriculum is broken down into three parts, which are Business Foundations, Functional Core, and Finance Electives. Students will have more than a dozen electives to choose from.

    Students that are in this online master’s in finance program only have to visit JHU’s campus one time for a residency that lasts just two and a half days. The majority of your classes will be completed asynchronously with some synchronous activities with recommended attendance. Another feature of this program is that a significant portion of the material is devoted to the CFA Institute’s Candidate Body of Knowledge. This prepares students to take the CFA exams.

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  2. Indiana University Bloomington
    MERIT: 263
    View Profile Average Cost: $12,488

    Master of Science in Finance

    Indiana University-Bloomington

    Indiana University Bloomington offers its Master of Science in Finance through the university’s online extension called IU Online. Something great about IU Online is that all online students are eligible for the same tuition rate regardless of where they’re located. This online master’s in finance requires a total of 30 credits for graduation and has flexible pacing options to fit your lifestyle.

    You could graduate in as little as 15 months or stretch the program out over the course of three years depending on the amount of time you can dedicate to your studies. Another way that you can make this program fit your needs is by taking advantage of the MBA dual degree program. If you choose this route, you will only need to complete 63 credits for both degrees instead of the required 81 when they’re completed separately.

    You’ll take ten courses in this program. Nine of the classes you’ll take make up the core and will cover a broad range of topics in finance. You will learn about asset pricing, managerial accounting, economics, financial management, and capital investment, along with other relevant aspects of the field. You will have the chance to choose a single elective. Right now, students have three choices, which are International Finance Management, Financial Risk Management, and Financial Strategy & Corporate Restructuring.

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  3. Pennsylvania State University
    MERIT: 258
    View Profile Average Cost: $25,346

    Master of Finance

    Pennsylvania State University

    Pennsylvania State University’s online graduate programs in business ranked among the best in the country in the 2019 ranking from U.S. News & World Report. With its accolades and AACSB accreditation, it’s no surprise that Penn State offers one of the best online finance master’s degrees. This is a Master of Finance that will require you to complete 30 credits in order to graduate.

    This finance degree program was designed to provide students with a solid understanding of finance from both the practical and theoretical angles. There is a single one-week residency in the entirety of the program; apart from this requirement, almost all of your courses are asynchronous. You will move through your courses in a cohort model and complete your degree in just two years.

    Some of the classes you’ll take include Quantitative Methods in Finance, Analysis of Financial Markets, Financial Accounting Theory, and Reporting Problems, and Mergers and Acquisitions. You will also complete a research-based capstone project. Upon completion, you will be ready to enter the professional world, sit for a professional credentialing exam, or proceed to an advanced degree program.

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  4. University of Texas Permian Basin
    MERIT: 257
    View Profile Average Cost: $9,930

    Master of Business Administration with a concentration in Finance

    utpb-logo

    The University of Texas Permian Basin is the first school in our ranking of the top online masters in finance programs to be featured for an MBA program. This institution has an accelerated online Master of Business Administration with a Concentration in Finance. You could earn this degree in as little as one year of full-time study, and it only gets more impressive from there.

    This is a finance degree that you can earn entirely online and asynchronously. If your undergraduate GPA is 3.25 or higher, you won’t even have to take your GMAT as part of the application process. If your GPA happens to be lower than that, you can take up to two courses before you submit your test scores. This is great because it helps students get started when they want to. It is also very competitively priced at less than $400 per credit hour.

    The classes you’ll take in this program will still cover key concepts in finance, like financial management, marketing management, and accounting analysis, among others. But, since it is an MBA program, you will also learn more about the fundamentals of business through classes like Legal Environment of Business, Information Systems Management, and more. Each class is condensed down to just eight weeks each.

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  5. Boston University
    MERIT: 255
    View Profile Average Cost: $33,728

    Master of Science in Financial Management

    Boston University is home to an online Master of Science in Financial Management degree program. Students can choose from two different concentrations, which are International Finance and Investment Analysis; a general track is also offered. Investment Analysis students will be excited to learn that this university is part of the CFA Institute University Affiliation Program. The curriculum is perfect preparation to sit for the CFA exams.

    This is a 40-credit program that students can complete in a year and a half to two years based on the pace at which they pursue their degree. The curriculum is comprised of three parts. The Degree Core Courses include Financial and Managerial Accounting, Financial Regulation and Ethics, Quantitative Methods for Finance, and Corporate Finance. You will also take four courses in your specialization, one of which is an elective.

    The final component is your general electives; you’ll take two of these. There are no on-campus requirements detailed on the program website. While earning this online master’s in finance, you will participate in both asynchronous and synchronous components. You will also benefit from the competitive tuition rates and financial aid options that Boston is committed to.

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  6. Auburn University
    MERIT: 254
    View Profile Average Cost: $22,613

    Master of Science in Finance

    Auburn-Logo

    Auburn University has a Master of Science in Finance that doesn’t require any visits to campus. Students are admitted in the fall and spring and will take the exact same program that Auburn offers on campus, just in a more convenient format. This is a non-thesis option that comprises 30 credits in total. You can transfer six credits from prior college experience towards your degree.

    The unique thing about this online master’s in finance is that it is very highly customizable. The way that the program is structured allows you to basically create your own plan of study according to your goals. There are only three required courses; these are Applied Financial Management, Financial Analysis, and Costs Analysis & Systems.

    Your required courses will account for nine of the credits that you need. The remaining credits will come from your finance electives (12 hours) and your free electives (nine hours). While you do have to get your electives approved, you have a very broad selection of courses so you can explore topics that interest you, or focus on the skills you need to land your dream job.

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  7. Stevens Institute of Technology
    MERIT: 247
    View Profile Average Cost: $38,469

    Master of Science in Financial Analytics & Master’s in Financial Engineering

    SIT

    Stevens Institute of Technology offers a few programs that you could consider to earn your finance degree online. This school offers a Master’s in Business Administration with a Concentration in Finance, a Master’s in Financial Analytics, and a Master’s in Financial Engineering. For this ranking, we will be focusing on the latter two options; however, an MBA in Finance is still a great choice.

    Unfortunately, Stevens doesn’t offer very much information about how many credits you will need or how your classes will be delivered in each program. The Master of Science in Financial Analytics has a curriculum that is focused on the future of the field. You will take classes covering topics in machine learning, time series, optimization, and more. This program culminates in a capstone project.

    The Master of Science in Financial Engineering is another highly technical and cutting edge program. There are six required courses that cover calculus, derivatives, computational methods, and more. This online finance degree has five concentrations you can choose from, including Algorithmic Trading Strategies, Financial Services Analytics, Financial Risk Engineering, Financial Statistics, and Financial Computing. There is both a thesis and non-thesis option.

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  8. Creighton University
    MERIT: 245
    View Profile Average Cost: $31,481

    Master of Finance

    Creighton University

    Creighton University has a Master of Finance program that is available online or in a hybrid format if you would prefer to get at least some time on campus. Creighton University is very committed to making sure their students can get the education that they want on their own terms. This is a 33-credit program that you can finish in just two years of full-time study.

    Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, and there are start dates offered in the spring, summer, and fall terms. There are eight courses in the core curriculum of this degree program, and they cover subjects like equity analysis, business policy and managerial action, and portfolio management. You will also take three electives of your choice. Two of them have to be related to your degree, and the third is free.

    Creighton University was ranked among the best grad schools in finance for the year 2019; it also was ranked among the top online graduate business programs. Both accolades came from U.S. News & World Report. If you’d like, you can choose to pursue an MBA at the same time as your finance degree. Combining the programs requires almost 20 fewer credits than taking them separately, and you can finish in three years.

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  9. University of Missouri
    MERIT: 245
    View Profile Average Cost: $17,762

    Master of Science in Finance

    University of Missouri

    The University of Missouri offers an online Master of Science in Finance through its Mizzou Online program. This program is available online in its entirety. You will never have to go to the campus, but there is an optional international experience you can participate in. If you choose to do so, you could spend a week studying international markets and multicultural/global finance at a host university.

    This online master’s in finance requires 30 credits to graduate. Courses follow four-week or eight-week session schedules. The typical student works a full-time job and takes one course per eight-week session. This allows the average student to finish the program in two full years and one additional summer. There may be a more aggressive plan of study offered; you can simply ask an advisor.

    The coursework in this degree program covers financial statement analysis, financial modeling & database analysis, derivative securities, investment policy, and several other concepts that are crucial to your success in the field. As an online student at Mizzou, you’re eligible for in-state tuition no matter what you actually live.

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  10. University of Nebraska-Lincoln
    MERIT: 241
    View Profile Average Cost: $16,813

    Master of Science in Finance

    The University of Nebraska-Lincoln has ranked in our top 30 best online master’s degrees in finance for its Master of Science in Finance that is available online in its entirety. This is a 30-credit program that will have you taking ten courses, all of which are online and accessible anywhere. Each class lasts for eight weeks. This format helps you take more classes per semester and gives you the ability to put all of your efforts into one course at a time.

    The classes you will take include Managerial Finance; Managerial Economics; Multinational Financial Analysis; Portfolio Management; Options, Futures, and Derivative Securities; Financial Accounting; Quantitative Methods for Finance; Fixed Income Analysis; Cases in Financial Management and; Portfolio Management II & Ethics. UNL stands out as offering one of the best values in this ranking, too. The school charges a flat tuition rate of $630 per credit, no matter where you live.

    On top of the comprehensive coursework that was expertly designed and optimized for online learning, you will also be able to use the university’s amazing student services if you enroll in this finance degree program. You will have access to a career coach and 24/7 resume review tools. Your classes are primarily asynchronous, but there may be some live components throughout.

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  11. University of Miami
    MERIT: 240
    View Profile Average Cost: $42,204

    Master of Science in Finance

    19 Miami-logo

    The University of Miami is another school that made it onto our list of the best online master’s in finance programs for more than one program. The university offers both a Master of Finance and a Master of Business Administration with a Corporate Finance Focus. A unique feature of these programs is that you can also choose to pursue a certificate at the same time. The certificates currently available are in Financial Decision Making and Corporate Finance.

    Regardless of the exact configuration you choose for your program of study, you will work on building an advanced portfolio throughout your academic journey. Each Master of Science program consists of 32 total credits. Each of the eight courses you’ll take is seven weeks in length, and you will take them one at a time. You can complete the Master of Finance in just 16 months, regardless of your chosen concentration.

    The Master of Business Administration option will cover a broader base of knowledge in business and then feature a few specialized courses in finance. If the job you want doesn’t require you to have very specialized knowledge, this is a great choice to broaden your career horizons in business while still focusing on finance. The shortest amount of time it could take you to finish one of the MBA tracks is two years.

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  12. California Lutheran University
    MERIT: 236
    View Profile Average Cost: $28,241

    Master of Business Administration – Finance Professional Track

    California Lutheran University

    The online master’s degree in finance that California Lutheran University has ranked for is a Master of Business Administration that offers a Professional Track in Finance. The university describes this degree as a great next step for those who feel like they’ve run out of advancement opportunities in their current finance career and want to increase their opportunity with some new skills.

    This degree program requires you to complete a minimum of 45 credits to graduate. Something that separates Cal Lutheran is how flexible this program is. Classes are offered year-round online in eight-week terms. Because of that, you can complete your degree at a pace that works for you. The program is designed to take two years to complete but, based on how much time you can dedicate to your studies, you may be able to finish in as little as one year.

    With the finance concentration, there is only one required course for this emphasis, and this is Corporate Finance. The other four professional concentration courses that you have to take are completely up to you. Some options you would have are Financial Strategy, Real Estate Investments, and Behavioral Finance. This program may include an internship, study abroad opportunities, and a capstone project based on your selected courses.

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  13. University of Massachusetts Lowell
    MERIT: 236
    View Profile Average Cost: $18,375

    Master of Science in Finance

    University of Massachusetts Lowell

    University of Massachusetts Lowell’s Robert J. Manning School of Business is home to an online Master of Science in Finance. There are no required visits to campus associated with completing this program, which comprises ten courses for a total of 30 credits. Courses are offered in the Fall, Spring, and Summer. Something nice about this online master’s in finance is that you’re not limited to just one course per semester.

    Applications to the program are accepted on a rolling basis, and you’re not required to have a bachelor’s degree in a business major to apply; however, there are a few prerequisite courses you must take before you can start this program. All of the classes you’ll take are completely asynchronous, and there are live meetings every week for you to have discussions with your classmates. They’re not required, but it is recommended you attend.

    There are five required courses in this program. You must take Corporate Finance, Financial Statement Analysis, Security Analysis and Portfolio Management, Financial Derivatives, and International Finance Management. The other half of your credits will come from your Finance Concentration Electives. There are currently eight different classes you can choose from.

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  14. University of Michigan-Dearborn
    MERIT: 235
    View Profile Average Cost: $9,692

    Master of Science in Finance

    The University of Michigan-Dearborn’s Master of Science in Finance ranked among our best online master’s in finance. This online finance degree offers two concentration options, and those are a concentration in Investments and one in Corporate Finance. Each of them may require 10 or 11 classes based on your circumstances, which amounts to either 30 or 33 total credits, respectively.

    You can choose to take your degree at a full-time or part-time pace. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, and there are start dates in September and January, occasionally part-time students can start their classes in May. UM-Dearborn allows for up to 15 credits to be transferred in as long as they meet the requirements. Students that live near the campus are welcome to earn their degree in a blended delivery format, but there are no face-to-face requirements.

    Each concentration shares a common set of foundational courses. These are Developing and Interpreting Financial Information; Economic Analysis: Firm and Consumer; Applied Statistical Modeling and; Finance Fundamentals and Value Creation. Each concentration then features their own set of required courses, concentration-specific electives, and general electives.

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  15. University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
    MERIT: 235
    View Profile Average Cost: $12,422

    Master of Science in Finance

    The Master of Science in Finance offered at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater can be completed 100% online. This program features a CFA-aligned curriculum and is open to students who didn’t earn their undergraduate degree in a related field. Those students may need to take additional courses in order to graduate, though. Students who meet all the prerequisite requirements will need a total of 30 credits to graduate.

    If you enter the program without a relevant undergraduate degree, you will be required to take four additional courses that cover the basics of accounting, statistics, financial management, and economics. This results in a total of 38 required credits. Regardless of your entry status, all students will have to take a comprehensive exam at the end of the program. There is only one track offered for this degree, which allows you to graduate in two years.

    The required classes you will take are Business Valuation Using Financial Statement, Multinational Business Finance, Financial Markets, Capital Budgeting, Portfolio Theory and Practice, Quantitative Financial Analysis, Investment Banking, Securities Valuation, Financial Derivatives, and Alternative Investment Assets. There are no electives.

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  16. University of Scranton
    MERIT: 234
    View Profile Average Cost: $36,392

    Master of Science in Finance

    The University of Scranton is another school that you may want to consider if you’d like to earn an online finance degree. Its Master of Science in Finance program is 100% online and 100% asynchronous. There are no face-to-face or scheduled virtual attendance requirements in the entire 30-credit program. Because of the self-paced nature of this online master’s degree in finance, you can graduate in as little as one calendar year.

    This degree program is designed to be a sound approach to CFA exam preparation. In fact, students of this program are eligible for discounts on exam review materials in order to help them prepare. You have the choice to study at a full-time pace or a part-time pace. Part-time students would not be able to finish the program in 12 months, though. The curriculum of this program covers financial management, investment, derivatives, and more.

    The majority of the credits that you need will be earned through the core courses, which accounts for 24 credits. You will be able to choose two electives related to finance as well, which accounts for the remaining six credits. Elective options like Financial Institutions, or Treasury Management are great to add an extra area of focus to your degree. After you’ve completed all of your coursework, you are welcome to participate in an optional three-day residency.

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  17. Webster University
    MERIT: 228
    View Profile Average Cost: $23,835

    Master of Science in Finance

    Webster University has an online Master of Science in Finance that has ranked among the best online master’s programs in finance. This program is structured a little bit different in that there is 30 credits worth of required courses and then an additional six for electives, making for a total of 36 credits required for graduation.

    The required courses that you will take for this program cover a range of topics in accounting, economics, investments, financial modeling, corporate finance, and more. Webster also offers a dual degree program in which you would be able to earn your finance degree along with a Master of Business Administration at the same time. This program of study would require you to complete 45 credits, and upon graduation, you would be issued two separate diplomas.

    In addition to the finance courses, you would have additional required courses if you chose to pursue the dual degree option. Strategy and Competition, Applied Business Statistics, and Operations and Project Management are some of the business courses you’d be taking. You can also choose electives that focus on the content of popular credentialing exams in finance so that you can sit for them after graduation.

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  18. California State University, Dominguez Hills
    MERIT: 220
    View Profile Average Cost: $4,957

    Master of Business Administration with an Emphasis in Finance

    California State University, Dominguez Hills, offers students an accelerated online Master of Business Administration with a concentration in finance. The program doesn’t operate on a traditional academic calendar; instead, it follows a unique schedule. Courses are offered over four sessions in spring, summer, and the remaining two in the fall. Each session is 12 weeks in length, and you can take two courses per session.

    At this prescribed pace, you could graduate from this program in as little as 18 months. At this time, it doesn’t appear that there are any other scheduling options. CSUDH does allow students to transfer in up to nine credits of graduate-level education, though, which may help you to graduate faster if you have eligible transfer credits. The core curriculum consists of the following courses: Advanced Topics in Finance, Human Behavior in Organizations, Marketing Management, and Strategic Management.

    As part of the core, you are also required to take three “Advanced Topics” courses. Your options are accounting, information systems, international business, and operations management. Concentration courses in finance build on the basic business education that core courses provide. You will learn about investments, portfolio analysis, derivatives, and more. You will also take another Advanced Topics course in Multinational Finance. You may need to take more electives to satisfy the MBA requirements entirely.

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  19. Texas A&M International University
    MERIT: 220
    View Profile Average Cost: $4,857

    Master of Business Administration in International Banking and Finance

    Texas AM-logo

    The Master of Business Administration in International Banking and Finance offered by Texas A&M International University is a powerhouse of a program. It is unique, rigorous, affordable, and it’s very convenient. This program has a curriculum that not only enhances your foundational business competencies, but it also builds on them with additional education in finance. You will study things like exchange rate determination, the costs, and benefits associated with international diversification, and you will learn to analyze market activity.

    As comprehensive as this program is, it is astounding that you can complete your master’s in finance at TAMIU in just 15 months. There are six start dates throughout the year, and the courses are delivered in condensed seven-week formats. Of course, your work will be completed according to your own daily schedule. There are no set times you have to sign on. This finance MBA requires you to complete 30 total credits in order to graduate.

    The core of the curriculum accounts for 21 of your necessary credits. These classes focus heavily on management. You will also learn about business research methods and financial statement analysis. To satisfy your concentration, the remaining nine credits come from three electives. These are International Financial Markets & Institutions, International Investments, and International Finance.

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  20. University of South Dakota
    MERIT: 217
    View Profile Average Cost: $16,647

    Master of Business Administration with a Specialization in Finance

    uofsouthdakotalogo

    The University of South Dakota is another school featured in our best online finance masters programs ranking that has a Master of Business Administration with a Concentration in Finance. Depending on your circumstances, this program has a credit requirement that ranges between 36 and 54. Those who don’t have a related undergraduate degree are responsible for completing some prerequisites.

    The average student who has an undergraduate education in business will only need 36 credits; 30 of these credits come from the Advanced MBA Courses. Unfortunately, USD only allows for two electives in finance. This is an outstanding degree program, but it may not be the best option if you want a career that is more directly involved with finance. On the positive side, there is a sizeable list of unique electives from which to choose.

    All of the classes that you need to complete this degree are available in a 100% online delivery format. Some individual classes may include live components that require your participation, like weekly discussions. However, all of the classes in the catalog are completely asynchronous, so you can study when you want.

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  21. Florida Institute of Technology
    MERIT: 215
    View Profile Average Cost: $33,610

    Master of Business Administration with a Specialization in Finance

    The Florida Institute of Technology has an online Master of Business Administration with a Specialization in Finance that students can take online. There are no campus visits required to complete this degree. In order to be eligible to enroll, you do need an undergraduate degree in business. There are no options for students that have yet to complete the prerequisite courses. No GMAT or GRE is required to apply.

    The entire program consists of 36 credits, and the curriculum was designed to combine the fundamental principles of business with relevant industry-specific skills and theoretical knowledge in finance. The classes you will take explore topics like stock analysis and valuation, portfolio management, foreign exchange markets and hedging, efficient market theory and capital budgeting, and plenty more.

    You will also be faced with real-world, corporate-level problems in finance as you study; this unique applied approach is great for helping you to truly solidify the things you’ve learned, and it is great preparation for what you may face in your day to day life once you enter the professional realm of finance.

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  22. University of Louisiana at Lafayette
    MERIT: 214
    View Profile Average Cost: $12,502

    Master of Business Administration with a Concentration in Finance

    University of Louisiana--Lafayette

    The University of Louisiana at Lafayette offers an online Master of Business Administration with a concentration in finance. This program is one of the best online masters in finance degree options for those of you who have already entered your career. You will have multiple start dates to choose from when you are getting started, and you can take the program at whatever pace works best for you.

    In addition to the supreme flexibility of this online finance degree, it also takes a different approach compared to many others when it comes to curriculum design. This is an MBA, but the specialization courses will emphasize skills in math, strategic decision-making, and it will help you have a better understanding of the nuances in the world of finance. This degree will easily prepare you for whatever is next for your professional life, even a C-suite position.

    You will take eleven courses in this program, which means that you will have to earn 33 credits in order to graduate. The curriculum is broken down into seven core courses and four concentration courses. If you happen to be interested in this program but did not receive your undergraduate degree in a related field, you can take foundational courses as a precursor to this program, still all online. The best part of this flexible and rigorous program is that you can graduate in just 15 months.

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  23. Liberty University
    MERIT: 211
    View Profile Average Cost: $26,954

    Master of Science in Finance

    Liberty University Doctor of Public Administration
    Liberty University has been featured by Online College Plan on multiple occasions because it’s a great school, so it should come as no surprise that it also offers one of the best online master’s programs in finance. The degree offered at Liberty is a Master of Science in Finance. Students will not have to attend campus at all throughout the course of their study.

    There are a lot of things that make this program stand out. All of the classes are condensed down to just eight weeks each, and they are all 100% online and asynchronous. This university has an incredibly generous transfer policy in which you can bring in as much as 50% of the total required credits. There are 30 required credits to earn this degree. You can also choose from any one of multiple start dates.

    The average student completes this program in just one year. You can choose a general track, or you can pursue one of the two offered specialization tracks. Current specialization options include Financial Management and Financial Planning. Courses you might experience include Investments and Derivatives, Advanced Financial Statement Analysis, Money & Capital Markets, and Mergers & Acquisitions.

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  24. Nova Southeastern University
    MERIT: 211
    View Profile Average Cost: $26,740

    Master of Business Administration with a Concentration in Finance

    Nova Southeastern University also offers an online Master of Business Administration with a Concentration in Finance, but it definitely brings something else to the table. There are five start dates you can choose from throughout the year. The program requires an overall total of 37 to 49 credits based on your prior academic experience.

    You will take a prescribed MBA core that accounts for a minimum of 22 credits. The classes cover things like business statistics, accounting, success development, and marketing. The remaining credits will come from your finance concentration courses. The school offers Real World Finance for Managers, Banking, Financial Engineering, Investments, and Advanced Corporate Finance. You can select four of those.

    Along with your finance concentration core, you can opt to complete an internship or fill that slot with a free elective. What makes this program different from the rest is that there are no asynchronous components. Classes are held on a regular basis, and your live attendance is required. You can choose from weeknight classes or some daytime slots. Despite having more structure than most comparable programs, you can still finish the degree in less than two years.

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  25. Fort Hays State University
    MERIT: 210
    View Profile Average Cost: $12,196

    Master of Business Administration with a Concentration in Finance

    1 FHSU -logo

    Fort Hays State University has an online Master of Business Administration with a Concentration in Finance. The thing that sets FHSU apart in our list of the best online master’s in finance degrees is that the university has gone out of their way to make this program accessible to people from a variety of professional and academic backgrounds.

    The program consists of 34 credit hours in total. Those of you who didn’t earn your undergraduate degree in business can also take advantage of the additional foundational courses that supplement this program and get you started on the right foot. You can achieve all of this without disrupting your career because this program is 100% online and asynchronous, expertly designed to work with your lifestyle instead of against it.

    The business part of this degree covers a range of important topics that will help you become a more effective employee and a more marketable candidate when you’re looking for work. The finance concentration courses are a more basic look at some of the core concepts in finance but still could help you secure a career in banking, corporate finance, or something else. The concentration classes are Money and Banking, Financial Institutions, and International Finance.

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  26. Benedictine University
    MERIT: 208
    View Profile Average Cost: $24,039

    Master of Business Administration in Financial Management

    Benedictine University

    If you’re interested in earning one of the best online finance masters degrees in the nation, the Master of Business Administration in Finance offered by Benedictine University might be one to consider. This is a larger program than many of the ones we’ve featured in this ranking because it requires a total of 64 credit hours. There are 16 courses in the program, but there are options to get some of them waived.

    If the bachelor’s degree you hold is in a business field, you may be eligible to waive up to four foundation courses, leaving you with just 48 credits to complete. Professionals who hold professional certifications in their field may also be able to use that certification to demonstrate competency and get a course waived. These are considered on a case-by-case basis by the school.

    You can take this program in the traditional format of one course at a time, or you can choose to be more aggressive in order to accelerate your graduation. If you take two courses per term, you could have your finance degree in about a year and a half. In addition to the business core, you will take concentration courses in finance that cover topics like financial analysis, profitability, forecasting, and more.

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  27. Dallas Baptist University
    MERIT: 208
    View Profile Average Cost: $25,693

    Master of Business Administration with a Concentration in Finance

    Dallas Baptist University has an online Master of Business Administration with a Concentration in Finance. There is a minimum of 36 credit hours required for graduation. You can also choose to add another concentration area like Business Communications, IT Security, or Marketing. There are 14 options, and any dual concentration degrees would require 48 credit hours.

    The required core curriculum for the MBA portion of the degree includes the following classes. Managerial Accounting, Corporate Finance, Quantitative Analysis for Managers, Leadership in Management, Business Ethics, Management Information Systems, Creative Problem Solving Marketing Decisions, and Strategic Management Decisions.

    The two finance concentration courses you’re required to take are Capital Markets and Institutions and Investments. You would have to choose two classes from a selection of International Finance, Futures and Options, and Advanced Managerial Finance to complete all of the credit requirements for the concentration. All of the courses required for this program are available in a 100% online format.

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  28. Mercy College
    MERIT: 206
    View Profile Average Cost: $16,246

    Master of Business Administration with a Concentration in Finance

    Mercy College is another school that offers an online Master of Business Administration with a Concentration in Finance. This particular college requires you to complete 36 total credits in order to graduate. There are options for students who don’t have a background in business to enroll as well, and some of those students may need to earn as much as 57 credits to finish everything they to in order to complete this degree.

    The business core is made up of classes like Financial Accounting, Corporate Finance, Introduction to Quantitative Analysis, Quantitative Methods in Business Research, and Managerial Economics. You will also choose an additional course in Operations Management, Financial Statement Analysis, or Financial Management of Healthcare Institutions.

    For the finance concentration, you will be required to take Financial Statement Analysis and Corporate Financial Policy, and you will choose an additional two electives in finance. There may be some courses that are only offered on campus. There is also the opportunity to participate in the Turbo program if you’re willing to attend campus to do so. This is an intensive test prep program that would allow you to waive up to 21 credits of your degree. If you pursue the remaining credits at a full-time pace, you’d be done in just one year.

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  29. Texas A&M University Commerce
    MERIT: 204
    View Profile Average Cost: $11,396

    Master of Science in Finance

    Texas A&M University-Commerce breaks up the final stretch of our ranking of the best masters degree in finance online with a Master of Science in Finance instead of an MBA. This is an AACSB-accredited program that will not only prepare you for a range of careers, but you will also be well-equipped to sit for a credentialing exam such as the CFA or CFP.

    TAMUC’s online masters in finance is available entirely online; however, if you’re someone who would prefer to earn your degree in a blended format, the university welcomes you to take a few courses face-to-face if you’d like to do so. The structure of this program was designed to be as flexible as possible so that students can get the education that they want without compromising their careers or other obligations.

    If you have a background in business, you only need 30 credits to graduate. Students who are not bachelor-prepared in business will need 39 credits to complete their degree. A unique feature of TAMUC’s finance degree is that there are several minors for you to choose from instead of just selecting electives singularly. You can add an extra focus to your degree in areas like digital marketing or cybersecurity.

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  30. West Texas A&M University
    MERIT: 200
    View Profile Average Cost: $13,806

    Master of Science in Finance and Economics­

    Last but not least, West Texas A&M University is number thirty on our list of the top 30 online master’s programs in finance. This university offers a Master of Science in Finance and Economics that has been recognized by a handful of other publications in the past for its quality. This is a 36-credit program that is very flexible and offers you the opportunity to take courses that are relevant to your goals.

    The core courses required for this program are broken down into categories. These categories include Theory of Households and Firms, Monetary and Fiscal Policy, Corporate Governance, Corporate Finance, Asset Valuation, International, and Quantitative Analysis. Each of these categories has a range of two to five courses each, and you can choose the one that appeals to you the most to fulfill the requirement of the category.

    On top of the core courses, you will also have to complete nine hours of electives in either finance or economics, six hours of electives in a related category (economics, finance, accounting, computer information & decision management, or general business), and you will need to take and pass a comprehensive exam. You can pursue your degree in hybrid or fully-online format, and you can choose from a full-time or part-time schedule. The average student takes two years to finish all of their requirements.

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Do You Need a Masters in Finance?

There are a lot of jobs that you can with just a bachelor’s degree in finance. Employers are always eager to hire qualified professionals in finance because money is what keeps every industry afloat. With a bachelor’s in finance, you could hold positions such as a financial planner, financial analyst, actuary, and plenty of others. So, when it comes down to it, you don’t necessarily need a master’s in finance; however, there are still plenty of benefits to pursuing this more advanced degree.

For decades, the Master of Business Administration was the most highly-desired business degree, but employers have been showing an increased interest in the more specialized education that comes with a master’s in finance. Due to that, this degree has been rising in popularity. One thing to consider is that someone with the same job experience, in the same locale, with a nearly identical resume could get the position that you applied for if they hold a more advanced degree. Finance is so vital to the world of business, the better prepared you are to do your job, the more opportunities you’ll have.

Earning your master’s degree in finance opens more doors for you and can lead to better compensation and opportunities for advancement for your job. It is also very likely that if you want to work in a more specialized area of finance, you will need the more specific education that comes with graduate-level study.

How Much Does a Masters in Finance Cost?

The amount that you’re going to pay for your degree is not likely to be the same as all of your peers. There are a lot of different factors that go into determining how much your degree will cost you. The average cost of a master’s degree was estimated to be between $10,000 to $25,000, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

Things that may play a role in the cost of your degree include your residency, whether you’re studying on a traditional campus or online, if you’re eligible for any financial aid, if you’ve received any scholarships, etc. You may have prior education or experience that you can use to earn credits towards your degree, which would decrease your costs. Perhaps you work for an employer that offers tuition reimbursement.

Also, the program you choose matters too. In this ranking of the top 30 best online master’s programs in finance, affordability is one of the factors that contribute to the score each school receives. Here is some insight into the cost of these programs in particular.

  • Five of the schools had a reported average net cost of under $10,000
  • 11 of the schools had a reported average net cost of between $10,000 and $20,000
  • Nine of the schools had a reported average net cost of between $20,000 and $30,000
  • Five of the programs fell in the $30,000 to $40,000 range
  • The least expensive school we featured is Texas A&M International University ($4,857); the most expensive is the University of Miami ($42,204)
  • The average cost of all the master’s in finance programs featured in this ranking is $21,283
  • The average cost of the master’s in finance programs ranked among the top ten nationwide is $23,770

Does a Master in Finance Require Work Experience?

This is a very popular question because before the Master of Science in Finance rose to popularity in recent years, a lot of students would opt for an MBA program to continue their business education and create the career trajectory that they wanted. MBA programs, pretty much across the board, require at least a couple of years of work experience. This isn’t so when it comes to a master’s in finance. In fact, these types of degree programs are intended for people who are just finishing their undergraduate degree and have very little experience working in their chosen field, if any at all.

The general requirements for you to be eligible to enroll in a masters-level finance degree program are:

  • You need to have earned at least a bachelor’s degree in finance (or a closely-related field)
  • You have completed the prerequisite courses for the program (these usually include statistics, financial accounting, calculus, and economics)

Beyond that, each program is going to have different requirements. The minimum required GPA, whether you need to take the GRE or the GMAT, and if you need letters of recommendation might not be the same for every program. There may even be a handful out there that prefer you to have some work experience; however, that’s not typical.

Should I Get a Masters in Finance or MBA?

Many prospective students know this struggle, master’s in finance vs. MBA. There is overlap with these two types of degree program when it comes to what topics you will cover and the types of careers you’ll be prepared for but, the truth is that they’re very different. Also, picking which one is going to be the best for you doesn’t have to be so hard.

Master’s degrees in finance are for those of you who want to work strictly in finance. The curriculum will cover finance from every angle include financial theory, mathematics, markets, financial reports, analysis, valuation, and more. You can even choose a concentration area or a few electives to really hone in on the skills you need to reach your professional aspirations. These programs usually don’t require work experience, don’t take as long to complete, and offer you a highly-tailored education.

MBA degree programs are very popular. MBA stands for Master of Business Administration; this type of degree can prepare you for a career in finance, but it also covers a lot more. If you want a specific career in finance, this may not be the right choice for you. However, if you want to enter into a leadership or management role at a financial institution, or just have more diverse options for your career, this is definitely something to consider. The curriculum of an MBA program is going to cover economics, business management, business planning, marketing, logistics, finance, accounting, and more. You can even choose to specialize your MBA in something like Entrepreneurship or International Business. The MBA is a great degree program for anyone who wants to have a solid career in business, but the master’s in finance may be the better choice if you want to work strictly in finance. These programs are usually longer than finance degrees when taken on-campus but, for online MBA programs the time it takes is generally the same or faster. An MBA program might require more work experience and accept students from a more varied list of undergraduate majors.

Which is Better CFA or Masters in Finance?

The CFA Exam was recently called the “most brutal finance exam in the world” by Business Insider. It is a series of three exams, comprising 240 questions and taking about six hours to complete. Once you pass the exam, you become a CFA charterholder. The Chartered Financial Analyst Program is a professional credential that is unequivocally the most highly respected and recognized investment management designation in the world. Less than half of the people that take the first level of the exams receive a passing score. There is a recommended 300-hour study plan. This is a big deal. But, is it better than a Masters in Finance?

The CFA program focuses on investment. It is a very rigorous program that requires you to hold a bachelor’s degree or be in the final year of your degree to be eligible to enter. You also must have a combination of four years of work experience or higher education, and part-time work doesn’t count. You also need to have an international passport. There is a one-time program enrollment fee of $450. You will also have to pay for each of your exams. For the year 2019, the early registration fee is $650; the standard registration fee is $950 and; the late registration fee is $1,380. Exam prep is totally self-study. If you want to work in investment, this is absolutely your best option. This is the most prestigious credential in that area of finance.

With that said, though, the CFA program is focused on investment. If you’re interested in pursuing a career in any other area of finance, then you will need the training and background knowledge that comes from earning your master’s in finance. You won’t have the same flexibility in earning your degree as you would while preparing for your CFA, but an online master’s degree in finance will grant you a lot of the same desired flexibility but built into a set structure. If you’re a self-starter, if you’re in a full-time career, or if you have a family, you can take an online master’s in finance program and still be able to do things at your own pace most of the time. But, this will come with the added benefit of having the support of your instructors along the way.

A master’s in finance is broader, so it prepares you for the next step in your finance career without locking you into the area of investment. You can specialize in nearly any area of the field you’d like by carefully selecting your schedule with an advisor. Whether or not a CFA or a finance degree is better has to do with your career aspirations. Of course, you could also get both.

Didn’t Find What You Were Looking For?

Are you looking to study finance but you’re just getting started? You might want to check out the Top 10 Online Bachelor’s Degrees in Finance.

Other online finance degree rankings include:

OCP has also created a variety of online business degree rankings, covering everything from accounting to organizational leadership.

If you’re exploring the option of distance education for the first time, you might benefit from weighing the Pros and Cons of Online College; checking out some scholarship opportunities or; seeing our 2019 ranking of the Top 100 Best Online Colleges nationwide.