The Online Finance Degree Guide team has one mission: to get you started on reaching your finance career goals without sacrificing your time or money. Regardless of what stage of life you’re in, starting a new career can be daunting. Tuition is at an all-time high, most brick-and-mortar schools offer inflexible scheduling, and even getting into the classes you need can be nearly impossible. For those looking for a path to a career in finance that can work with your current schedule and budget, online school is a great option.

To make things easy, we’ve done the research and compiled this list of the Top Colleges for Online Finance Degrees. Taking tuition rates, financial aid options, credit transferability, and schedule flexibility into account, these schools offer the best value for both your time and money. Whether this is your first career or you’re trying something new, getting into the finance field doesn’t have to be difficult. We hope this list helps you take your first step towards success.

Though the branches within the field are significant, a career in finance comes down to one basic focus -- money management. With proper training, those entering this industry can expect to analyze complex data sets, make important budgeting and investment decisions, understand the law as it applies to the financial sector, and demonstrate advanced communication skills.

When it comes to finance, there are three major divisions -- public, corporate, and personal. In generalized terms, public finance involves working on public funds distribution, taxation, and monitoring the economy for the government. The corporate sector involves overseeing a corporation’s finances or offering financial advice to companies based on data and future projections. This could concern budgets, bonds, stocks, and potential investment opportunities, among a myriad of other necessary financial decisions. On the personal level, a career in finance means assisting individuals with financial decisions including retirement planning and the purchasing of stocks or other investments. This sector also encompasses general banking on a person-to-person basis.

Regardless of which of these branches your work falls under, finance is a lucrative field, with most roles offering a higher than average median wage and current career outlooks showing a positive trend in job growth. The following is a breakdown of just a few of the careers a degree in finance could lead to:

1. Becoming an Economist: Business or Economics Degrees

   Economists most often work in the public branch of finance, as they focus on monitoring economic trends and making suggestions on how to fix related problems. They may have a role in suggesting how taxes should be redistributed back into the economy and often conduct research on matters such as unemployment or rent prices. Economists frequently publish their findings in academic journals, and so should have both notable communication skills and exemplary writing skills.

   Education: Most economist positions require a master’s or a Ph.D., though a relevant bachelor’s makes it possible to get an entry-level position in some cases.

   Median Pay: $105,630

   Job Growth: Economist positions are projected to increase by 6% between 2021 and 2031, which is about average⁽²⁾.

2. Becoming a Financial Analyst: Finance or Mathematics Degrees

   Financial analysts look at market conditions, potential investment options, and business performance data in order to assist businesses in financial decision-making. They must be knowledgeable about the industry they are working within, while also keeping track of economic conditions at large. This career requires advanced IT skills, as complicated data tools and spreadsheets will be in constant use. Financial analysts must also be communication savvy in order to convey complex financial information to others while maintaining a sense of authority and trustworthiness.

   Education: While there are no hard-and-fast rules, almost all financial analysts hold a bachelor’s degree in a finance-related field, at minimum. In many cases, those interested in this career go on to get an MBA or pass the Series 7, Series 63, or Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) exam. These exams are highly technical, but will absolutely improve your chances of landing a well-paid position.

   Median Pay: $95,570⁽¹⁾

   Job Growth: Financial analyst positions are projected to grow by 9% between 2021 and 2031, which is faster than average⁽⁷⁾.

3. Becoming a Personal Financial Advisor: Finance or Mathematics Degrees

   A personal financial advisor works with individuals to manage their finances. Focuses typically include retirement accounts, investing, and tax assistance. Financial advisors must be adept at understanding tax laws, stock options, and at assessing their clients’ financial situation and goals. Due to the personalized nature of the role, an advisor must have exemplary communication skills in order to explain potentially complex financial information to clients who often have little-to-no knowledge on the subject. While some financial advisors work independently, many work in offices as full-time employees.

   Education: Most financial advisors hold at minimum a bachelor’s in a financial field of study, if not a master’s, and they typically pursue licenses to improve their skills and appeal to clients. Possible licensing exams include the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) or the Certified Financial Planner (CFP) exams.

   Median Pay: $94,170

   Job Growth: Personal financial advisor positions are projected to increase by 15% between 2021 and 2031, which is much faster than average⁽³⁾.

4. Becoming an Accountant: Accounting Degrees

   Accountants are in charge of preparing financial documents, analyzing relevant data, and ensuring that all financial endeavors are in line with regulations. Accountant roles exist within all three branches of finance -- public, corporate, and personal -- and so can vary greatly, but tend to necessitate analytical, bookkeeping, and industry-specific skills.

   Education: Becoming an accountant not only requires a minimum of a bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, business, or another related field, but tends to also involve choosing a specialty to focus on. Though accounting is a versatile career in that it exists in virtually all sectors, it is prudent for aspiring accountants to choose an area of focus in order to set themselves apart from potential competition. Specializations include public versus corporate accounting, as well as even more niche focuses, such as environmental accounting. Many accountants opt for taking the Certified Public Accountants (CPA) exam. CPAs are essentially accountants with the added ability to conduct audits and review certain financial statements, often allowing them to earn notably more than a regular accountant.

   Median Pay: $77,250

   Job Growth: Accountant positions are projected to rise by 6% between 2021 and 2031, which is about average⁽⁴⁾.

5. Becoming a Cost Estimator: Finance or Business Degrees

   Cost estimators approximate the cost of manufacturing a product or providing a service for their company, with cost referring to time, labor, materials, and money, among other possible variables depending on the business. Though industries vary, this job is commonly found within the construction sector, with cost estimators often visiting construction sites directly in order to collect relevant data. Depending on the industry they’re working in, they are generally expected to be highly knowledgeable about the product or service in question in order to produce accurate estimations.

   Education: Cost estimators typically hold a bachelor’s degree in finance, business, engineering, or construction management, depending on the industry they work in. However, it is also possible to grow into this role with several years of direct construction experience.

   Median Pay: $65,170

   Job Growth: Cost estimator positions are projected to see a -2% decline between 2021 and 2031⁽⁵⁾. Due to improvements in industry software, job sites now need fewer estimators to accomplish the same amount of work.

6. Becoming a Loan Officer: Finance Degrees

   Loan officers work at financial institutions reviewing and approving applications for loans. They often meet with applicants directly to go over the loan approval process and to look over their credit and related information, so loan officers must have exceptional communication and customer service skills, as well as attention to detail.

   Education: Most loan officers hold a bachelor’s degree in a field related to finance, though it is possible to become one with an associate degree. However, loan officers working specifically with mortgages are required to attain a license for such.

   Median Pay: $63,380

   Job Growth: Loan officer positions are projected to increase by 4% between 2021 and 2031, which is about average⁽⁶⁾.