A top finance MBA can help you improve your management skills, grow your network, and create vital professional connections that can help you build a successful finance career.
But with so many prestigious MBA programs offering finance specializations and modules, it can be hard to decide which is the best for you.
Each year, US News ranks the best finance programs across the 50 states. The ranking scores schools on nine key factors, including mean starting salary and bonus, and average GMAT and GRE score. For the 2024 ranking, data was collected from 506 AACSB-accredited schools, with master’s programs focused on general management skills.
Here are the top 10 best business schools for finance in the USA in 2024, ranked by US News.
Best business schools for finance
=10. Boston College Carroll School of Management
Boston College Carroll comes joint 10th in this list of the best business schools for finance. Its MS in Finance degree emphasizes financial analytical skills that students can bring to workplaces in corporate finance, asset management, and investment banking, and students can opt for a STEM-designated quantitative finance track.
For students who graduated in 2023, the average base salary for those that accepted full-time job offers is $84,000. Employers of the program include Barclays, CitiGroup, McKinsey, and Deloitte.
=10. Creighton University Heider College of Business
Creighton University Heider is a Catholic university based in Nebraska. The school offers a finance concentration in its MBA and core courses include Financial Reporting for MBAs, Managerial Finance, and Economic Analysis for Managers.
Creighton Heider also has a Master of Finance (MFIN) program which is designed to provide students with a practical understanding of finance. It boasts the ability to teach students how to practice and apply critical thinking skills in a broad business context and in portfolio management.
=10. UCLA Anderson School of Management
The Anderson School of Management offers a finance specialization in its MBA, which focuses on financial markets, investment, risk, return, and how money managers make portfolio decisions.
In 2023, approximately 18.5% of Anderson MBA students were hired into finance roles across a variety of industries, including Investment Banking and Private Equity. Employers such as Bank of America, Credit Suisse and Bank of America have hired Anderson MBAs.
READ: What Are The Most Prestigious Companies To Work For?
9. University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business
The University of Michigan’s business school—Ross School of Business—offers a number of finance-focused core courses, including Financial Accounting and Financial Management.
It also offers a fast track in Finance which grants students early access to courses in the STEM-Designated Specialization in Management Science, preparing them to excel in internships and in post-graduation careers in roles including corporate finance, impact investing, investment banking, investment management, and private equity.
After completing a full-time MBA in the class of 2023, 14.2% of students went on to a role in financial services, with an average base salary of almost $162k. Some alumni have gone on to work in roles at McKinsey and JP Morgan.
8. University of California, Berkeley Haas
This Bay Area institution draws together finance, technology, entrepreneurship, and business teaching in its MBA program. MBA students lead finance, investment, private equity, fintech, and venture capital clubs and participate in national competitions.
In 2023, 14.5% of the Berkeley Haas MBA class went into financial services and the median base salary for the class was $167,300.
7. Harvard Business School
One of the world's most renowned business schools and one of the elite M7 business schools, Harvard Business School gives students a hands-on MBA education across a variety of industries.
In total, 33% of the Harvard MBA class of 2023 went into financial roles. The median base salary of a Harvard MBA grad is $175,000.
Private equity firms such Blackstone, CVC, and the Carlyle Group hire MBAs from Harvard.
6. MIT Sloan School of Management
The MBA at Sloan School of Management offers an optional certificate in finance intended for those looking for a career change and those who are more experienced in the finance world.
Combining financial core skills, an understanding of financial institutions, and an overview of opportunities, the course aims to give a rounded financial education.
Almost 20% of MIT Sloan MBA graduates went into finance jobs in 2023 and earned a median base salary of $175k.
READ: Investment Banking Salaries For MBA & Master’s Graduates
5. Stanford Graduate School of Business
Another member of the exclusive M7, Stanford Graduate School of Business has a long history of producing impressive alumni, and inspiring important startups like Snapchat, Instagram, and StubHub.
Stanford MBA grads also earn big salaries. Around one-third of grads go into finance roles, with the highly competitive areas of private equity and venture capital attracting a significant proportion of Stanford MBAs.
4. Columbia Business School
Columbia Business School has strong links to Wall Street and a track record of educating grads to be well-versed in finance. Columbia has elective classes in advanced corporate finance, capital markets and assessments, and real estate finance.
MBAs from Columbia land jobs at institutions like 388 Ventures and 4x4 Capital, as well as major financial institutions like Bank of America, Goldman Sachs, and Citi.
3. NYU Stern School of Business
NYU Stern’s finance specialization has courses on Fintech Risk Management and Investor Relations Strategy. MBA students gain an understanding of asset management and corporate finance which makes them an asset in the finance sector.
The class of 2023 saw 29.4% of graduates go into finance roles, earning impressive signing bonuses of over $50k on average and median salaries of $175k.
2. University of Chicago, Booth School of Business
Chicago Booth has impressive corporate finance offerings and endeavors to prepare students for the business world with investment courses and a focus on financial risk. With leading scholars such as Nobel laureates Eugene F Fama and Lars Hansen leading the curriculum, students are in good stead for success.
UChicago faculty members have earned the American Finance Association’s Fischer Black Prize four of the 10 years it has been awarded.
Out of those studying the full-time MBA program, 35% went into finance roles, earning a median base-salary of $175k.
1. University of Pennsylvania, The Wharton School
Wharton is the world’s best business school, according to the Financial Times. This top program prepares students for impressive finance careers in asset management, broker-dealing, and investment banking using their core courses in corporate finance and macroeconomics.
In 2023, 13.5% of graduates went into investment banking, 3.8% went into investment management, 10.6% went into private equity, and 5.5% went into venture capital. Around 2% of the class also entered hedge fund roles, earning median salaries of $212,500, while median salaries for those in private equity were around $189,000.
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