Anyone who thinks business majors are limited to a narrow career focus has never met a finance major. Finance is an exceptionally broad field of study that can apply to many different areas and lead you in a variety of paths depending on your strengths and interests. The best jobs for someone with a bachelor’s in finance are found in investment banking, financial planning, accounting, loans, insurance, and more. Each possibility offers a different level of job security, flexibility, and salary.
Investment Banker
One of the more common career goals among finance majors is investment banking. These bankers help public and private corporations sell securities and raise funds by selling and trading securities. Many finance students imagine the glamour and excitement of working on Wall Street, along with the potential to earn millions of dollars. But investment banking is not for everyone. It’s a very fast-paced, stressful, and competitive world, and it’s difficult to reach the level of success that top investment bankers enjoy without putting in years of work. Some finance students are well-suited to the idea of striving to be the best in an unpredictable environment, and investment banking could be the right choice for them.
Financial Advisor
There are many reasons why an individual would hire a financial advisor. They might be planning their estate or planning for retirement, investing in real estate for the first time, building their stock portfolio, or simply starting a family. As a finance major, you can become qualified to teach clients the skills you have learned yourself about taxes, investment strategies, assets, and financial goals. You can even work for companies, especially small businesses that are looking to grow. The salary for a financial advisor can vary widely depending on your level of experience and the area of the country you live in, but the average salary is over $100,000 per year.
Financial Analyst
While financial advisors work for individuals or small businesses just starting out, analysts are hired by large corporations. Their job is to oversee the health and stability of a corporation’s finances and help them save and earn more money. This can happen in the form of investment advising, but it can also involve finding out how a company is spending its money and resources and how effective their budgeting is compared to their financial gains. It differs from accounting, which many people with finance degrees do as well and which is more focused on analyzing a client’s financial history instead of making predictions for the future. Like investment banking, it’s very competitive, and you may have to work years for the highest salaries. It is, however, a valuable and marketable skill.
A bachelor’s degree in finance can lead you to a superstar career in the stock market or simply a high-paying career in the business world. Whether you are interested in excitement or job security, you will find the right niche for you. Though finance can, at first, seem like a highly specific field, it can actually lead you on many paths, all of which are lucrative and rewarding for the professional business men and women of the future.
