There are numerous alternatives for professions in finance, and the number of options grows as your education and work experience progress. Public, corporate, and personal finance are the three primary subfields within the topic. People who work in finance influence everything from investment banking to insurance to financial planning. Your potential for a career in finance can be unlocked by pursuing a bachelor of science in finance.

Because they can provide a high paid position soon after graduating, financial careers are frequently a popular choice. There are many options for employment in the financial sector, and there are numerous specialties to pick from. There is a finance profession out there for you, depending on your educational background and personal interests.

Commercial Banking

Commercial Banking Average Salary: $92,983
A career in commercial banking provides a variety of financial services such as savings accounts, checking accounts and multiple loan options. There is a lot of room for growth within commercial banking as many begin their careers as bank tellers and move up to become branch managers.

Investment Banking

Investment Banking Average Salary: $96,543
Investment banking is a high-intensity field that involves selling and trading corporate securities, as well as provides insightful advice to corporations and individuals. The responsibilities of an investment banker may also include trading stocks and bonds on the stock market.

Financial Planner

Financial Planner Average Salary: $61,830
A financial planner works with clients to create plans that ensure an individual’s current and future finances are in order. They discuss strategies for investing and savings in order to reach a client’s goal. Typically, financial planners work within a local or national firm and should look into obtaining the Certified Financial Planner (CFP) certification.

Insurance Agent

Insurance Agent Average Salary: $37,667
Working within the insurance field allows you to explore many different aspects of finance within one occupation. You can work as an insurance sales representative, a customer service specialist or you can work to calculate risks and probabilities of financial trends to help your clients with their financial objectives.

Public Accounting

Public Accounting Average Salary: $63,907
Another diverse career for an accounting major is public accounting. A public accountant works with both individual clients and corporations to maintain their financial transactions, audit their records and prepare income tax returns. Typically, a public accountant may work in small or large firms depending on their clientele.

Hedge Fund Manager

Hedge Fund Manager Average Salary: $70,000
Unregulated private investment funds are typically described as hedge funds. Working with the type of investment provides an array of possible jobs ranging from financial traders, analysts, compliance officers, and portfolio managers.

Venture Capitalist

Venture Capitalist Average Salary: $92,406
A career in venture capital explores the potential expansion of financial opportunities for small or start-up companies. As a venture capitalist, you will determine if your firm will make an investment in these types of companies in hopes that their stock will become publically traded on the stock market.

Real Estate Agent

Real Estate Agent Average Salary: $59,180
Commercial and residential real estate financial careers work with clients to plan out the best strategy to fund the purchase of a family home, office location or shopping center. Some potential job paths for financial real estate include mortgage brokers, mortgage companies and life insurance professionals.

Chief Financial Officer

Chief Financial Officer Average Salary: $128,468
A chief financial officer (CFO) is responsible for tracking profits and deficits of a company, then developing a strategy to maintain successful financially. One key aspect of a chief financial officer is their managerial skills and often oversees a team of employees.

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Here are the different types of finance degrees that you can choose, depending on your objectives and skill level.

• Bachelor’s degree in finance: The most basic degree that is required for a career in finance is a bachelor’s degree. Earning a bachelor’s degree typically takes four years and provides students the fundamental knowledge required to be a finance professional. Graduates will gain finance skills, but also communication and leadership skills. Earning a bachelor’s degree qualifies you for entry-level finance-related positions and allows you to pursue higher types of financial degrees.
• Master’s degree in finance: Students who graduate with a bachelor’s degree in finance can opt to continue their financial education with a master’s degree, which generally takes two years to complete. Unlike a bachelor’s program that teaches students generalized financial information, the master’s focuses on more specialized financial fields, such as investments, trading or risk management. Having a master’s can also distinguish you from other candidates who only have bachelor’s degrees.
• Doctorate degree in finance: Earning a doctorate degree in finance allows you to pursue a career as a financial instructor or financial researcher and gives you the credentials to apply to most finance-related jobs at all levels. A doctorate in finance takes four to five years to complete and requires that you first earn bachelor’s and master’s degrees.

Finance courses you take while earning your degree will provide you a strong understanding of financial intelligence, technology, and interpersonal skills that are crucial for success in the work market. Determining where you want to focus your financial career will also require a thorough awareness of the various financial settings. Here are the top 10 elements that are crucial to the finance sector.

• Accounting Qualifications/Certifications
• Interpersonal Skills
• Management Skills
• Communication Skills
• Strong Problem Solving Skills
• Financial Forecast Reporting
• Analytics Capabilities
• Software Skills
• Business Savvy
• Innovative Skills

Finally

Your understanding of accounting, statistics, and economics will be bolstered by a degree in finance, which will also prepare you for a profession in money management. Most public and private sector organizations place a high priority on finance, making the profession adaptable and consistently in demand across a wide range of industries.

Although a profession in finance might offer substantial financial rewards, that isn’t the sole attraction. Finance drives the economy; banks can offer small business owners essential loans, financial planners can help young families create plans to save for college, and wise investing enables people to retire worry-free. In the right hands, finance can be a potent engine for progress, wealth, and social good.