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Online Finance Degrees: Levels, Careers, and How to Choose
Key takeaway: Online finance degrees are offered at the associate, bachelor’s, and master’s level by accredited schools nationwide, and finance is a common academic route into corporate finance, banking, investment, and financial planning roles. A bachelor’s is typically the entry credential for analyst-track roles, while a master’s or MBA can support advancement into management or specialized advisory positions. Compare accredited programs below.
An online finance degree covers how individuals, businesses, and markets manage money, risk, and investment decisions, combining quantitative methods with applied business practice. Accredited online programs generally deliver the same curriculum and degree titles as campus programs; browse the best accredited online colleges to compare schools that offer them. Many business schools pursue AACSB accreditation, a recognized programmatic accreditor for business and finance programs.
Schools Offering Finance Programs
These accredited schools offer online finance programs. Request information to compare programs, costs, and formats.
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Browse finance programs by degree level to see curriculum, admissions, and format details for each stage of study.
Quick Answers
What do online finance programs cover?
Online finance programs cover how individuals, businesses, and markets manage money. Coursework commonly includes financial accounting, corporate finance, investments, financial markets, and quantitative or statistical methods.
What online finance degree levels are common?
Common online levels include an associate degree, a bachelor’s degree (BA or BS), and a master’s degree (MS or MBA with a finance concentration).
Does a finance degree require licensure?
A finance degree alone does not require licensure. Some finance-related roles require passing exams administered by regulatory bodies, such as FINRA exams for securities roles or state insurance exams for certain advisory positions. Professional certifications such as the CFA charter are optional credentials many professionals pursue after graduation.
What accreditation should finance students look for?
Students should verify accreditation from a recognized institutional accreditor – such as HLC, SACSCOC, ACCSC, or ABHES – through the U.S. Department of Education database. Many business schools also hold AACSB or ACBSP programmatic accreditation for their business and finance programs.
What is the difference between a finance degree and an accounting degree?
Finance focuses on managing, investing, and allocating money and analyzing risk and return, while accounting focuses on recording, reporting, and auditing financial transactions. Some programs let students combine both through electives or a dual concentration.
What you’ll study
Online finance programs blend quantitative methods with applied business practice. Core coursework commonly spans financial accounting, corporate finance, investments and portfolio theory, financial markets and institutions, statistics or quantitative analysis, and business ethics. Many programs let you focus through a concentration such as corporate finance, investment management, financial planning, or banking and financial institutions.
Coursework builds toward analytical skills used across corporate, investment, and personal-finance settings, including financial statement analysis, valuation methods, and risk assessment.
Careers for finance graduates
Finance graduates apply their skills in corporate finance departments, banks, investment firms, insurance companies, and financial planning practices. Entry-level analyst and associate roles are generally accessible with a bachelor’s; management, portfolio management, and specialized advisory roles often call for a master’s degree, an MBA, or professional certifications such as the CFA charter, in addition to work experience.
View the data behind this chart
| Occupation | Median annual wage |
|---|---|
| Financial Manager | $166,570 |
| Personal Financial Advisor | $105,070 |
| Financial and Investment Analyst | $102,740 |
| Loan Officer | $76,690 |
View the data behind this chart
| Occupation | Projected job growth (2024-2034) |
|---|---|
| Financial Manager | 14.8% |
| Personal Financial Advisor | 9.6% |
| Financial and Investment Analyst | 5.7% |
| Loan Officer | 1.7% |
Career outcomes vary by specialization, employer, geography, and individual experience. For general labor-market context on finance-related occupations, see the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook.
How to choose an online finance program
- Accreditation – confirm recognized institutional accreditation and check for AACSB or ACBSP programmatic accreditation in the business school.
- Curriculum fit – compare core coursework and elective or concentration options against your target career path, such as corporate finance, investments, or financial planning.
- Format and pace – compare accelerated options against standard-pace formats, and understand how the online format works before enrolling.
- Faculty and industry connections – look for programs that connect students with internships, case competitions, or industry mentors.
- Cost – compare tuition per credit and total credits required, not just the advertised annual rate, and review ways to reduce total cost.
Finance or a related field? Choose finance for a focus on investment, valuation, and capital management; explore accounting if you are more interested in financial reporting and auditing, or business administration for a broader management foundation.
Prefer to study close to home? Browse online finance programs by state for state salary data, licensing details, and city-level guides.
Next Steps
Aiming at a specific role? See how to become a financial analyst and how to become a financial manager. Wondering where it leads? See what you can do with a finance degree for the jobs and BLS salary data behind the degree. Compare programs by level or topic: