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.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

University of Florida

Gainesville, FL BOC Score 93.6
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 89%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $71,588
Avg net price $6,541/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 97%
  • Programs offered: 49

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

University of Chicago

Chicago, IL BOC Score 93.3
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 96%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $91,885
Avg net price $14,860/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 99%
  • Programs offered: 22

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN BOC Score 91.4
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 93%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $91,565
Avg net price $15,846/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 96%
  • Programs offered: 49

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Brigham Young University

Provo, UT BOC Score 77.1
  • 4 year
Graduation rate 85%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $75,790
Avg net price $15,564/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 90%
  • Programs offered: 74

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Hillsdale College

Hillsdale, MI BOC Score 76.7
  • 4 year
Graduation rate 86%
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 96%
  • Programs offered: 9

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Claremont McKenna College

Claremont, CA BOC Score 71.9
  • 4 year
Graduation rate 92%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $104,736
Avg net price $28,849/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 97%
  • Programs offered: 7

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Wofford College

Spartanburg, SC BOC Score 71.6
  • 4 year
Graduation rate 81%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $68,964
Avg net price $18,732/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 90%
  • Programs offered: 3

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

University of Portland

Portland, OR BOC Score 65.3
  • 4 year
Graduation rate 80%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $82,804
Avg net price $28,210/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 86%
  • Programs offered: 19

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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.

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

  1. Accreditation – confirm recognized institutional accreditation and check for AACSB or ACBSP programmatic accreditation in the business school.
  2. Curriculum fit – compare core coursework and elective or concentration options against your target career path, such as corporate finance, investments, or financial planning.
  3. Format and pace – compare accelerated options against standard-pace formats, and understand how the online format works before enrolling.
  4. Faculty and industry connections – look for programs that connect students with internships, case competitions, or industry mentors.
  5. 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.


Next Steps

Compare programs by level or topic:

More Finance guides