Why Major in Finance? (2024)

FAQs

Why Major in Finance? ›

It equips you with the knowledge of financial management, investment strategies, and risk assessment, which are crucial skills in today's business world. Additionally, finance majors typically earn higher salaries and have a promising job outlook.

A finance degree can open doors to a broad range of dynamic professional opportunities — often with high earning potential in diverse industries. Finance majors learn fundamental business skills that can translate to careers in a variety of organizations in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors.

I'm drawn to finance because it provides a comprehensive understanding of an organization's financial health, risk management, and investment decisions. By pursuing a career in finance, I can strengthen my ability to analyze financial data, provide strategic insights, and guide organizations towards sustainable growth.

Understanding money is central to the finance major, so you should be detail-oriented and comfortable working with numbers. At the same time, work in finance also involves a lot of interaction with other people, so communication skills are also important.

A career in finance can be very lucrative. The average salary for a finance major is $101,038. Pursuing a career as a financial advisor or another form of financial sales can go well beyond this number, whereas a career in corporate America or the government typically stays close to it.

Finance degree jobs can provide relatively high pay, stability, opportunities for advancement and consistent demand projections. Careers in finance may also offer flexibility for employees by allowing them to work remotely or in hybrid environments.

Unlike more general degrees, like business administration, finance teaches you in-demand skills in areas including data analytics, risk management, capital allocation, and investment strategy.

Strong financial knowledge and decision-making skills help people weigh options and make informed choices for their financial situations, such as deciding how and when to save and spend, comparing costs before a big purchase, and planning for retirement or other long-term savings.

"I've always been captivated by numbers and the precision that surrounds them. Accounting allows me to work in a realm where every detail matters, and I find that incredibly fulfilling. As an accountant, I can organize complex financial data and aid companies in making well-informed decisions."

What type of person should major in finance? ›

Successful students have a willingness to work hard.” Dr. Halstead also stresses, “An individual who majors in finance should enjoy quantitative work.” Though finance is a separate field of study from accounting, finance professionals should have an aptitude for numbers and basic accounting.

2. Why choose finance: The jobs are exciting, challenging & fast-paced. The finance industry runs at an exhilarating pace and as a finance candidate, you must enjoy keeping up with the faster pace of work. Lots of people who work in the finance industry enjoy the many challenges that they face on a daily basis.

Finance Career Character Traits

If on the other hand, you love numbers, are good at math and Excel spreadsheets, and relish delving into the financials of a public company, then you might want to be an analyst. If you have both skill sets, a position as a financial advisor could suit you best.

Cons of getting a finance degree

Long hours: Many finance jobs require long hours, particularly in investment banking and other high-pressure roles. Stressful work environment: The finance industry can be stressful, particularly during economic uncertainty or market volatility.

A finance degree offers students a thorough understanding of banking, trading, and economics. Finance is the study, acquisition, and management of money and investments. The field includes banking, credit, debt, and capital markets activities, which are all driven by economic principles and practices.

Financial careers often involve high barriers to entry, stiff competition among applicants, and a lot of stress. Still, these jobs offer numerous perks, including a challenging work environment, interaction with highly motivated and intelligent colleagues, opportunities for advancement, and excellent pay.

My decision to apply for a degree course in Accounting and Finance stems from my research in the college library and my career aspiration to become a chartered accountant. I particularly enjoy administrative work, numerical and statistical exercises, and opportunities to work with others as a team...

One answer to this question might be: “I decided to major in finance because I have long had an interest in understanding how businesses are structured—how they make money and how they're profitable.

While you might be tempted to write about your passion for the subject in flowery language, it's better to share specific experiences that show how your interest developed. You should cover both the coursework that you've done in the field and any relevant extracurricular experiences.

I want to work in finance because I enjoy the challenging nature of the industry and how fast-paced it is. I thrive under pressure. I enjoy problem-solving and analyzing data, but also realize that finance is not just about the numbers, it is about the people too.