Earning an online Master of Business Administration (MBA) with a Concentration in Finance from Southeastern Oklahoma State University (Southeastern) can provide a direct route to an influential career in an industry most Americans regard as highly important to their futures. The MBA is often the expected level of academic achievement for high-level positions in this field, and the specific focus provides the preparation graduates need to hit the ground running.
The Employment Outlook
Job prospects in the field of finance for MBA graduates have never been more promising. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects personal financial advisor roles to grow by 13% until 2032 — more than four times the average for all careers. BLS expects 42,000 new jobs in that time frame.
Several other career paths for MBA graduates with an emphasis in finance show strong projections as well. Jobs for financial analysts are projected to grow 8% through 2032. Job growth for securities, commodities and financial services sales agents is projected at 7%, while BLS projects the financial management occupation will see an impressive 16% growth rate.
A primary job growth driver for financial advisors is the aging population. According to BLS, “As large numbers of Baby Boomers continue to retire, they are likely seek planning advice from personal financial advisors. Also, longer lifespans will lead to longer retirement periods, further increasing demand for financial planning services,” according to the BLS. The replacement of pension plans with individual retirement accounts is also going to drive demand for personal financial advisors.
Moreover, investment portfolios are becoming more complex, and they need a wide range of financial products. Emerging markets and growing populations in developed markets will create new demand for these products. To create, develop, manage and sell these products, qualified financial analysts, managers and sales agents will be needed.
An MBA in Finance Is a Smart Investment
Articles from Bankrate and Monster both note that finance is one of the most lucrative MBA concentrations, and the jobs a finance MBA prepares graduates for are among the top-paying jobs for all MBA grads. In specific, Monster identified these four finance jobs (and average salaries) among the 13 highest-paying jobs for MBA grads:
- Chief financial officer (CFO): $213,020
- Director of Finance: $126,342
- Financial Planning Manager: $103,126
- Financial quantitative analyst: $99,711
For many positions in the field of finance, an MBA is practically a requirement. While the curriculum of a general MBA provides a broad foundation of knowledge for a variety of roles in many business sectors, a finance-focused MBA provides the specific training needed for finance jobs.
Financial Coursework in a Concentrated MBA
The curriculum of Southeastern’s online MBA with a Concentration in Finance begins with a core foundation of business coursework:
- Behavioral Management explores human behavior in organizations and its effect on establishing and attaining organizational goals.
- Management Economics examines economic theory and quantitative methods as they relate to decisions about pricing, production, profit maximization and government restraints.
- Accounting for Managers covers the fundamentals of cost systems, managerial decision-making, managerial planning and performance evaluation.
- Research Methods offers an applied approach to the nature and scope of business research.
- Marketing Management uses the comprehensive case study method to develop experiences in applying marketing strategies to create competitive advantages.
- Data Analysis for Managers focuses on the theory and application of statistical and quantitative techniques to various types of business data.
- Financial Management covers the practice and theory of how managers make financial decisions for the firm to maximize shareholder wealth.
- Strategic Management culminates in the integration of learned management skills and functions to develop long-range plans and to manage the accomplishment of organizational objectives.
With this foundation in place, students progress to the following in-depth, finance courses:
- Securities Investments explores investment theories and their applications in financial securities like stocks, bonds, mutual funds, real estate investment trusts and venture capital funds. This course also explores risk and the basics of modern portfolio theory.
- International Financial Management examines the financial aspects of managing multinational firms, including foreign trade and capital flows, determinants of currency exchange rates, the forecasting of currency exchange rates, arbitrage, the use of derivatives to manage exchange rate risk, and raising and investing long-term funds internationally.
- Valuation focuses on concepts and theories related to the valuation of projects and business enterprises, covering topics like cash flow forecast, risk analysis, discount rate estimation, the interaction between capital structure and value and option-based pricing.
- Financial Institutions and Fintech covers financial and governmental institutions that use or support the U.S. financial market as well as emerging technologies that influence financial institutions, exploring topics like central banks, monetary policies, banking systems, blockchain, cryptocurrency, disruptive innovations in payments, startup financing and artificial intelligence trading.
For MBA graduates with the right combination of broad business and specific financial training, the future is wide open.
Learn more about Southeastern’s online MBA with a Concentration in Finance program.