06/21/2024
Whether you’re already working in finance or considering a career in this rapidly evolving field, the specialized training and experience offered by a Master of Science in Finance program can open many doors. The Jennings A. Jones College of Business at Middle Tennessee State University offers a flexible, highly valuable Master of Science in Finance degree that prepares students for flourishing finance careers.
Why Should I Consider a Career in Finance?
The financial services industry has been steadily growing over the last ten years and doesn’t show signs of slowing. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that employment in the sector will continue to see strong growth through 2032, with an estimated 911,400 job openings in business and financial occupations each year.
Financial services make up a fifth of the global economy.
M.S. in Finance graduates need not be limited to the financial industry though—a finance degree can lead to career progression in many different industries, as all industries require finance roles. From commercial banking to forensic accounting, from retail to wealth management, employers in every area of business need highly skilled financial professionals who can make informed decisions, improve cash flow, and solve complicated problems.
Why Should I Pursue an M.S. in Finance?
An M.S. in Finance provides students with a deeper understanding of the financial world, as these programs are more focused and streamlined than your typical Master of Business Administration. Master’s in finance students gain practical knowledge of and experience with core financial disciplines such as financial analysis, risk management, and investment strategies. By the time they graduate, students will have the fintech skills to collect and analyze financial data, tackle complex finance problems, build financial models to assess risk, and effectively communicate findings to other professionals across organizations.
What Kinds of Roles Are Available?
Financial professionals hold crucial roles in every area of business. Finance positions are also available on a wide range of scales, from individual investments to planning budgets for multinational corporations. Since there is so much variety in the financial job market, individuals should consider where their strengths and weaknesses are, as well as the level of responsibility they wish to have. Wealth management and commercial banking professionals work closely with individuals and families to achieve their goals, while CFOs and corporate finance executives make decisions that steer the direction of organizations.
Because these financial professionals are so in demand, these roles often offer lucrative salaries. According to Lightcast, a global leader in labor market analytics, some of the top jobs and salaries for professionals with a master’s in finance include:
Finance Jobs and Their Salaries
| Job Title | Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Accounting Manager | $109,300 |
| Chief Financial Officer | $172,900 |
| Controller | $120,100 |
| Director of Finance | $129,800 |
| Financial Analyst | $92,400 |
| Finance Manager | $120,100 | Financial Planning and Analysis Manager | $129,800 |
| Tax Manager | $143,100 |
| Wealth Manager | $138,848 |
Source: Lightcast, 2024
Not only can a master’s degree give you the finance skills to open doors to jobs in a thriving industry, it can also significantly increase your earning potential. According to Lightcast, a master’s degree can increase annual salary by almost 35 percent in jobs requiring finance-related skills.
Which Skills Are Most Important in Finance?
One of the benefits of an M.S. in Finance is that you’ll not only get experience with standard contemporary financial strategies, but also the ability to learn innovative fintech tools as technologies emerge and industries change. That said, there are some specific skills that employers look for when hiring finance employees.
Accounting
AEvery company needs a strong accounting team. Two of the most crucial parts of many financial roles are assessing the financial health of an organization and managing cash flow. To do these, you must be able to extract data points by reading and understanding important financial documents, such as balance sheets, income statements, and annual reports.
Analytical Thinking
Beyond reading and parsing financial data, organizations also need people who can analyze that data. More than just a process, this becomes a way of thinking and processing information that employers highly value. The best Master of Science in Finance programs will incorporate analytical thinking into every course and offer multiple financial analysis courses.
Decision Making
Finance professionals tend to be analytical people; you can spend hours upon hours collecting and analyzing data, but at some point, someone needs to make a decision about what to do with that data. You can estimate a project’s return-on-investment and build frameworks of data-driven information to make decisions easier, but many financial leaders use their historical knowledge about their industry, organization, and market to make high-stakes calls that lead to success. An M.S. in Finance will provide you with the skills to make ethical decisions based on the information available to you.
Management
Whether it’s a budget, a project, or a team, finance professionals are usually managing something, or even many things at once. Successful management takes direction, communication, and collaboration, which is why management skills and experience are so important to have on your resume. While a master’s in finance may not provide specific courses on people management, you will learn to manage budgets, projects, and analyses from ideation to implementation.
How Should I Choose an M.S. in Finance Program?
There are a number of factors to consider when choosing a degree program: whether it will give you the crucial skills listed above, whether it fits your goals and schedule, whether it offers the specialization you require, and whether it will offer you the networking opportunities you need to really succeed after completion. The Jones College of Business at MTSU offers all these benefits and more with our Master of Science in Finance program.
The M.S. in Finance curriculum is tailored to the important financial skills outlined above. The courses Foundations of Finance, Financial Data Analysis and Applications, and Financial Statement Analysis cover the basics of accounting and the analytical thinking skills that will power your decision making. The Corporate Finance course will delve deeper into ethical decision making, and Cases in Finance brings everything together in a hands-on, applications-oriented approach to managerial problem solving.
After the 24 credit hours of core courses, you will take 9 credit hours of electives from a wide range of revolving elective courses. The elective portion of the curriculum offers you the ability to learn more about the areas most important to you and your career. MTSU’s faculty members get to know your goals and offer personalized guidance to support your academic and professional growth.
Whether you’re currently working or looking to gain an advanced financial education after undergraduate studies, an important factor to consider is your timetable. MTSU’s blend of asynchronous coursework and optional synchronous components can be completed entirely online in as little as 12 months as a full-time student, or part time in two years. Students move through the program as a cohort, taking core classes together and building lasting connections with other future finance professionals. They also benefit from the networking opportunities presented by the Jones College of Business’s large alumni community, who live and work in the bustling Nashville financial center and across the country.
For students looking to go full-time and begin in the fall semester, fully funded Graduate Assistantships (GA) are available and are awarded to five students. The GA positions are highly sought after and those interested are encouraged to submit the GA form on the MTSU website as soon as possible.
About MTSU and Jones College of Business
Located in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, Middle Tennessee State University delivers a unique blend of world-class education, personal attention, and value to over 20,000 students. MTSU is the top choice for Tennessee transfer students, the biggest provider of graduates to the Greater Nashville-area economy, and the home of the state’s largest adult degree program. Princeton Review ranks MTSU among the 388 Best Colleges and one of the Best Regional Colleges in 2023. As the home of the Charlie and Hazel Daniels Veterans and Military Family Center and the state’s first VetSuccess On-Campus program, the University has a reputation for welcoming current and former service members.
MTSU’s Jennings A. Jones College of Business is among the top 1.5% business schools in the world with Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) accreditation in both accounting and business.
Our faculty of award-winning educators, researchers, and entrepreneurs provide students with cutting-edge education in management, finance, big-data tools, and business communication.
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Learn more about the MTSU Master of Science in Finance by filling out the fields below and downloading a program brochure. You can also call us toll-free at 888-891-6780 to talk with one of our enrollment representatives.