Finance Programs in Georgia

Finance Schools in Georgia

Total Finance Programs:32
Online Finance Programs:31
Admissions Requirements:Moderate
Average Tuition:$8,162
Average Scholarship Package:$4,205
Average Grant Amount:$7,431
Average Housing Cost:$5,065
Average Gender Ratio:45% Men / 54% Women
Average Student-to-Faculty Ratio:18:1

Students looking for an affordable finance program may want to take a close look at Georgia. There are 32 schools offering finance degrees here. Within these 32 schools, 23 offer Associate’s-level programs, 20 have Bachelor’s degrees in finance, 17 offer graduate-level programs, and nine have PhD programs. In addition, one school offers a certificate program for finance.

The average cost of tuition for a Georgia finance program is $8,162, considerably lower than tuition in most other states. There are also many grant and scholarship opportunities to evaluate. Kennesaw State University has a large scholarship fund that is funded by a financial services firm. Funds are allocated to full-time finance students that have an interest in working in international finance. The Henssler Financial Annual Finance Scholarship is used for finance majors in Georgia who demonstrate financial need.

The three best finance programs in the state are at the University of Georgia, Georgia State University, and Columbus State University. They all are moderately competitive, with acceptance rates between 51% and 62%.

Educational Information:

Students who pursue a finance degree in Georgia get an education that prepares them for various jobs in the field of finance. Students who earn an Associate’s degree in finance will need to go to school full-time for four semesters, or two years. Most Associate’s programs in Georgia require students to complete 60 credits. This includes courses like Principles of Accounting, Bookkeeping, and Economics. Students also have to take a small variety of general education courses.

Georgia universities that offer finance degrees vary widely in their approach. Some, like Georgia State University, require students to choose a concentration. Students can choose from Corporation Finance, Financial Management of Financial Institutions, or Investments. They also have an honors track that is reserved for the most highly-performing finance students.

However, other schools with Bachelor’s degrees do not require a concentration. Columbus State University does not have concentrations within the program, but divides classes up into Areas A-I.

The University of Georgia does not have concentrations for finance students, but instead prepares students for positions in the world of investment management, mergers and acquisitions, trading strategies, international finance, and more. They also have dedicated scholarships for finance students. The Bank of America Scholarship and Jim Mann Family Scholarship Fund are both awarded annually to finance students.

Master’s degrees in Georgia generally take students about two years to complete. However, Berry University in Georgia has a part-time evening Master’s program that is designed for students who work full-time during the day.

Licensing Information:

Students pursuing Associate’s-level jobs do not have to worry about becoming licensed. The vast majority of positions that are available for Associate’s degree holders are entry-level. However, those with Bachelor’s or Master’s degrees in finance may need to become licensed to work in specific fields.

The Georgia Uniform Securities Act of 2008 requires that investment advisors register with the Securities Division in Georgia. Investment advisors must first pass the Series 7 and Series 66 exam or the Series 65 exam by itself.

Stockbrokers must also register with the Securities Division in Georgia. They take the Series 63 exam in addition to one of seven exams. These range from Registered Representative Examination to Real Estate Securities Examination.

Financial professionals who sell life insurance and fixed annuities must be registered with the Office of Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner in Georgia. Twenty hours of pre-licensing education are required, and the final step before registration is an examination.

Employment Information:

As of May 2020, finance professionals in Georgia earned the following average salaries:

  • Financial analysts: $87,380
  • Financial managers: $142,460
  • Personal financial advisors: $109,190

Between 2018 and 2028, the number of jobs among the state’s financial analysts is projected to increase by 15.9%, resulting in about 790 annual job openings during this ten-year period when combined with retirements and natural job turnover.

Between 2018 and 2028, the number of jobs among the state’s financial managers is projected to increase by 26.2%, resulting in about 2,050 annual job openings during this ten-year period when combined with retirements and natural job turnover.

Between 2018 and 2028, the number of jobs among the state’s personal financial advisors is projected to increase by 20.7%, resulting in about 610 annual job openings during this ten-year period when combined with retirements and natural job turnover.

There are many large local, national, and international finance companies in Georgia that make up the largest finance employers in the state. Some of the main finance employers include Republic Finance, Robert Half Finance & Accounting, Security Finance Corporation, and Invesco.

May 2020 Bureau of Labor Statistics salary and job market trends for financial analysts, financial managers, and personal financial advisors. Figures represent state data, not school specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed April 2021.

Job growth projections for financial and investment analysts, financial managers, personal financial advisors sourced from the U.S. Department of Labor-sponsored O*Net database and based on state-specific information (2018-2028)