Finance Programs in Pennsylvania

Finance Schools in Pennsylvania

Total Finance Programs:50
Online Finance Programs:45
Admissions Requirements:Moderate
Average Tuition:$24,309
Average Scholarship Package:$10,758
Average Grant Amount:$12,400
Average Housing Cost:$5,831
Average Gender Ratio:44% Men / 55% Women
Average Student-to-Faculty Ratio:15:1

The New England state of Pennsylvania is home to 50 colleges and universities that offer finance degrees. Twenty-nine of those schools have Associate’s programs in finance; 42 offer Bachelor’s programs in finance. Master’s degrees are available at 40 schools, and PhD degrees are available at 24 schools.

Average tuition in Pennsylvania is $24,309. This seems high, but is in line with other New England states. The high cost of tuition is offset by grants and scholarships available throughout the state and at each individual university.

There are many remarkable finance schools in Pennsylvania. Three popular finance programs in the state are at the University of Pennsylvania, Carnegie Mellon University, and Pennsylvania State University – Main Campus. Pennsylvania State University has an acceptance rate of over 80%. University of Pennsylvania’s acceptance rate is 12%, and Carnegie Mellon University’s is 27%.

Educational Information:

Before you choose a school, you have to choose what type of degree you want to start with. Advantages of an Associate’s degree include quick degree completion and low tuition costs. The average student will finish their Associate’s degree in two years. An Associate’s degree in finance, such as the one offered at Westmoreland County Community College, includes classes like Business Finance, Microeconomics, and Business Analytics.

The Bachelor’s degree in finance takes approximately four years to complete. When you finish, you’ll have the skills and education needed to work in a variety of finance careers. Some students choose to start a career right away, while others may go on to earn a Master’s degree in finance or business administration. Widener University offers two Bachelor’s degree choices to students: a traditional finance track, and a financial planning track for those who want to become financial advisors. Courses at this level include Capital Budgeting, Risk Management & Insurance, Investments, and Investing in Mutual Funds.

A Master’s degree is the next step after a Bachelor’s degree in finance. You can either get a Master’s degree in finance or a Master’s in business administration with a concentration in finance. A Master’s degree in finance will take about one to two years to complete, depending on if you full-time or part-time. Students who graduate with this degree often go on to take managerial positions at financial firms.

Licensing Information:

Many finance careers in Pennsylvania do not require licensure. The majority of careers pursued by Associate’s degree graduates do not require licensure, and only some of those pursued by Bachelor’s and Master’s degree graduates require licensure. The three main careers that require licensure in Pennsylvania are investment advisors, stockbrokers, and financial planners.

To become an investment advisor in Pennsylvania, you need to register with the Department of Banking and Securities. Unless you hold another professional designation, you will have to take an exam before becoming licensed. You will have to take the Series 65 exam or the Series 7 and Series 66 exam.

Stockbrokers in Pennsylvania are regulated by the Department of Banking and Securities. They must pass the Series 7 and Series 66 examination.

To work as a financial planner that sells life insurance and fixed annuities, you have to register with the Pennsylvania Insurance Department. You must complete 24 hours of licensing education and pass an exam prior to being licensed.

Employment Information:

Some of the biggest finance employers in Pennsylvania are investment firms. These include Lincoln Investment Planning, North Star Resource Group, Vanguard, and VIST Financial. Other large finance employers in Pennsylvania include Superior Group, Santander Bank, and Fisher Investments.

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

  • Financial analysts: $95,860
  • Financial managers: $153,730
  • Personal financial advisors: $114,280

Between 2018 and 2028, the number of jobs among the state’s financial analysts is projected to increase by 7.7%, resulting in about 1,210 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 16.1%, resulting in about 1,870 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 10.2%, resulting in about 990 annual job openings during this ten-year period when combined with retirements and natural job turnover.

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)