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Senior Finance Specialist Education Requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a senior finance specialist. Senior finance specialists usually study business, accounting, or finance. 68% of senior finance specialists hold a bachelor's degree, and 15% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 1,318 real senior finance specialist resumes to see exactly what senior finance specialist education sections show.
The most common colleges for senior finance specialists are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.
There are also many online senior finance specialist courses to help get the education required to be a senior finance specialist.
There are certain senior finance specialist certifications that you should consider. These senior finance specialist certifications include Certified Management Accountant (CMA) and Certified Resume Specialist: Accounting and Finance (CRS+AF).
What education do you need to become a senior finance specialist?
What degree do you need to be a senior finance specialist?
- Bachelor's, 68%
- Master's, 15%
- Associate, 12%
- High School Diploma, 2%
- Other Degrees, 3%
What should I major in to become a senior finance specialist?
- Business, 31%
- Accounting, 21%
- Finance, 18%
- Economics, 5%
- Other Majors, 25%
Most common colleges for senior finance specialists
Senior Finance Specialist Common College  | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Phoenix | 14.89% |
| Temple University | 7.80% |
| Texas A&M University San Antonio | 6.38% |
| Arizona State University | 5.67% |
| Boise State University | 4.96% |
Best majors for senior finance specialists
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Business | 31.4% |
| 2 | Accounting | 20.5% |
| 3 | Finance | 17.6% |
| 4 | Economics | 4.9% |
| 5 | Management | 4.8% |
Best colleges for senior finance specialists
The best colleges for senior finance specialists are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Vanderbilt University.
A senior finance specialist with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for senior finance specialists. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become senior finance specialists.
1. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-State Tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
2. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-State Tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
3. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-State Tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
4. San Diego State University
San Diego, CA • Private
In-State Tuition
$7,488
Enrollment
30,018
5. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
In-State Tuition
$53,948
Enrollment
17,238
20 best online courses for senior finance specialists
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1. Financial Statements: Balance Sheet, Income Stmt, Cash Flow
How To Quickly Read & Understand The Big 3 Financial Statements: Balance Sheet, Income Statement, Cash Flow Statement...
2. Financial Accounting-Adjusting Entries & Financial Statement
Master Adjusting Entries & Financial Statements: A Comprehensive Guide for Accurate Accounting and Reporting...
3. Principles of Financial Accounting
Learn the complete accounting cycle -recording business transactions to presenting the Balance Sheet & Income Statement...
4. How to Read Financial Statements: Build Financial Literacy.
Read financial statements and speak the language of business without the drudgery of a traditional accounting course...
5. Payroll Accounting: Laws, Calculations, and Journal Entries
Master the complex world of payroll with practical examples, legislation insights, and comprehensive problems...
6. Financial Accounting - Subsidiary Ledgers & Special Journals
Mastering Special Journals and Subsidiary Ledgers: A Comprehensive Guide to Streamlined Accounting Practices...
7. Complete Financial Modeling for Project Finance in Excel
Learn Financial Modeling for Project Finance and Infrastructure Valuation ( DCF and IRR )...
8. Business Finance: A Complete Introduction
A primer in Business Accounting, Financial Ratio Analysis, and Return on Investment Analysis...
9. Financial Statement Analysis
Learn how to make understanding financial statements your superpower!...
10. Financial Accounting: The Complete Introductory Crash Course
Learn the Basics of Financial Accounting: Financial Statements, Debits and Credits, The Accounting Cycle and More!...
Top 10 most affordable universities for senior finance specialists
The most affordable schools for senior finance specialists are Baruch College of the City University of New York, suny farmingdale, and brooklyn college of the city university of new york.
If the best universities for senior finance specialists are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for senior finance specialists.
1. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-State Tuition
$7,262
Cost of Attendance
14,046
2. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-State Tuition
$8,306
Cost of Attendance
16,091
3. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-State Tuition
$7,240
Cost of Attendance
13,991
4. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-State Tuition
$6,798
Cost of Attendance
18,306
U
5. USF Sarasota-Manatee
Sarasota, FL • Private
In-State Tuition
$5,587
Cost of Attendance
13,043
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for senior finance specialists
The hardest universities for senior finance specialists to get into are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Vanderbilt University.
Some great schools for senior finance specialists are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for senior finance specialists based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions Rate
8%
SAT Average
1,508
2. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions Rate
8%
SAT Average
1,492
3. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions Rate
10%
SAT Average
1,514
4. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions Rate
13%
SAT Average
1,445
5. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions Rate
20%
SAT Average
1,419
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for senior finance specialists
The easiest schools for senior finance specialists to get into are Oklahoma Wesleyan University, holy names university, and university of houston - downtown.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a senior finance specialist without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for senior finance specialists.
1. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions Rate
68%
SAT Average
964
2. Holy Names University
Oakland, CA • Private
Admissions Rate
70%
SAT Average
849
3. University of Houston - Downtown
Houston, TX • Private
Admissions Rate
83%
SAT Average
1,012
4. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions Rate
90%
SAT Average
994
5. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions Rate
91%
SAT Average
1,006
Average senior finance specialist salary by education level
| Senior Finance Specialist education level | Senior Finance Specialist salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $104,520 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $88,824 |
| Doctorate Degree | $125,131 |
Senior Finance Specialist Education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common business and financial questions.
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025