Earning a finance-focused Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree is a key step for professionals seeking positions such as investment banking analyst and chief financial officer. This graduate degree teaches the leadership and decision-making skills that enable students to operate at more senior, strategic levels in a business.
This specialized MBA deepens a professional’s understanding of the foundations of business finance while equipping students with advanced analytical skills applicable to a range of business situations. Given the importance of financial insights in the business world, holding a degree such as La Salle University’s online MBA – Finance Specialization can open many doors.
Careers Options With an MBA in Finance
Advanced financial management knowledge and skills can benefit professionals in a wide range of business roles — beyond those typically associated with the field — as finance is a key element of every business function. Yet certain roles are particularly well-suited to the finance MBA grad, such as the following:
- Investment banking analysts do the heavy lifting when it comes to performing advanced analysis work within the banking sector. Typical job functions may include building and evaluating financial models that project earnings based on different debt and equity scenarios and creating presentations for potential clients. The positions often require long hours, but the average pay is substantial. ZipRecruiter lists the average salary for investment banking analysts as $96,134 as of November 2023.
- Senior financial analysts are the primary source of advice when companies need business insight on financial matters such as mergers and acquisitions, bond purchases and other investment matters. Financial analysts must have a deep understanding of the macroeconomics and microeconomics of the industries they work in. Using that knowledge and insight, these number crunchers prepare models that predict economic conditions based on several variables. According to ZipRecruiter (November 2023), the average salary for senior financial analysts is $109,846.
- A chief financial officer (CFO) manages a company’s financial decisions. This senior executive is responsible for various tasks, such as tracking cash flow, analyzing financial weaknesses and projecting growth. CFOs are also responsible for collecting and publishing financial reports in an accurate and timely manner. Crucial business decisions, whether regarding tax filings or strategies and purchases, often require a CFO’s approval. These business leaders provide guidance on policies and update other executives on business finance matters. November 2023 data from ZipRecruiter shows the average annual salary for CFOs to be an impressive $261,533.
- Chief executive officers (CEOs) are generally the highest-ranking leaders within companies. The primary responsibility of these executives is to manage a company’s operations while acting as a liaison between the board of directors and staff. A vital skill for CEOs is the ability to understand the financial structures and performance of the business, as well as the financial impact that operations and decisions have on the business. For small companies, CEOs often handle day-to-day operations, while large corporations task CEOs with directing the company’s overall growth. ZipRecruiter reports CEOs earn an average annual salary of $142,683 as of November 2023.
Prepare for Finance Career and Leadership Opportunities at La Salle University
Clearly, working in high levels of finance can be lucrative. Plus, a large portion of a finance professional’s earnings may come from additional compensation beyond the base salary, like bonuses, commissions and stock options. For those interested in pursuing a career in this field, the online MBA – Finance Specialization program from La Salle University prepares students for leadership roles within finance. Through a forward-looking curriculum, students in this program gain experience in subjects like global markets, risk management, advanced accounting techniques and more.
Learn more about La Salle University’s online MBA – Finance Specialization program.