If you want to pursue a master’s degree in finance and are looking for a university in the United States or Canada, the QS Masters in Finance Rankings is a good place to start.
The rankings presently include 191 universities and business schools, including 65 in the United States and eight in Canada.
The ranking is based on a process that considers each institution’s reputation among academics and employers, alumni results, student and faculty diversity, and other criteria.
Continue reading to learn about the top ten universities offering MSc accounting and finance in USA.
MSc accounting and finance in USA
1. UCLA Anderson School of Management
The Anderson School of Management at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is ranked fifth in the Masters in Finance ranking, with its Master of Financial Engineering (MFE) degree allowing students to learn from world-renowned faculty and prominent guest lecturers, and applying what they’ve learned through a summer internship and a hands-on Applied Finance Project (AFP), in which students can expand their professional networks and gain valuable exposure to possible employers.
2. UC Berkeley, Haas School of Business
The University of California, Berkeley’s Haas School of Business ranks joint ninth for its Master of Financial Engineering (MFE) program, with full marks in the ‘value for money’ and ‘thought leadership indices’.
Students will complete a 10-week internship with companies such as Barclays, Morgan Stanley, Bank of America, and Uber as part of their curriculum. Haas students are highly employable, with an average starting salary of US$155,514.
3. MIT Sloan School of Management
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Sloan School of Management is ranked fourth in the QS Masters in Finance Rankings for its Master of Finance degree and receives a high score for the ‘thought leadership’ indicator, demonstrating its strong academic standing and history of revolutionary ideas in management and finance, such as Theory X and Theory Y and the Solow-Swan model.
Sloan’s slogan, mens et manus (thought and hand), emphasizes the school’s focus on practical solutions to real-world challenges.
4. McGill University Desautels Faculty of Management
McGill University’s Desaultes Faculty of Management is placed 19th, only behind the Rotman School of Management, and has received a high grade for alumni outcomes.
The Master of Management in Finance program, which can be completed in 12 or 16 months, provides students with the unique chance to run Desautels Capital Management Inc. (DCM), Canada’s first university-owned, student-controlled registered multi-million dollar investment firm.
5. University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management
Moving on to Canada, the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto is ranked 18th for its Master of Financial Risk Management degree, with a very high score in the ‘thought leadership’ category, which considers Ph.D. staff, research impact, and a global academic survey.
Rotman’s master’s degree program has strong linkages to the banking industry and includes a two-month practical Risk Management Project that allows students to work with risk management practitioners.
6. USC Marshall School of Business: MSc in Finance
The Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California is placed 29th, with a high score in the alumni outcomes category.
The MSc in Finance program includes elective courses in real estate and mergers & acquisitions.
There is no minimum number of years of work experience required to apply, and the program is open to those who did not study business as an undergraduate.
7. Texas McCombs School of Business
Next on our list of the finest places that offer MSc accounting and finance in the USA is the University of Texas at Austin’s McCombs School of Business, which is only one spot behind the Marshall School of Business in 30th place, receiving an impressive score for its alumni outcomes.
Its Master of Science in Financial degree provides students with a fast-paced introduction to financial theory, as well as Excel modeling and other quantitative abilities. The class size is only 50, allowing for high-quality student-professor interactions.
8. University of Florida Warrington College of Business
The University of Florida’s Warrington College of Business is ranked 31st for its Master of Science in Finance program, with strong marks for value for money and alumni outcomes.
One of the program’s main attractions is the Finance Professional Speaker Series, which brings together finance professionals to discuss their areas of expertise.
Speakers show how experts tackle specific challenges, provide insights into certain industries, highlight important trends in the markets and industries in which they work, and offer career options.
9. Boston Questrom School of Business – Master of Science in Mathematical Finance
Next is Boston University’s Questrom School of Business, which is ranked 33rd for its Master of Science in Mathematical Finance (MSMF), a 17-month program in which students gain essential knowledge of the complex relationships between the various components of the modern financial system, with specializations in Asset Management, Quantitative Analytics, and Risk Management.
The institution receives a very high rating for its ‘alumni outcomes’, with the Class of 2016 earning an average salary of $84,000.
10. Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business
Our list concludes with the Master of Science in Finance at the McDonough School of Business, which ranks 40th.
The program’s flexibility allows students to attend MSFLive sessions both online and in person.
The degree includes two residencies (Financial Markets Residency and Global Consulting Project), which allow students to examine a difficult, real-world project for an international firm.
Conclusion
Accounting and finance graduates are in high demand, and this trend appears to be continuing.
In the United States, the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that employment possibilities for accountants and auditors will expand by 10% between now and 2026, while opportunities for financial analysts will increase by 11%.
Management, scientific, and technical consulting services; computer system design and related services; accounting, tax preparation, bookkeeping, and payroll services; and general financial investment activities are expected to experience the greatest growth in these fields.
Keep in mind, however, that many of the professions with the best development potential are those in which a specialized postgraduate degree is seen as a significant advantage.
Other less-specialized roles, such as data entry, file clerks, typists, couriers, and switchboard operators, are currently seeing reduced demand.
Accountancy firms, insurance companies, building societies, investment banks, high street banks, and public sector agencies are just a few of the potential employers for those with an accounting or finance degree, with large multinational financial services firms continuing to provide many of the best opportunities.
These firms frequently conduct large-scale recruitment campaigns to attract the most potential graduates in their sector.
However, while these chances are many, admission remains quite difficult – so a specialized postgraduate degree could help you stand out.
