What Can You Do with a Finance Degree?

May 15, 2026 | Estimated Read Time: 8 Minutes 
By Alexandra Koktsidis 

Finance is money, and money is everywhere.

We live in a world where money powers businesses, communities, and the economies of nations. From those $7 matcha lattes to the millions corporations spend each day, money is always in motion. Finance is the way we make sense of it all: how money moves, grows, and earns its value as the world keeps spinning.
 
If you’ve thought about majoring in finance, you’ll appreciate how diverse this field is. The three main sectors—personal, corporate, and public—open doors across industries such as retail, real estate, fashion, entertainment, and beyond.

So, if you’re wondering, “What can I do with a finance degree?” you’re in the right place. From the skills you’ll build to the career paths ahead, there’s a lot to dive into. Let’s get started.

Skills & Learning: What Do Finance Students Do?

Once you start understanding how money moves through markets, businesses, and economies, it’s hard not to see finance everywhere.

As a finance major or student, you’ll build both the technical skills and strategic mindset needed to understand data, solve complex problems, and make informed business decisions. You’ll build skills in:

• Financial modeling 

• Budgeting and forecasting 

• Risk and return analysis 

• Market research and trend analysis 

• Investment strategy

• Business decision-making, and more

Your coursework can include fundamentals of finance, personal finance, FinTech, and private equity—as well as electives that help strengthen your knowledge in particular areas, including stocks, bonds, and real estate. 
 
All throughout, you can expect to learn a whole new set of finance vocabulary that doesn’t often make its way outside of finance circles. Concepts like leveraged buyouts, joint probability, and derivatives will start to become part of your everyday language.

At Babson, while all undergraduates earn a business degree, undergraduate students with a finance concentration have the chance to go deeper, with hands-on learning opportunities like managing part of the Babson endowment through the Babson College Fund elective.

Finance students learn from faculty who are real-world industry expertswho bring their learned knowledge to the classroom. Plus, with more than 25 percent of Babson undergraduates choosing a finance concentration, you’ll be in good company.
 
How can you apply hard-earned finance skills to life after graduation? There are more ways than one would expect.

Putting Finance into Practice: What Can You Do with a Finance Degree?

For all its quantitativeness, finance is a surprisingly flexible field. Finance skills can lead to traditional finance and accounting roles, but also can open doors to adjacent fields, such as consulting, technology, and entrepreneurship.

Because finance touches almost every industry, the career options can truly take you to unexpected places. Healthcare, technology, real estate, and banking rely on finance—but so do fashion, media, sports, and startups.

That said, the most common jobs for finance majors include: 

• Investment Banker

• Financial Analyst

• Budget Analyst

• Portfolio Manager

• Risk Analyst

• Financial Planner

• Private Equity Associate

• Corporate Finance Manager

At Babson, 97.8% of the graduating class of 2025 secured employment only six months after graduation. Organizations such as BlackRock, Bank of America, Fidelity Investments, Goldman Sachs, and Merrill Lynch hire finance majors for roles such as investment banking analyst, audit associates, and more.

According to Investopedia, entry-level finance jobs range from $40,000 to $70,000 as of 2025. On average, Babson graduates start with an annual average of $77,642 (based on a salary knowledge rate of 51%).

Some graduates continue their education with a STEM-designated Master in Finance degree to further their expertise. Babson alumni who continue their education with a Babson MBA or specialized master’s can receive a discount on tuition.

Beyond the Classroom: How Finance Students Gain Experience

When deciding where to pursue your finance degree, it’s important to look beyond just what classes can offer. Centers or institutions, career support, student clubs, and mentorship opportunities are all ways to enrich your experience outside the classroom.

Finance majors can benefit from a “taste of Wall Street,” with immersive opportunities in stock rooms or trading centers, and getting access to tools like Bloomberg, FactSet, and Capital IQ.

The Stephen D. Cutler Center for Investments and Finance is “the heart of finance here at Babson,” as Anna Deng ’28 puts it, and where you’ll have full access to tools used by the pros. The 42-desk lab with 25 Bloomberg terminals operates as a classroom, events center, study room, and collaboration space.

“The invaluable opportunity that students have to gain hands-on experience using some of the most widely used platforms in the finance industry really helps to prepare them well for internships and careers in finance,” says Leslie Romiza, a program manager at the Cutler Center.

According to Kusum Sapkota ’27, the tech paired with the community aspect of the Cutler Center stands out the most.

“As a first-year, the support I received from students and assistants at the Center encouraged me to pursue a career in finance,” she says. “I have personally seen many friendships grow from there, including my own.” 
 
Sapkota is also part of the Babson Finance Association (BFA), one of several clubs on campus that’s dedicated to financial literacy and education, as well as preparing students for internships, interviews, and the job market.

The Cutler Center also offers programs and events throughout the year: seminars, trading competitions, opportunities for students to network, and a mentorship program with industry professionals—a lot to gain from just one of several resources on campus.

Ready to Explore Finance? 

Finance is never stagnant—it’s always adapting to changing economies, markets, consumer behaviors, news, media, and technology. Majoring in finance is more than meets the eye, and if that sparks your interest, then it’s worth exploring.

Whether your goals are in investment banking, business consulting, entrepreneurship, or something you haven’t discovered yet, finance creates a strong foundation to build from, providing you with real pathways to apply what you’ve learned to the real world.

If you're curious in learning more, look into Babson's undergraduate concentrations for a view into Babson’s concentration in finance and what it could mean for you. If interested, apply now to our undergraduate program. High school sophomores and juniors can check out our summer programs.

About the Author

Alexandra Koktsidis has a background in journalism and copywriting, and over a decade of professional writing experience. She is based in the Boston area.

Photo Credit: Nic Czarnecki