What can you do with a Finance degree from California State University-Long Beach?

First, some facts. Of the Finance graduates from California State University-Long Beach we've analyzed , here's how many have used (or NOT used) their degree in their career:


These are estimates based on AI analysis of 10 LinkedIn profiles (see below).

The verdict? Significantly above average. Overall, with an average relevance score of 85%, Finance graduates from California State University-Long Beach have a much higher likelihood (+18%) of finding work in this field compared to the average graduate across all fields:

Average score: 85%
Average relevance score across all fields: 67%

And for comparison, here's the chart for all profiles we've looked at across all degrees.

× Chart

Also, after graduating, only 10% of these graduates have pursued further education other than another Bachelor's degree (such as a Masters degree or other), compared to the average across all profiles of 35%. This suggests a Bachelors degree is enough for most Finance graduates, and it's normal to look for work straight after graduation.

See the details:

View a random Finance graduate from California State University-Long Beach and our analysis:


Relevance score: 42%

We think this person has gone into a career only somewhat relevant to their degree.

DEGREE INFO

Graduated in 2014 from California State University-Long Beach with a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Finance. No other secondary education since.

JOB HISTORY SINCE GRADUATION
Sales Floor Team Lead
Target
Jul 2014 - Apr 2015
The position of Sales Floor Team Lead at Target does not require finance-specific skills or knowledge, making it unrelated to the Bachelor's degree in Finance.

Pricing & Presentation Team Lead
Target
Apr 2015 - Mar 2016
The role of Pricing & Presentation Team Lead at Target primarily involves retail management skills rather than finance-specific knowledge or skills.

Executive Team Leader - Operations
Target
Mar 2016 - Dec 2017
As an Executive Team Leader - Operations at Target, some aspects of financial management may be applicable, but the core qualifications focus more on operations than finance.

Executive Team Leader Remodel
Target
Dec 2017 - May 2019
The Executive Team Leader Remodel position may involve budget considerations, yet it centers more on project management and operations rather than finance specifically.

Loan Processor Assistant
Mr. Cooper
Jul 2020 - Sep 2020
The role of Loan Processor Assistant at Mr. Cooper may require some financial knowledge, but it primarily focuses on administrative and process-oriented tasks.

Loan Processor
Mr. Cooper
Oct 2020 - Jul 2021
The position of Loan Processor at Mr. Cooper directly utilizes financial knowledge and skills from the Bachelor's degree in Finance, as it involves assessing financial information and loan qualifications.

ABOUT

My passion involves excelling in an environment where I apply my leadership abilities, problem solving skills, and ability to prioritize and organize my workload towards developing innovative solutions to challenging opportunities, while empowering and developing a highly effective team.

What jobs can you get with a Finance degree from California State University-Long Beach?

The top 10 most common jobs done by the graduates we've analyzed (ranked most common to least) are:


After checking out the LinkedIn profiles of graduates from California State University-Long Beach with a degree in Finance, it seems like there's a mixed bag of jobs people have landed. A lot of them have ended up in finance-related roles, especially in banking and financial analysis. Positions like Credit Analyst, Financial Analyst, and even roles as a Tax Professional show that many are directly applying what they learned in their finance classes. Those jobs are super relevant because they require a solid understanding of financial principles and practices on a daily basis.

However, not everyone stayed strictly in the finance lane. Some people took on roles that are more focused on management, operations, or customer service, which don’t heavily lean into financial knowledge, like positions at Enterprise Rent-A-Car or various roles at Target. While these jobs may touch on aspects of financial management, they aren't truly finance-centric. So, in summary, while it’s clear that many finance grads are finding jobs directly linked to their major, a significant number are also branching out into fields where their finance education isn't the primary focus. It’s a bit of a mixed message, but it shows that a finance degree can open up a variety of career paths!

Here is a visual representation of the most common words in job titles for Finance graduates (this is across all Finance graduates we've analyzed, not just those who went to California State University-Long Beach):

What kind of career trajectories do Finance graduates from California State University-Long Beach have? What do they do 1, 5 or 10 years out?

When we look at the career trajectories of graduates from California State University-Long Beach with a degree in Finance, it seems like a lot of them are finding their way into solid jobs related to finance fairly quickly after graduation. Many of the recent grads are landing positions like credit analysts, financial analysts, or roles in banking. For instance, grads from 2018 and 2020 have advanced quite a bit in their respective roles, moving up from analyst positions to assistant vice president roles or even into senior credit analyst positions. This suggests that many are not just settling for entry-level roles; they're making strategic moves in the finance industry.

However, it's important to note that not every graduate sticks directly to a finance-related path. Some start off in various sectors, like enterprise management or retail leadership, before shifting into more finance-centric roles. For example, a grad who worked as an Assistant Manager at Enterprise Rent-A-Car later became a Client Relationship Manager. While some may take a longer route to find their niche, the overall trend shows that many of these graduates are making a name for themselves in the finance world, especially within five to ten years post-graduation. This indicates a promising trajectory for finance students from CSULB, with many successfully carving out careers that are relevant and beneficial in the financial sector.

How hard is a Finance degree from California State University-Long Beach?

Getting a Bachelor’s degree in Finance at California State University-Long Beach, or really anywhere, can be a mix of challenging and manageable, depending on how much effort you’re willing to put in. It leans a bit on the harder side compared to some other majors because you'll be dealing with topics like financial analysis, investments, and economics, which can get pretty complex. You’ll definitely need to stay on top of your math skills and be ready to dive into some heavy-duty spreadsheets. That said, if you’ve got a good study routine, enjoy the subject, and are willing to ask for help when you need it, it’s totally doable! Just remember, it’s not a walk in the park, but if you keep your head in the game, you can absolutely handle it.

How long does it take?

Most commonly, in the LinkedIn profiles we've looked at, it takes people 2 years to finish a Bachelor degree in Finance.

Do Finance graduates from California State University-Long Beach tend to make good money?

Looking at these Finance grads from California State University-Long Beach, it seems like they’re generally doing pretty well for themselves, especially as they gain more experience. The ones who graduated earlier, like the Founder & CEO and those climbing the ranks at banks and financial institutions, likely have decent salaries, especially with titles like Senior Financial Analyst or Assistant Vice President; those roles usually come with some nice paychecks. Others, like the grad working as a Bank Teller, might be starting out slower, but hey, everyone has to pay their dues, right? Overall, it feels like most of these folks are on a solid path to making good money as they advance in their careers.

What buzzwords do Finance graduates use to describe themselves?

Here is a visual representation of the most common words seen in the "about" section of LinkedIn profiles who have a Bachelor degree in Finance (this is across all Finance graduates we've analyzed, not just those who went to California State University-Long Beach). This may or may not be useful:

What are the best colleges for Finance?

Here are all colleges offering a Bachelor degree in Finance (ordered by the average relevance score of their Finance graduates, best to worst) where we have analyzed at least 10 of their graduates:

College Score Count
University of Dayton 94 18
Central Michigan University 90 10
Isenberg School of Management, UMass Amherst 90 14
Loyola University Maryland 88 13
University of Connecticut 87 10
Seton Hall University 87 11
University of Florida - Warrington College of Business 87 14
Indiana University Bloomington 86 27
California State University-Long Beach 85 10
University of San Diego 85 11
University of Georgia - Terry College of Business 85 36
University of Wisconsin-Madison 84 13
Brigham Young University 84 19
Northeastern University 84 10
The University of Texas at Dallas 84 26
University of Illinois at Chicago 84 13
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater 83 17
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse 83 17
Indiana University - Kelley School of Business 83 23
Xavier University 83 11
University of Houston, C.T. Bauer College of Business 82 14
Texas A&M University 81 64
San Diego State University 81 22
Bentley University 81 27
Rutgers Business School 81 22
Iowa State University - Ivy College of Business 81 12
University of Arizona 80 11
Miami University 80 39
North Dakota State University 80 16
University of Colorado Colorado Springs 80 11
Wake Forest University 80 10
Fordham Gabelli School of Business 80 12
University of Florida 79 43
University of Delaware 79 28
Western Michigan University 79 11
Saint Joseph's University 79 11
Quinnipiac University - School of Business 79 11
Illinois State University 78 25
Towson University 78 13
Northern Arizona University 78 10
Kansas State University 78 18
University of Notre Dame 78 20
The University of Texas at El Paso 78 10
Florida International University - College of Business 78 18
Temple University - Fox School of Business and Management 78 11
The University of Texas at Austin - Red McCombs School of Business 78 16
Colorado State University 77 13
California State University, Fullerton 77 16
Georgia Southern University 77 14
Northern Kentucky University 77 11
The College of New Jersey 77 15
The Ohio State University Fisher College of Business 77 24
University of Minnesota - Carlson School of Management 77 12
Penn State University 76 62
Texas Tech University 76 13
University of Missouri-Columbia 76 22
James Madison University 75 22
Georgia State University 75 18
University of Arkansas 75 21
Baruch College 75 50
The Ohio State University 74 27
The University of Texas at Austin 74 14
Temple University 74 21
DePaul University 74 29
Wichita State University 74 15
Michigan State University 73 28
University of North Texas 73 32
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign 73 15
University of Pittsburgh 73 14
West Virginia University 73 17
The University of Alabama 73 22
University of Maryland 73 10
West Chester University of Pennsylvania 73 10
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire 73 11
Louisiana Tech University 73 10
Marist College 73 11
Southern New Hampshire University 72 18
George Mason University 72 11
Oakland University 72 18
University of Minnesota Duluth 72 10
Ohio University 71 10
The University of Texas at San Antonio 71 26
Oklahoma State University 71 23
University of Oklahoma 71 13
Florida Gulf Coast University 71 13
Villanova University 71 13
University of Missouri-Kansas City 71 10
University of Phoenix 70 25
The University of Georgia 70 20
University of Iowa 70 19
Kennesaw State University 70 13
Cleveland State University 70 14
Arizona State University 69 25
Louisiana State University 69 26
Rowan University 69 14
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga 69 14
Ramapo College of New Jersey 69 10
Fairfield University 69 11
The University of Iowa Tippie College of Business 69 16
Kent State University 68 14
California State University, Northridge 68 11
University of Nebraska-Lincoln 68 25
University of Nevada-Las Vegas 68 13
University of Central Florida 67 56
Florida State University 67 58
University of Washington 67 13
The University of Texas at Arlington 67 30
California State University-Northridge 67 13
Monmouth University 67 10
Arkansas State University 67 10
University of Houston 66 23
Texas State University 66 27
Arizona State University - W. P. Carey School of Business 66 12
Bryant University 66 23
The Ohio State University - The Max M. Fisher College of Business 66 10
Washington State University 65 16
Providence College 65 14
Kennesaw State University - Michael J. Coles College of Business 65 13
University of Maryland - Robert H. Smith School of Business 65 12
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee 64 18
San Diego State University-California State University 64 15
University of Houston-Downtown 64 27
University of Illinois Chicago 64 10
Liberty University 63 17
Grand Valley State University 63 25
University of Cincinnati 63 11
University of South Florida 62 44
North Carolina State University 62 11
California State Polytechnic University-Pomona 62 13
University of Kentucky 62 12
Virginia Tech 62 12
San Francisco State University 61 12
Auburn University 60 27
Metropolitan State University of Denver 60 13
University of Louisiana at Lafayette 60 11
Florida International University 59 39
Oregon State University 59 22
University of Maryland University College 59 13
Iowa State University 58 10
University of St. Thomas 58 10
San Jose State University 57 19
University of North Carolina at Charlotte 57 23
Florida Atlantic University 56 30
California State University, Long Beach 55 11
University of Louisville 55 11
California State University-Sacramento 54 10
University of Tampa 52 13
California State University, Chico 49 10
California State University-Fullerton 46 20