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What can you do with a Finance degree from Grand Valley State University?

First, some facts. Of the Finance graduates from Grand Valley State University 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 25 LinkedIn profiles (see below).

The verdict? Slightly below average. Overall, with an average relevance score of 63%, Finance graduates from Grand Valley State University have a slightly lower likelihood (-4%) of finding work in this field compared to the average graduate across all fields:

Average score: 63%
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 8% 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 Grand Valley State University and our analysis:

Relevance score: 80%

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

DEGREE INFO

Graduated in 2012 from Grand Valley State University with a Bachelor's degree in Finance. No other secondary education since.

JOB HISTORY SINCE GRADUATION
Accounting
Legal Copy Services Inc.
Feb 2013 - 2015
The accounting position at Legal Copy Services Inc. does not utilize finance-specific skills or knowledge, as it primarily focuses on bookkeeping rather than broader financial principles.

Finance/Office Manager
Platinum Powersports LLC
Jan 2015 - Aug 2015
The Finance/Office Manager role at Platinum Powersports LLC may involve some financial management skills, but it is not fully focused on the core qualifications of finance.

Sr. Credit Analyst II / Team Lead
ChoiceOne Bank
Aug 2015 - Sep 2023
As a Sr. Credit Analyst II / Team Lead at ChoiceOne Bank, this position requires extensive finance knowledge and skills on a daily basis, making it highly relevant to the Bachelor's degree in Finance.

Finance Director / Treasurer
City Of Cedar Springs
Sep 2023 - Present
The role of Finance Director / Treasurer at City Of Cedar Springs directly involves financial oversight and strategic planning, fully utilizing the skills and knowledge obtained from the Bachelor's degree in Finance.

ABOUT

No information provided.

What jobs can you get with a Finance degree from Grand Valley State University?

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

When looking at the job paths of graduates from Grand Valley State University with a degree in Finance, you'll find a mixed bag. Many have jumped into roles in the financial sector, such as Financial Advisors, Loan Officers, and various positions at banks and financial institutions. These jobs typically require a solid understanding of finance principles, making them relevant to their educational background. For instance, positions such as Financial Center Manager and Compliance Specialist utilize the financial knowledge gained from their studies, directly applying it to real-world scenarios. However, there are also quite a few graduates who have ventured into roles that aren't closely related to finance at all, like customer service positions, marketing, and even teaching music. This shows that while some graduates found their way into finance-focused careers, others ended up in jobs that don't leverage their degree as much.

Overall, while there are definitely graduates successfully working in finance-related roles, there are also many who seem to be using their skills in fields that don’t directly align with what they studied. It’s a reminder that your degree might open lots of doors, but it doesn’t always guarantee you'll walk through the one that leads to your field of study. The takeaway? Finance graduates have a variety of job options available to them, and while many are using their financial know-how, others are exploring different paths that offer new opportunities, even if they stray from the traditional finance route.

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 Grand Valley State University):

What kind of career trajectories do Finance graduates from Grand Valley State University have? What do they do 1, 5 or 10 years out?

The graduates from Grand Valley State University with a degree in Finance seem to have taken on a variety of career paths, and there’s definitely a mix of outcomes. For many, the first jobs after graduation often align reasonably well with their studies—positions like loan officers, financial advisors, or roles in banking are quite common. This suggests that a fair number of them jump straight into finance or related fields, setting a solid foundation for their careers. However, there are also graduates who took paths that veered away from core finance roles early on, with many ending up in marketing, customer relationship positions, or even roles unrelated to finance altogether.

Looking at their careers five to ten years later, many of these finance graduates do seem to climb the ranks in more relevant positions, like compliance specialists, financial analysts, and even higher-level roles like finance directors or compliance officers. It appears that those who stay in the finance realm, particularly with initial roles in banking or finance, often find themselves progressing nicely. However, some graduates who started elsewhere may have settled in jobs that don’t utilize their finance training to its fullest. Overall, while there are definitely successes within the finance field, there are also instances of graduates taking roundabout routes that lead to less conventional or unrelated careers. That said, it seems that many are able to leverage their finance education into solid jobs over time, so there’s definitely hope for those considering this major!

How hard is a Finance degree from Grand Valley State University?

Honestly, a Bachelor’s degree in Finance can be a pretty challenging ride, but it really depends on your affinity for numbers and how well you manage your time. At Grand Valley State University, like many other schools, you’ll dive into topics like financial analysis, investments, and possibly some complex math, which can be a bit daunting if you’re not into that stuff. That said, if you're organized, willing to put in the effort, and keep up with the coursework, it becomes a lot more manageable. Some people might find it easier than a degree in something like engineering, but it's definitely no walk in the park either. So, if you have a good foundation in math and a curiosity about how money works, you might find it easier than most!

How long does it take?

Most commonly, in the LinkedIn profiles we've looked at, it takes people 4 years to finish a Bachelor degree in Finance.

Do Finance graduates from Grand Valley State University tend to make good money?

From what I can tell, these finance grads from Grand Valley State University have had a pretty mixed bag when it comes to salaries and career growth. Some of them have climbed the ladder relatively quickly, like the one who became a Chief Compliance Officer in just over a decade, which usually brings in a decent paycheck. Others have had more laid-back paths, like the ones sticking around in roles like an optician or assistant manager, where the pay isn't quite as high. A lot of them have found steady jobs in banking and finance, which typically offer good compensation, but there are a few who seem to be still figuring things out in newer or entry-level positions. Overall, it looks like a mix of solid earning potential for some and still finding their way for others!

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 Grand Valley State University). 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