What can you do with a Finance degree from Iowa State University - Ivy College of Business?

First, some facts. Of the Finance graduates from Iowa State University - Ivy College of Business 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 12 LinkedIn profiles (see below).

The verdict? Significantly above average. Overall, with an average relevance score of 81%, Finance graduates from Iowa State University - Ivy College of Business have a much higher likelihood (+14%) of finding work in this field compared to the average graduate across all fields:

Average score: 81%
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 16% 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 Iowa State University - Ivy College of Business and our analysis:


Relevance score: 32%

We think this person has NOT gone into a career related to their degree.

DEGREE INFO

Graduated in 2015 from Iowa State University - Ivy College of Business with a Bachelor's degree in Finance. No other secondary education since.

JOB HISTORY SINCE GRADUATION
New Business Specialist
Sammons Financial Group Member Companies
Jun 2015 - Oct 2017
The role of New Business Specialist does not require specific financial skills or knowledge to qualify, as it primarily focuses on general business operations rather than finance.

Sales Support Consultant
Sammons Financial Group Member Companies
Oct 2015 - Oct 2017
As a Sales Support Consultant, the job does not necessitate knowledge of finance as a core requirement, focusing instead on sales and customer support.

Regional Sales Consultant
North American Company for Life and Health Insurance
Oct 2017 - Oct 2019
The position of Regional Sales Consultant may utilize some financial concepts in understanding product offerings, but it is not centered on finance, making it only partially relevant.

Regional Onboarding Manager
Midland National Life Insurance Company
Sep 2019 - Feb 2024
The role of Regional Onboarding Manager may involve some financial knowledge in the context of onboarding insurance-related processes, but finance is not the core qualification required.

Manager - Internal Sales
North American Company for Life and Health Insurance
Feb 2024 - Present
As Manager - Internal Sales, this position likely involves significant financial knowledge and skills, particularly in the context of insurance products, making it directly relevant to the Bachelor's degree in Finance.

ABOUT

No information provided.

What jobs can you get with a Finance degree from Iowa State University - Ivy College of Business?

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


When looking at the career paths for folks who graduated with a Finance degree from Iowa State University - Ivy College of Business, it’s clear that many of them landed in fairly finance-centric roles. A lot of individuals, especially those who graduated earlier, like in 2010 and 2015, have taken on positions as financial analysts, managers, and directors across various companies, particularly in large firms like Ecolab and UnitedHealthcare. These roles generally require a solid understanding of financial principles and analytics, making them very relevant to what they studied in school. In fact, most of these jobs involve strategic decision-making, financial oversight, and advanced financial analysis—skills right out of a Finance curriculum.

On the flip side, some graduates who went into roles such as sales support or business consulting found themselves in positions that don’t necessarily need a Finance background. While roles in sales and management might touch on financial concepts, they often focus more on operations, customer service, or sales strategy rather than hardcore finance. Overall, though, there’s a strong trend showing that a majority of these graduates tend to stick closely to finance-related careers, especially those who graduated more recently and are moving into even more specialized roles like credit analysts and wealth management analysts. So if you're thinking about a Finance degree, these examples are a pretty good indication that it can lead to solid, relevant job opportunities in the finance world!

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 Iowa State University - Ivy College of Business):

What kind of career trajectories do Finance graduates from Iowa State University - Ivy College of Business have? What do they do 1, 5 or 10 years out?

Looking at the career paths of graduates from the Finance program at Iowa State University's Ivy College of Business, it's clear that many have found their footing in solid, finance-related roles right after graduation. For example, many first jobs often start as financial analysts or in similar entry-level positions that allow graduates to build their skills. Over time, these alumni tend to rise through the ranks within their respective companies, moving from analyst roles to managerial and director positions after a few years. It’s impressive to see a consistent pattern where graduates land roles in reputable firms, often progressing into senior management and specialized finance roles. Companies like Ecolab, American Airlines, and IBM, which featured prominently in these profiles, suggest that graduates are entering industries that are stable and provide career growth opportunities.

Fast forward five to ten years after graduation, and it’s even more encouraging. Many alumni have transitioned into higher managerial roles or specialized positions, such as finance directors or senior consultants. It's not just about the entry-level jobs; their careers evolve into significant positions that hold considerable responsibility, indicating a strong retention of talent in the finance sector. While there are a few outliers with more varied paths, the overall trajectory shows that graduates from this program are building successful careers that are closely tied to their finance education. So, if you're thinking about studying finance at Iowa State, it looks like you'll be setting yourself up for a promising future in the field!

How hard is a Finance degree from Iowa State University - Ivy College of Business?

Getting a Bachelor’s degree in Finance, like the one at Iowa State's Ivy College of Business, can be pretty challenging, but it really depends on your strengths and interests. The coursework often involves a good bit of math, data analysis, and understanding complex financial concepts, which can be tough if those aren't your strong suits. That said, if you enjoy problem-solving and are good with numbers, you might find it easier than average. Overall, it’s not cakewalk, but with the right mindset and dedication, you can definitely manage it and even find the material interesting!

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 Iowa State University - Ivy College of Business tend to make good money?

Alright, let’s break this down! From the data on these Iowa State finance grads, it looks like they’ve landed some pretty solid jobs over the years, especially the older ones. The 2010 grad has climbed the ladder at Ecolab, reaching a finance director role, which is generally a well-paying gig, and now they’re at UnitedHealthcare, likely bringing in some serious bucks. The 2015 grad has been steadily moving up the ranks in sales consulting, which can pay well, too, especially with commissions. The 2016 grad has had a nice ride with American Airlines, and jobs there can be quite lucrative, especially in a management role. The younger grads, like the ones from 2018 and 2020, are still at the beginning of their careers, but they have good roles lined up that could lead to higher salaries down the line. Overall, it looks like most of these folks are on a decent path to making good money 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 Iowa State University - Ivy College of Business). 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