What can you do with a Finance degree from San Diego State University?

First, some facts. Of the Finance graduates from San Diego 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 22 LinkedIn profiles (see below).

The verdict? Significantly above average. Overall, with an average relevance score of 81%, Finance graduates from San Diego State University 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 4% 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 San Diego State University and our analysis:


Relevance score: 100%

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

DEGREE INFO

Graduated in 2011 from San Diego State University with a Bachelor of Science - BS in Finance. No other secondary education since.

JOB HISTORY SINCE GRADUATION
Director, Production Finance
Walt Disney Television
Mar 2020 - Present
As the Director of Production Finance at Walt Disney Television, this position directly utilizes financial management skills and knowledge learned in a Finance degree, making it highly relevant.

ABOUT

No information provided.

What jobs can you get with a Finance degree from San Diego 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 folks who graduated with a Finance degree from San Diego State University, it’s clear that there’s a strong inclination toward finance-related positions, especially in roles like Financial Analyst, Banking Analyst, and various positions within financial services. Many graduates find themselves working directly in finance-focused roles, such as financial analysts and portfolio managers, where their education aligns closely with their daily tasks. For instance, many individuals have taken up jobs in banks or financial institutions where they tackle tasks like financial analysis and investment management, directly applying their classroom knowledge to real-world scenarios.

However, it's also worth noting that not every graduate sticks to finance in a strict sense. Some have ventured into roles like business analyst or various positions in software and data analysis that, while they may require some understanding of finance, aren’t primarily centered on financial concepts. Moreover, roles like real estate salesperson or positions in restaurants seem pretty far removed from finance core principles. So, while a decent number of alumni are utilizing their finance backgrounds effectively, a significant chunk has taken paths that aren’t fully leveraged by their degree, indicating that finance graduates can be quite versatile in the job market.

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 San Diego State University):

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

Looking at this list of graduates from San Diego State University, it's pretty clear that many of them are carving out solid careers in the finance field. For most folks, their first jobs after graduation often kick off in roles like analyst positions, banking, or finance-related consulting—ideal for jumping into the finance world right after college. The trend shows that many students start off as junior analysts or other entry-level roles, which is super common in the industry. For example, graduates from 2020 and 2021 quickly moved from junior analyst roles to more senior positions at companies like Axos Bank and LPL Financial, suggesting a strong upward trajectory early on.

Fast forward five or ten years, and you'll find a mix of career paths. Some graduates have climbed the corporate ladder to director and management roles at notable companies, like the one from 2011 who became a Director of Production Finance at Walt Disney Television. Others have shifted gears a bit, moving into related fields like real estate or even technology, which shows a blend of adaptability and skills. However, there are also a few who seem to have taken less traditional paths, such as working in server roles or not staying strictly within finance. Overall, while the journey varies from one graduate to another, there's a clear trend towards successful careers that often tie back to their finance degrees, which is a pretty encouraging sign for anyone considering this path!

How hard is a Finance degree from San Diego State University?

Honestly, getting a Bachelor’s degree in Finance at San Diego State University can be a bit challenging, but it all depends on your strengths and interests. The program covers a lot of technical stuff, like accounting, statistics, and financial analysis, and you'll need to wrap your head around some complex concepts. If you're good with numbers and enjoy problem-solving, you might find it manageable. However, some students do struggle with the coursework, especially during group projects or when tackling analytical assignments. Overall, it's about average in terms of difficulty compared to other business degrees, but you’ll want to be prepared to put in some solid work to keep up with it!

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 San Diego State University tend to make good money?

Looking at the job history of these San Diego State University finance grads, it seems like some of them are doing pretty well, while others are still climbing the ladder. The ones who graduated in the early 2010s have had some steady growth, with one even landing a director position at Disney—which likely pays pretty well. On the flip side, some of the more recent graduates are still in entry-level or transitional roles, which probably means they're not raking in the big bucks just yet. Overall, it looks like it could be a mixed bag in terms of earnings, with potential for higher salaries down the road, especially for those in positions like data science or financial analysis. So, if you're thinking about a finance degree, it seems like there’s good potential for decent pay, but it might take some time to get there!

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 San Diego 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