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What can you do with a Finance degree from University of Wisconsin-Madison?

First, some facts. Of the Finance graduates from University of Wisconsin-Madison 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 13 LinkedIn profiles (see below).

The verdict? Significantly above average. Overall, with an average relevance score of 84%, Finance graduates from University of Wisconsin-Madison have a much higher likelihood (+17%) of finding work in this field compared to the average graduate across all fields:

Average score: 84%
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 15% 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 University of Wisconsin-Madison 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 University of Wisconsin-Madison with a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) in Finance. Also pursued further education since (see below).

JOB HISTORY SINCE GRADUATION
Senior Auto Underwriter
Berkshire Hathaway Homestate Companies
Feb 2012 - Present
The role of Senior Auto Underwriter directly requires financial knowledge and skills developed during the Bachelor's in Finance, as it involves assessing risks and making financial decisions based on that analysis.

Underwriting Administrator
Berkshire Hathaway Homestate Companies - Property & Casualty
Sep 2017 - Present
As an Underwriting Administrator for Property & Casualty, the job closely aligns with the finance principles learned in the Bachelor's program, requiring substantial financial analysis and risk management skills on a daily basis.

FURTHER DEGREES DONE SINCE GRADUATING
Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.)
Creighton University
2013 - 2016
ABOUT

No information provided.

What jobs can you get with a Finance degree from University of Wisconsin-Madison?

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

When looking at the job trajectories of graduates from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Finance, it's clear that many of them end up in roles that either directly or indirectly apply their financial skills. A lot of the graduates gravitate towards positions like Financial Analyst, with several working at places like Kohl's and Medtronic, where they engage in tasks such as budgeting, forecasting, and financial analysis—all of which are extremely relevant to what they studied. These roles typically allow for a direct application of finance principles, making them a solid fit for their educational background.

However, not all jobs taken by Finance graduates are as closely aligned with their studies. Many graduates have also pursued sales roles or positions in fields like data analysis that don't necessarily require finance-specific skills. For example, roles like Sales Representative or certain analyst positions in non-finance-focused sectors sometimes only see a limited application of what they learned in their Finance degree. So, while many graduates do find success in finance-related jobs, there’s a fair number that veers off into areas where finance isn't the main focus. Overall, it’s a mixed bag, but the strong presence of financial analyst roles hints that a Finance degree from Wisconsin-Madison is still a pretty good launching pad into 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 University of Wisconsin-Madison):

What kind of career trajectories do Finance graduates from University of Wisconsin-Madison have? What do they do 1, 5 or 10 years out?

It looks like graduates from the University of Wisconsin-Madison who studied Finance have generally had pretty solid career trajectories. For their first jobs, many of them landed roles as analysts, representatives, or in sales positions, which are all relevant to finance. Jobs like Financial Analyst, Merchandise Analyst, and even roles in underwriting show that they’re entering the realm of financial services or related fields pretty quickly after graduation. Some graduates started in internships, which is a great way to kick off a finance career, and those experiences often led to full-time positions at noteworthy companies like Goldman Sachs and BMO Harris Bank.

Fast forward five to ten years later, and many of these alumni have climbed the corporate ladder, moving into senior analyst roles, finance manager positions, or specialized roles like Senior Commercial Data Analyst or Principal Financial Analyst. Companies like Medtronic and Berkshire Hathaway show that these graduates are securing positions in well-established organizations. While there’s a mix of paths—like some leaning towards sales or underwriting—the majority seem to find their way back to finance-related careers. In short, if you study Finance at Wisconsin-Madison, you’re likely looking at a bright future in finance or a related industry!

How hard is a Finance degree from University of Wisconsin-Madison?

Getting a Bachelor’s degree in Finance at the University of Wisconsin-Madison is definitely challenging, but it's not insurmountable if you put in the effort. You'll dive into a lot of quantitative subjects like accounting, statistics, and financial analysis, which can be tough if math isn’t your strong suit. The coursework is pretty rigorous, and you'll have to keep up with a fair amount of readings, projects, and exams. However, if you're someone who's organized and motivated, with a genuine interest in the subject, you'll find that it balances out. Overall, it's about average in terms of difficulty compared to similar programs at other universities, so just be prepared to work hard and stay on top of things!

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 University of Wisconsin-Madison tend to make good money?

Looking at these Finance grads from UW-Madison, it seems like most are on pretty solid paths to making decent money. Those who graduated in 2010 and 2011 have climbed up the corporate ladder and are now in senior roles, which usually come with nice salaries and benefits. The ones who graduated more recently, around 2020-2023, are starting off a bit lower on the pay scale, likely doing internships or junior positions, but they’re gaining valuable experience in solid companies that should help their earnings grow quickly. So, while some of them might still be in the earlier stages of their careers and not making bank yet, it definitely looks like they’re setting themselves up for financial success in the long run!

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 University of Wisconsin-Madison). 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