What can you do with a Finance degree from Western Michigan University?

First, some facts. Of the Finance graduates from Western Michigan 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 11 LinkedIn profiles (see below).

The verdict? Significantly above average. Overall, with an average relevance score of 79%, Finance graduates from Western Michigan University have a much higher likelihood (+12%) of finding work in this field compared to the average graduate across all fields:

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

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Also, after graduating, only 0% 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:

• What jobs can you get with a Finance degree from Western Michigan University?
• What do Finance graduates from Western Michigan University do 1, 5 or 10 years out?
• How hard is a Finance degree from Western Michigan University? How long does it take?
• How much money can you make with a Finance degree from Western Michigan University?
• What are the best colleges for Finance?

View a random Finance graduate from Western Michigan University and our analysis:

Relevance score: 76% We think this person has gone into a career highly relevant to their degree. DEGREE INFO Graduated in 2014 from Western Michigan University with a Bachelor's Degree in Finance. No other secondary education since. JOB HISTORY SINCE GRADUATION Senior Sourcing Analyst Hewlett Packard Enterprise Jul 2015 - Feb 2018 As a Senior Sourcing Analyst, the position directly utilizes financial analysis and budgeting skills aligned with the Bachelors degree in Finance on a daily basis. Commodity Manager ZT Systems Feb 2018 - Oct 2020 The role of Commodity Manager requires financial acumen, strategic sourcing, and market analysis, all of which are core components of a Finance degree. Realtor - Assistant Real Estate One Nov 2020 - Nov 2021 The position of Realtor - Assistant does not require financial skills as core qualifications, focusing more on sales and client service rather than finance-specific knowledge. Sourcing Specialist - Marine & Technical Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. Nov 2021 - May 2022 As a Sourcing Specialist in Marine & Technical, some financial skills may be useful for cost analysis and budgeting, although the job primarily focuses on procurement rather than finance. Senior Associate Beckway Jul 2022 - Oct 2023 A Senior Associate role at Beckway may require some financial analysis skills, but the direct application of finance knowledge may not be substantial in this position. ABOUT No information provided.

What jobs can you get with a Finance degree from Western Michigan University?

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

• Financial Analyst
• Finance Intern
• Purchasing Intern
• Program Manager- APQP North America
• Production Manager
• Project Coordinator II
• Global BioFire Reagents Inventory Manager
• Global BioFire Reagent Inventory Manager
• Merchandiser
• Field Finance Administrator

When looking at the jobs that graduates with a Finance degree from Western Michigan University have taken on, there seems to be a mix of roles closely related to finance and others that are a bit of a stretch. A good chunk of these alumni have landed positions like Financial Analyst, Finance Manager, and even higher executive roles like Vice President of Finance, which directly tap into what they studied. These positions usually require solid finance skills daily, making their degree super relevant. On the other hand, you’ve got roles like Market Research Analyst or Client Services Specialist that don’t really get into the nitty-gritty of finance. Even some technical roles, like System Analysts and Data Coordinators, while they might rely a little on analytical skills, aren’t exactly what you’d think of when you think, “I’ve got a Finance degree!”

In general, the strongest trend among these graduates is those who’ve moved into traditional finance roles, especially in banking and corporate finance, tend to have jobs tightly aligned with their finance education. It’s in these areas that their skills really shine. However, there’s also a fair number of graduates who strayed into roles where finance isn’t at the core, indicating that a finance degree can be quite versatile but may not always guarantee a direct path into finance-specific jobs. So, if you’re thinking of studying finance, it’s good to know you have options, but aiming for jobs where your degree is fully utilized can be a more straightforward route to career satisfaction in your field!

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 Western Michigan University):

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

So, if you take a look at the career paths of graduates from Western Michigan University who majored in Finance, it seems like most of them are doing quite well in relevant fields. For their first jobs after graduating, many started in roles like financial analyst positions, market research, or even in banking, which makes sense since these are foundational roles that can help build their experience in finance. It's pretty common to see them climb up the ladder in companies, moving into management or specialized roles within a few years. For instance, someone from the class of 2011 transitioned from a market research analyst to a vice president of finance in just over a decade, which is impressive!

Looking a bit further down the line, after about five to ten years, many of these alumni have landed stable positions with significant responsibilities, often in finance-related roles at well-known companies like Stryker or JPMorgan. Some have even taken on senior roles or management positions, reflecting a successful career progression. While there are a few who ventured off into different industries, a strong majority have stayed in finance or related fields, showing that a Finance degree from WMU tends to open doors to solid career opportunities. Overall, the trajectory looks promising, with lots of people finding their niche in the finance world and moving up over time.

How hard is a Finance degree from Western Michigan University?

Honestly, a Bachelor’s degree in Finance at Western Michigan University is pretty typical in terms of difficulty compared to other schools. It’s not the easiest degree out there, but it’s also not the most challenging. You’ll definitely encounter some tough courses, especially when it comes to things like financial analysis, investment strategies, and accounting, which can be a bit heavy on math and concepts. If you’re good with numbers and like problem-solving, you might find it manageable. Just be prepared to put in consistent effort, stay organized, and ask questions when you need help! Overall, it seems like a solid choice if you’re keen on the subject.

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 Western Michigan University tend to make good money?

Looking at the career paths of these Finance grads from Western Michigan University, it seems like they are mostly doing pretty well financially, especially the ones who graduated earlier. The ones who graduated in 2011 and 2012 have climbed the corporate ladder quickly at solid companies like CBRE and Stryker, landing some high-level positions that likely come with good salaries—especially that Vice President role! The 2013 grad has been steadily moving up at JPMorgan Chase, which is also a promising sign. The recent grads (2022 and 2023) are just starting to get their footing, but a lot of them are already in analyst positions, which usually pay decently for entry-level jobs in finance. Overall, it looks like these folks have a good shot at making decent money in their fields, with some already hitting higher pay brackets.

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 Western Michigan 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