What can you do with a Master in Finance?

TL;DR

• You don’t necessarily need finance experience to study a Master in Finance—in fact, most programs don’t require any work experience or an undergraduate degree

• A Master in Finance will equip you with the skills for a career in fields including investment banking, consulting, and fintech

• If you opt for this program, you're likely to get a good return on your investment, as finance roles offer high salaries and good career progression in both the private and public sectors

The Master in Finance (MiF) is an increasingly popular degree for business school students, with applications increasing by 14% in 2025 according to a GMAC survey. Of the different types of business masters, only the Master’s in Marketing saw bigger growth. 

It means a MiF could be your route into the lucrative world of finance, and could also offer you the chance to develop a wide range of skills and expertise. But what exactly does a master's degree in finance entail, and what can you do after you graduate? 

Here’s everything you need to know about a Master in Finance. 

Who is a Master in Finance suitable for?

The Master in Finance is typically aimed at recent graduates with little or no work experience, although there are also so-called “post-experience” courses available for students who have already worked in the industry for a few years.

To study an MiF you don’t need a graduate or undergraduate degree in finance, or even any kind of background in the sector. According our GMAC research, nearly one-out-of-three Master in Finance applicants have no work experience in finance, while half have less than three years.

What will a Master in Finance teach you?

During your MiF, you’ll learn about the fundamentals of finance, including data analytics, mathematics, and financial accounting. 

You also get to specialize your degree by choosing from a wide array of electives that allow you to deepen your expertise in a particular area of finance. At MIT Sloan—one of the world's top-ranked Masters in Finance—MiF students get to choose optional modules such as Healthcare Finance, Venture Capital, and Crypto Finance. 

At Esade Business School, MSc Finance students can choose one of three tracks to tailor their degree according to their career goals: Corporate Financial Management, Banking and Fintech, or Asset Pricing and Big Data. 

In addition to learning about key theoretical concepts, you’ll also get to put this knowledge into practice through hands-on experience.

For example, at London Business School, students get to work on a live business project and apply their newly acquired skills during an internship at a financial company. 

Master in Finance jobs

There are many exciting career prospects for MSc Finance grads, including investment banking, private equity, asset management, trading, and venture capital. 

For example, you could become an investment manager for BlackRock, a wealth advisor associate at Morgan Stanley, or a private equity analyst at HSBC.

Investment banking is a particularly popular path given the lucrative salaries, and a Master in Finance provides a good stepping stone into that career.

For instance, 29% of MiF grads at China’s Tsinghua University School of Economics and Management, and 36% of MiF grads at the UK’s Imperial Business School, go on to work in investment banking.

Finance grads can also land roles in the public sector, working for ministries of finance, central banks, or even the World Bank. At London Business School, 5% of the Master in Finance class of 2024 went on to work in the public sector, though that figure was as high as 17% in 2020.

Some Master in Finance grads instead use their analytical and interpersonal skills to launch a career in consulting, as high-profile consulting firms seek specialized financial knowledge. 

“MiF students add that financial lens: they tend to have built financial models, they can read financial statements, and they know the role financial organisations can play in a business from a strategy standpoint,” explains Keith Bevans, global recruitment lead at Bain.

One Master in Finance grad who took this route is Massimo di Giovacchino, who joined a Big Three firm after his MSc in Finance at Bocconi Business School in Italy.

“The intellectual rigor instilled by the MSc in Finance, and the collaboration style encouraged by the group assignments, gave me the right mindset to enjoy addressing new problems at McKinsey,” he says.

Master in Finance grads can also combine their expertise in finance with an interest in technology, securing a role in the fast-evolving fintech sector. 

No matter the path you choose after your Master in Finance, you're likely to earn a high salary after you graduate. Strong growth potential also means you should see a strong return on your investment as you progress during your career.