The Best Bachelor's in Finance Programs for 2027

The University of Wisconsin-Madison's School of Business runs a dedicated BBA track in Finance, Investment, and Banking that goes past a generic corporate-finance survey: security analysis and valuation, security trading, capital structure, financial risk management, venture capital, and financial technology all show up in the curriculum. Coursework asks students to build actual models of financial decisions: an investor's portfolio choice problem, a corporation's security issuance, a bank's investment structure, rather than only studying the theory behind them. Students can also join any of ten finance-specific student organizations, including the Investment Banking Club, the Wisconsin Private Equity Club, and the Sales & Trading and Asset Management Society.

Getting into the major is a second admission gate on top of general UW-Madison admission: a 3.0 minimum GPA, required coursework in Communication A, microeconomics, and calculus, a mid-March application deadline, and a mandatory Pre-Business 101 workshop. That filter sits behind a 90% graduation rate, a strong completion number for a program admitting from a university with a 45% overall admit rate and 51,044 total students. Wisconsin's Program Score of 97.6 ranks it 5th nationally among finance bachelor's programs. The value case is sharpest for residents: in-state tuition of $10,006 runs $30,500 below the $40,506 out-of-state rate, a gap larger than three years of in-state tuition by itself.

Gies College of Business built its Finance BS around a "tools of the trade" philosophy. After core courses in Financial Markets, Advanced Corporate Finance, and Investment & Portfolio Management, students choose four additional 400-level finance electives plus one more elective at the 200-level or above, and the program's stated goals require proficiency in Excel, Bloomberg, Morningstar, and Capital IQ, the same platforms used on trading desks and in equity research. Learning outcomes also call for written and verbal communication competency and consistent ethical practice, not just valuation mechanics.

Illinois posts an 85% graduation rate against a 42% admit rate at a university enrolling 59,238 students, one of the largest undergraduate business populations in this group. In-state tuition is $14,975; out-of-state runs $36,804, a $21,829 gap. The finance degree is available both on campus and online, letting students outside Champaign work through the same Bloomberg-and-Capital IQ curriculum remotely. A Program Score of 97.0 ranks the program 6th nationally among finance bachelor's programs.

Georgetown University's McDonough School of Business compresses its finance major into fifteen credits of FINC coursework, each course worth 1.5 credits and running just seven weeks instead of a full semester. Nine of those credits are required: Corporate Valuation, Quantitative Investment Strategies, Machine Learning for Finance, Investments, Global Financial Institutions, and Derivatives. The remaining six elective credits come from a list built around specific Wall Street tracks: Investment Banking, Private Equity, Venture Capital, Hedge Fund Investing, Mergers and Acquisitions, Fixed Income Securities, and Sustainable Investing among them, plus a Financial Statement Analysis option cross-listed from the accounting department.

Admission is the real filter: a 13% admit rate, the second-tightest in this group, backs a 95% graduation rate. Tuition is flat at $67,896 regardless of residency, standard for a private university, at a school enrolling 20,031 students total. Georgetown's Program Score of 96.9 places it 7th nationally among finance bachelor's programs. The elective list reads like a buy-side and sell-side recruiting menu, and the Washington D.C. location gives the Financial Regulatory Policy elective a level of access to actual regulators that few other campuses can match.

University of Notre Dame's finance major sits in the Department of Finance at the Mendoza College of Business and carries a STEM designation, a classification most undergraduate finance degrees do not have. Required courses include Investment Theory, Corporate Financial Reporting, and Managerial Economics, and the department runs the Clark Lecture Series, bringing in outside speakers on topics the school describes as ranging from banker compensation to how labor obligations affect credit markets. Students can add a Finance Minor or a Real Estate Minor, and the Notre Dame Institute for Global Investing gives finance majors a research and portfolio outlet beyond regular coursework.

An 11% admit rate makes this the most selective program in the group, paired with a 95% graduation rate, the highest completion rate among these four schools alongside Georgetown. Tuition is flat at $64,518 for every student since Notre Dame is private, and the university enrolls 13,042 total, the smallest campus on this list, pointing to a more residential, cohort-based undergraduate experience than the large public flagships above. Notre Dame's Program Score of 96.9 ranks it 8th nationally, tied on score with Georgetown but a notch lower in the overall order.

Washington University in St. Louis awards a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in Finance requiring 12 units total: a 9-unit core of Investments, Advanced Financial Management, and Options, Futures and Derivative Securities, plus 3 units of electives. The elective list runs deep for an undergraduate program, letting students specialize in Venture Capital Methods and Practice, Private Equity Methods and Practice, Mergers & Acquisitions, Real Estate Finance, International Finance, Financial Technology, and a capstone-style Investment Praxis course.

The program pairs a 94% graduation rate with a 12% admit rate, the tightest gate of any school in this group. Tuition runs a flat $64,500 whether a student is from Missouri or elsewhere, since WashU sets no in-state discount. Enrollment sits at 16,357 across the university. With a Program Score of 96.9, WashU ranks 9th nationally in this bachelor's in finance list, a position earned by near-universal completion combined with a specialty elective menu, including private equity and venture capital tracks, that most public programs cannot offer at the undergraduate level.

The University of Georgia's Terry College of Business offers a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance built around financial management, investment analysis, financial institutions and markets, and international finance. Coursework covers investment management, mergers and acquisitions, trading strategies, derivatives, and financial modeling, and the college reports placing more than 200 finance students in internships this year at firms including Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan, Wells Fargo, PwC, Truist, and KPMG.

UGA posts a 90% graduation rate against a 38% admit rate, the most accessible combination in this group. In-state tuition is $10,034 a year; out-of-state students pay $30,272, still less than any of the three private schools on this list charge in-state. Enrollment across the university reaches 43,146. A Program Score of 96.8 places UGA 10th nationally in this ranking, a result driven by a 90% completion rate and a documented pipeline into major banks and consulting firms at a fraction of private-school cost.

Boston College's Carroll School of Management houses its finance concentration inside the Seidner Department of Finance, which the school reports is consistently ranked among the top 10 undergraduate finance programs in the country by U.S. News & World Report. The concentration requires six courses: four core classes in Financial Accounting, Fundamentals of Finance, Corporate Finance, and Investments, plus two electives drawn from a list spanning Investment Banking, Fixed Income Analysis, Active Portfolio Management, Behavioral Finance, Data Analytics in Finance, and FinTech and Cryptocurrencies. The department also runs weekly seminars with outside scholars and practitioners.

The program's 91% graduation rate comes against a 16% admit rate, among the most selective in this group. Tuition is a flat $69,400 regardless of home state, the highest of the four schools here. Enrollment across the university is 15,432. A Program Score of 96.5 ranks Boston College 11th nationally, reflecting a program that pairs high completion and low admittance with an elective roster deep enough to specialize in investment banking, fixed income, or fintech before graduation.

Florida State University's Herbert Wertheim College of Business offers a Bachelor of Science in Finance aimed at financial management and analysis, commercial and investment banking, financial institutions, portfolio analysis, and multinational finance. Students get hands-on training through the college's Student Investment Fund and Trading Room, and qualified students can enter a combined bachelor's/master's pathway that double-counts up to nine credit hours toward both degrees. Student groups include the Finance Society, the Noles on Wall Street sophomore investment banking program, and the Undergraduate Investment Group.

FSU's graduation rate is 86% with a 24% admit rate. In-state tuition is $4,640 a year, the lowest by far in this group, less than half of UGA's in-state rate and a fraction of what the two private schools here charge; out-of-state tuition is $19,084. Enrollment is 43,889, the largest in this set. A Program Score of 96.1 puts FSU 12th nationally, a ranking earned by the lowest cost of entry in the group combined with a built-in path to a master's degree.

Tulane's finance major sits inside the Bachelor of Science in Management at Tulane University of Louisiana's Freeman School of Business. It introduces financial markets, investments and financial analysis through core classes on valuation, accounting, investments and fixed income analysis. The degree requires a minimum of 124 credit hours and at least 30 hours of the Newcomb-Tulane College Core Curriculum. Required finance courses include advanced financial management, investments in equities and analysis of fixed income securities, plus three electives. Experiential options include producing an analyst's report in Burkenroad Reports, investing real funds in the Darwin Fenner Student Managed Fund (by invitation only), and the Aaron Selber courses on alternative investments. Optional tracks cover corporate finance and investments.

Federal data show an 86% graduation rate at Tulane and a selective admit rate of 14%. Tuition is $64,372 for in-state and out-of-state students alike. The program has a Program Score of 95.8 out of 100, which is the basis of its ranking. It fits high-achieving students who want hands-on investing experience as undergraduates and who are prepared for both a competitive admissions process and the cost of a private nonprofit university.

The Finance major in the Wake Forest University School of Business prepares students for financial services careers, including portfolio management, investment and commercial banking, and financial consulting. The degree emphasizes a strong concentration in finance supported by accounting concepts beyond the introductory level, and it integrates financial economics, accounting and applied statistics. The page notes that the finance degree is a gateway to the one-year Master of Science in Accountancy and that graduates are encouraged to pursue a certification such as the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA). It strongly recommends a summer internship between junior and senior years. Students are admitted to the undergraduate business program in the sophomore spring semester, and the school lists a Pre-Wall Street Career Track and reports AACSB accreditation.

Wake Forest graduates 89% of its students and admits 22% of applicants, so admission is highly selective. Tuition is $66,470 for both in-state and out-of-state students. The program has a Program Score of 95.6 out of 100, which is the basis of its ranking. It fits students aiming for investment banking, portfolio management or consulting who want a path to the CFA and an accountancy master's degree. Applicants should be ready for competition both at admission and into the business program.

Villanova University's finance major, taught in the Villanova School of Business, pairs finance theory with technology, quantitative methods and communication, and with attention to global and ethical issues. To earn the major, students complete the core and business curriculum plus three required finance courses and three finance electives. The standout option is the Applied Quantitative Finance concentration, which the school describes as STEM meeting finance and which draws on higher-level math, statistics, analytics and computer science. It requires specific admission after the first year and careful planning with an advisor. Students can also take a finance minor, and the school offers scholarships for the Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) exam through a partnership with the CAIA Association.

The Program Score of 95.6 out of 100 is the basis of this program's ranking. Villanova graduates 92% of its students and admits 27% of applicants. Tuition is $66,838 for both in-state and out-of-state students, since the school is private. The program fits quantitatively inclined students who want a rigorous finance major inside a business school and are prepared for a selective, high-priced private option.

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University's Bachelor of Science in Finance sits in the Pamplin College of Business and prepares students to support core areas of finance through financial models and decision-making theory and application. The major has four separate specializations: Corporate Financial Management, Investment Management and Chartered Financial Analyst, Financial Accounting, and Private Credit and Commercial Banking. The university lists the major as available to first-year applicants as well as fall, spring and summer transfer applicants, and notes that enrollment is restricted by available space. Related programs it points to include economics, statistics, mathematics, and accounting and information systems. The campus is in Blacksburg and the program is taught in person.

Federal figures show an 86% graduation rate at Virginia Tech and an admit rate of 55%. In-state tuition is $13,152, compared with $34,362 for out-of-state students, a gap worth weighing for anyone outside Virginia. The program earns a Program Score of 95.5 out of 100, the basis of its ranking. It suits students who already know they want a finance career and want to choose a focus, from corporate finance to banking, inside a large public university.

The Finance BBA at Texas A&M University-College Station is offered by the Adam C. Sinn '00 Department of Finance and totals 120 program hours. It covers corporate finance, investments, and markets and institutions. Admission to the upper-level finance major requires completing specific lower-level coursework first. Majors can apply for specialized fields including Aggies on Wall Street, Aggies in Private Equity, and certificate programs in commercial banking, corporate finance, and trading, risk and investments. Applied courses include Titans of Investing, Financial Modeling, commercial real estate analysis, and the Tanner Hedge Fund and Reveille Fund, where students manage real money for credit.

The university graduates 84% of its students and admits 57% of applicants. In-state tuition is $9,092 and out-of-state tuition is $36,169. The program earns a Program Score of 95.4 out of 100, which is the basis of its ranking. It fits students aiming at investment banking, commercial banking, fund management, treasury or risk roles who want hands-on portfolio experience before graduating. Plan on completing the lower-level business coursework first, since upper-level entry depends on it.

The University of Pennsylvania offers a Finance concentration within the Wharton undergraduate degree. The page says it develops skills for a high level of expertise across finance, including asset management and financial markets, investment banking in a global context, the financial management of commercial and industrial enterprises and financial institutions, the financial aspects of venture capital and mergers and acquisitions, and global management consulting. It also notes the concentration prepares students for careers in law and the public sector. The Wharton degree totals 33 course units and includes business fundamentals such as accounting, corporate finance and managerial economics, a senior capstone, a language requirement, and three business breadth units outside the concentration.

Penn graduates 97% of its students and admits 5% of applicants. Tuition is $60,920 for in-state and out-of-state students alike. The Program Score is 95.3 out of 100, which is the basis of its ranking. The program fits students aiming for investing, banking or consulting who want a broad business foundation and liberal arts coursework alongside their finance electives.

Lehigh University offers an undergraduate finance major through the Perella Department of Finance, leading to a B.S. in Business and Economics. The page says the major builds on the Lehigh Business integrated core, so students share a common business foundation before specializing. The curriculum focuses on the private sector, meaning corporations and financial institutions, and students can choose from a wide range of finance electives. The department encourages courses in related areas such as accounting, computers, economics and quantitative methods. The program lists three career directions for majors: corporate finance, which covers capital budgeting and risk control; investments, which covers portfolio management and security analysis; and financial institutions, which covers investment banking and lending. An expanded career opportunities document is linked for students who want more detail on each path.

Federal data shows an 88% graduation rate and a 26% admit rate at Lehigh. In-state tuition is $63,930, identical to the out-of-state figure because the university is private. The Program Score of 95 out of 100 is the basis of its ranking. The major suits students who want a corporate-finance or investments focus with room to pair finance with accounting or quantitative coursework, and who are prepared for a selective admissions process.

The University of Miami offers a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance through the Miami Herbert Business School. Students build a foundation in financial management and then add finance electives that range from alternative investments or financial planning to behavioral finance or business and security valuation. The page says students learn to assess how companies have performed in the past, predict their performance in the future, and communicate financial information that drives strategic changes. The degree totals 120 credits and combines the university's general education cognates, the BBA Business Core of required courses and the finance area of specialization. The program page introduces department faculty and links to the curriculum, course offerings and application steps.

The University of Miami graduates 84% of its students and admits 19% of applicants. Tuition is $60,720 for both in-state and out-of-state students. The program earns a Program Score of 94.9 out of 100, which is the basis of its ranking here. It fits students who want a finance major with room to specialize through electives, and who are comfortable with a selective private university. Families should compare the listed tuition against the financial aid the university may offer before deciding.

The Ohio State University offers a Bachelor of Science in Finance on the Columbus campus through the Fisher College of Business. Students admitted to Columbus are admitted directly to the Fisher major program and the finance specialization. Principles courses cover accounting, economics and statistics, and the business core includes law, logistics, marketing and strategic management. Required major courses are Corporate Finance, Investments, Financial Institutions, Financial Data, Global Finance and Options and Futures I. Internships are not required, though the school reports more than 90% of students registered with its career office have some internship experience. A Finance Honors program and study abroad options are available.

Federal data show an 88% graduation rate and a 61% admit rate. Tuition at this public university is $12,180 in-state and $38,958 out-of-state. The program earns a Program Score of 94.9 out of 100, the basis of its ranking. It fits students aiming for corporate finance, banking or investment roles who want a rigorous quantitative core, honors options and a large university. Study abroad is available through the college.

Rutgers University-New Brunswick offers a finance major through Rutgers Business School. The page says students gain access to Wall Street through industry-connected professors and a dedicated career management team. The curriculum offers electives such as Fixed Income, Global Capital Markets, Indexing and ETFs, Investment Banking Analysis, Treasury Management and Digital Assets, Blockchain and the Future of Finance. A finance major with a concentration in Fixed Income and Credit Analysis is available. Students must earn a B or higher in Financial Management to declare the major or take further finance courses. The page describes graduate careers from managing finances at startups to work at large Wall Street firms.

Rutgers-New Brunswick graduates 84% of its students and admits 58% of applicants. In-state tuition is $14,222 and out-of-state tuition is $33,734. The program's Program Score is 94.7, which is the basis of its ranking here. It fits students who want a wide finance elective menu, a fixed income specialty and a public-university price, and who can meet the grade requirement in the financial management course.

Clemson University offers a Bachelor of Science in Financial Management. Students apply to Clemson as prebusiness majors, then move into a curriculum that covers financial markets, financial institutions and the financial management of business operations, with an emphasis on gathering, analyzing and communicating financial data. After the prebusiness courses, students choose one of four emphasis areas: Commercial Banking and Investments, Corporate Finance, Financial Planning or Real Estate. The Financial Planning emphasis prepares students to sit for the certified financial planner (CFP) examination once a specific set of courses is complete. The page lists Accounting, Economics, Legal Studies, Management and Management Information Systems as popular minors, and describes student organizations, internships, seminars and campus events that bring finance professionals to students. Clemson says its graduates are highly recruited across the Southeast.

Federal data shows 87% of students at Clemson finish a degree, and the university admits 38% of applicants. Published in-state tuition is $14,038, compared with $39,350 for out-of-state students, so residency changes the price considerably. The program's Program Score is 94.7 out of 100, the basis of its ranking. It fits students who want a selective, on-campus finance degree and want to choose between banking, corporate, planning and real estate paths.