The Best Bachelor's in Finance Programs in Pennsylvania for 2027
Key Points: Best Finance Bachelor's Programs in Pennsylvania
- Villanova University ranks #1 in Pennsylvania on a 95.6 Program Score, with a 92% graduation rate.
- University of Pennsylvania graduates the most students on this list (97%), from #2.
- 4 of the 12 schools here are public and 8 private.
- Cost and quality are not opposites here: the lowest-tuition program on the list, West Chester University of Pennsylvania, ranks #10.
- Programs analyzed
- 13
- In-state tuition range
- $7,716-$66,838
- Average graduation rate
- 83%
- Median salary (BLS)
- $88,870
The best finance programs in Pennsylvania span a $59,122 tuition gap: $7,716 a year at West Chester University of Pennsylvania versus $66,838 at Villanova University, and both tracks lead to the same bachelor of finance credential.
We analyzed 13 finance programs in Pennsylvania on cost, selectivity, graduation rates, and outcomes drawn from IPEDS, and the 12 that cleared our accreditation and curriculum bar post an average graduation rate of 83%, from a low of 71% at West Chester to a high of 97% at the University of Pennsylvania.
West Chester University of Pennsylvania is the cheapest strong-value pick in the state: $7,716 in-state tuition against a 71% graduation rate and an 82.8 Program Score, a price no other Pennsylvania finance program comes close to matching. Private research universities post higher sticker prices, but also higher completion rates at the very top, evidence that cost and quality don't move in lockstep across Pennsylvania's finance degree options.
The Top Finance Bachelor's Programs in Pennsylvania at a Glance
Villanova leads at 95.6, and West Chester closes the chart at 82.8. Longer bars rank higher.
How the Finance Bachelor's Programs in Pennsylvania Are Scored
Each Program Score runs from 0 to 100: outcomes count for 44%, selectivity and academics for 38%, and scale and value for 18%, all from federal data. See how the weights work.
The 12 Best Finance Bachelor's Programs in Pennsylvania, Ranked for 2027
The 12 best Finance Bachelor's Programs in Pennsylvania, ranked by outcomes.
Villanova University
Villanova, PA · Nonprofit
- Grad rate
- 92%
- Admit rate
- 27%
- In-state
- $66,838
- Out-of-state
- $66,838
Villanova University's finance majors graduate at a 92% clip despite a 27% admit rate, and qualified students can add a STEM-coded Applied Quantitative Finance concentration on top of the major after their first year.
- 92% graduation rate
- 27% admit rate
- $66,838 flat tuition
- Program Score 95.6 (#1 in PA)
Villanova University's School of Business runs finance as both a major and a minor inside its core business curriculum: majors complete three required finance courses plus three electives (FIN 3350, FIN 3360 and FIN 3470 don't count toward that elective total), while the minor adds three required finance courses on top of the business core. Students who want a heavier quantitative track can apply, after their first year, into the Applied Quantitative Finance concentration, which layers in higher-level math, statistics, analytics and computer science coursework. VSB also partners with the Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst Association to offer CAIA exam scholarships to faculty and students.
Villanova posts a 92% graduation rate against a 27% admit rate, per IPEDS figures, the tightest admit-to-completion combination among Pennsylvania's top finance programs after Penn. Tuition is a flat $66,838 across the university's 10,041 undergraduates, with no separate in-state rate to weigh. That flat rate, combined with a 95.6 Program Score, the composite of outcomes, selectivity and cost that ranks this program #1 in Pennsylvania, fits a student prioritizing graduation odds and a quant-finance track over the lowest sticker price. The national median pay for financial analysts is $88,870 a year, per BLS, useful context against that tuition number.
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA · Nonprofit
- Grad rate
- 97%
- Admit rate
- 5%
- In-state
- $60,920
- Out-of-state
- $60,920
University of Pennsylvania's Wharton finance concentration accepts just 5% of applicants yet graduates 97% of them, and lets students pick four electives from a menu running from hedge funds to fintech to distressed investing.
- 97% graduation rate
- 5% admit rate (most selective)
- $60,920 flat tuition
- Program Score 95.3 (#2 in PA)
University of Pennsylvania's finance credential is a concentration inside Wharton's BS, built on a shared core of accounting, managerial economics, corporate finance and statistics before students select four concentration electives from a list of more than 30 courses: Investment Management, Financial Derivatives, Fixed Income Securities, Capital Markets, Hedge Funds, Venture Capital and the Finance of Innovation, FinTech, and International Financial Markets and Cryptocurrencies among them. The published curriculum totals 37 course units, and the school states the concentration prepares graduates for asset management, investment banking, corporate and institutional finance, venture capital and M&A, and even law or the public sector.
Penn's 97% graduation rate is the highest of any Pennsylvania finance program in this set, paired with a 5% admit rate, the most selective by far, per IPEDS. Tuition runs a flat $60,920, actually below Villanova's and Lehigh's sticker price, across a university of 29,109 students. That mix, near-universal completion, extreme selectivity, and a below-peer flat tuition, drives a 95.3 Program Score and the #2 rank in the state. It fits a student who can clear a 5% admit bar and wants the widest elective menu, not one chasing easier admit odds. For scale, BLS puts national median financial analyst pay at $88,870 a year.
Lehigh University
Bethlehem, PA · Nonprofit
- Grad rate
- 88%
- Admit rate
- 26%
- In-state
- $63,930
- Out-of-state
- $63,930
Lehigh University's finance majors sit inside the named Perella Department of Finance and graduate at 88%, with electives mapped to three explicit career tracks: corporate finance, investments, and financial institutions.
- 88% graduation rate
- 26% admit rate
- $63,930 flat tuition
- Program Score 95.0 (#3 in PA)
Lehigh University's finance major runs through the Perella Department of Finance as part of the B.S. in Business and Economics, layered on top of Lehigh Business's integrated core. The department steers students toward a wide range of finance electives and encourages coursework in accounting, computing, economics and quantitative methods alongside the major. Lehigh names three career tracks its electives map to: corporate finance (capital budgeting, risk control), investments (portfolio management, security analysis), and financial institutions (investment banking, lending).
Lehigh's graduation rate is 88% against a 26% admit rate, close to Villanova's selectivity but with lower degree-completion odds, per IPEDS. Tuition is a flat $63,930, between Penn's $60,920 and Villanova's $66,838, across a 7,692-student university, the smallest enrollment of the four schools in this set. A 95.0 Program Score puts Lehigh third in Pennsylvania; the program fits a student who wants a named finance department with clear career-track framing at a mid-pack private-school price. Nationally, financial analysts earn a median $88,870 a year, per BLS.
Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA · Public
- Grad rate
- 86%
- Admit rate
- 61%
- In-state
- $20,066
- Out-of-state
- $41,212
Pennsylvania State University's Finance BS anchors students in the Nittany Lion Fund, a $12.5 million student-managed hedge fund with 400 Wall Street alumni, for $20,066 a year in-state versus $41,212 out-of-state, a $21,146 gap.
- 86% graduation rate
- $20,066 in-state / $41,212 out-of-state
- 61% admit rate (most accessible)
- Program Score 93.3 (#4 in PA)
Smeal College's Finance B.S. requires competitive entrance to major: a 3.50 cumulative GPA for guaranteed entry (2.60 to 3.49 is considered on a space-available basis), plus grades of C or better in courses like FIN 301, ACCTG 211 and MATH 140. Once admitted, students get hands-on access to three student-run resources named on the program page: the Nittany Lion Fund, a $12.5 million investor-owned equity hedge fund that places more than 50 students a year in Wall Street internships and jobs and counts 400 alumni now working on Wall Street; the Rogers Family Trading Room, more than 50 workstations running Bloomberg, FactSet and S&P Capital IQ; and Lion Leverage Capital, a student-managed paper portfolio of leveraged loans and high-yield bonds tied to roughly 100 Wall Street alumni. A 15-year-old Wall Street Boot Camp, taught by Pennsylvania State University alumni, rounds out the program.
Penn State's 86% graduation rate and 61% admit rate make it the most accessible program of the four, more than double Lehigh's and Villanova's admit rates and about twelve times Penn's, per IPEDS. The cost gap is the real story: $20,066 a year in-state versus $41,212 out-of-state, a $21,146 difference, across an enrollment of 50,737, the largest school in this set by a wide margin. A 93.3 Program Score ranks Penn State fourth in Pennsylvania; the program fits a Pennsylvania resident who wants Wall Street-facing, hands-on trading experience without the private-school price tag, and it's a tougher case for an out-of-state student paying more than double. National median pay for financial analysts is $88,870 a year, per BLS.
University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, PA · Public
- Grad rate
- 85%
- Admit rate
- 58%
- In-state
- $20,556
- Out-of-state
- $40,060
University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh's finance major posts a 93.3 Program Score, the highest among these four Pennsylvania programs, backed by an 85% graduation rate and a 58% admit rate.
- Program Score: 93.3 (highest of the four)
- 85% graduation rate
- 58% admit rate, most selective of the four
- $19,504 tuition gap: in-state vs out-of-state
University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh's Business anchors its finance major in the Financial Analysis Laboratory, a 3,000-square-foot facility with 58 computer stations, a stock ticker, and tote display boards that mirror an investment bank's trading floor. The University of Pittsburgh is a CFA Institute program partner, and the major requires Introduction to Finance (BUSFIN 1030) before students move into Corporate Finance and Investment Management, then choose three electives from a list that includes Valuation, FinTech, Real Estate Finance, and Mergers, Acquisitions and Corporate Structures.
Pitt earns a Program Score of 93.3, the highest of the four Pennsylvania finance programs profiled here, built on an 85% graduation rate paired with a 58% admit rate, the tightest admissions filter of the group. In-state tuition runs $20,556 against $40,060 out-of-state, a $19,504 gap that rewards Pennsylvania residency. With 35,724 students total, it is also the largest school on this list. It fits students who want quantitative rigor and real trading-floor technology at a public price, provided they can clear a sub-60% admit rate.
Grove City College
Grove City, PA · Nonprofit
- Grad rate
- 83%
- Admit rate
- 72%
- In-state
- $21,700
- Out-of-state
- $21,700
Grove City College charges the same $21,700 tuition to every finance student, in-state or out, while building its curriculum directly toward the SIE, CFP, and CFA exams.
- Program Score: 85.4
- $21,700 flat tuition, no in-state/out-of-state gap
- 83% graduation rate
- CFA Institute affiliated: 70%+ of CFA CBOK covered
Grove City College's B.S. in Finance is, by its own description, 'specifically designed' to prepare students for the Securities Industry Essentials (SIE), Certified Financial Planner (CFP), and Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) exams. The curriculum runs 69 credit hours inside a Christ-centered core, and the Winklevoss School of Business holds ACBSP accreditation. The finance major incorporates at least 70% of the CFA Program Candidate Body of Knowledge, which qualifies students for CFA Program Student Scholarships, and a CFP Board registered Financial Planning minor lets students stack a second credential onto the degree. Students have interned at PNC, Charles Schwab, BNY Mellon, and Northwestern Mutual.
The Program Score sits at 85.4, driven by an 83% graduation rate and a 72% admit rate. Tuition is flat at $21,700 whether a student lives in Pennsylvania or elsewhere, $18,360 less than Pitt's $40,060 out-of-state rate for a non-resident. Enrollment is 2,383, the second-smallest school in this group. It fits students who want a licensure-focused curriculum and a predictable cost regardless of home state.
Muhlenberg College
Allentown, PA · Nonprofit
- Grad rate
- 82%
- Admit rate
- 72%
- In-state
- $62,035
- Out-of-state
- $62,035
Muhlenberg College finance majors manage a real, $1 million-plus student-run portfolio, but pay $62,035 in flat tuition regardless of home state.
- Program Score: 85.3
- $62,035 flat tuition, highest of the four
- $1M+ student-managed investment fund
- 9:1 student-to-faculty ratio
Muhlenberg College's finance major, a B.A. housed in the Department of Accounting, Business, Economics, and Finance, puts students in charge of real money through the Muhlenberg Investment Society, which manages a portfolio worth more than $1 million. The major requires twelve courses: a foundation sequence spanning Financial Accounting, Macro and Microeconomics, Statistical Analysis, and Calculus I through III; a core of Corporation Finance and Money, Banking, and Financial Markets; a capstone seminar in Advanced Topics in Financial Management; and four electives drawn from a list that includes Financial Analytics, Investments and Portfolios, Mergers and Acquisitions, and Derivative Markets. The school reports a 9:1 student-to-faculty ratio and says 93% of graduates begin a career or advanced study within six months of graduation.
Muhlenberg's Program Score is 85.3, essentially tied with Grove City's 85.4, on an 82% graduation rate and a 72% admit rate. The tradeoff is cost: tuition is flat at $62,035 regardless of residency, nearly triple Grove City's $21,700 and $41,479 above Pitt's in-state rate of $20,556. Enrollment is just 1,788, the smallest school on this list. It fits students who want liberal-arts breadth, a hands-on student-managed fund, and small classes, and who can absorb the highest sticker price of the four.
Temple University
Philadelphia, PA · Public
- Grad rate
- 75%
- Admit rate
- 80%
- In-state
- $21,989
- Out-of-state
- $37,789
Temple University's Fox School admits 80% of applicants, the most open path of the four, while training finance majors on Bloomberg and FactSet for $21,989 in-state.
- Program Score: 84.4
- 80% admit rate, most accessible of the four
- AACSB accredited since 1934
- $15,800 tuition gap: in-state vs out-of-state
Temple University's Fox School of Business runs an accelerated 3-year BBA in Finance alongside the standard track, and students get hands-on experience through the William C. Dunkelberg Owl Fund, a real-money, student-managed investment portfolio. The curriculum covers asset valuation, credit analysis, fixed income analysis, and portfolio management, with required courses including Intermediate Corporate Finance and Security Analysis and Portfolio Management. Students train on Bloomberg, FactSet, and Capital IQ, the same platforms used on trading desks. The Department of Finance has 22 full-time faculty, and Fox has held AACSB accreditation since 1934.
Temple's Program Score is 84.4, the lowest of the four programs profiled here but still enough for a top-8 statewide ranking. Its 75% graduation rate is the lowest of the group, offset by the most open admissions path: an 80% admit rate, well above Pitt's 58%. In-state tuition is $21,989 against $37,789 out-of-state, a $15,800 gap. With 29,640 students enrolled, it is the second-largest school on this list. It fits students who want AACSB accreditation and real trading-platform training without Pitt's admissions bar.
University of Scranton
Scranton, PA · Nonprofit
- Grad rate
- 80%
- Admit rate
- 81%
- In-state
- $53,208
- Out-of-state
- $53,208
Finance majors train at the Alperin Financial Center, a simulated trading floor, in classes capped at 30 students.
- 80% graduation rate
- Program Score 83.6
- $53,208 tuition, in-state and out-of-state
- Trading-floor simulation center
The finance major at the University of Scranton is part of the Kania School of Management, which the school reports is AACSB accredited. Finance is described on the page as the science and art of managing money, with a focus on risk and return. Students use the Alperin Financial Center, a facility that simulates a trading floor, to gather data for group projects and follow stock and foreign-currency markets, including each time the Fed meets. Classes are limited to no more than 30 students, and all finance instructors hold doctoral degrees, with several also holding the CFA Charter.
Graduates pursue roles such as financial analyst, fixed income analyst, equity analyst, trader and securities broker, and the campus sits about two hours from New York City. Federal data shows an 80% graduation rate and an 81% admit rate, with tuition of $53,208 for in-state and out-of-state students alike. The program has a Program Score of 83.6 out of 100, the basis of its ranking. It suits students who want small classes, hands-on market simulation and a short trip to the financial industry in New York.
West Chester University of Pennsylvania
West Chester, PA · Public
- Grad rate
- 71%
- Admit rate
- 78%
- In-state
- $7,716
- Out-of-state
- $19,290
West Chester University of Pennsylvania's B.S. in Finance focuses on investment, international finance and financial markets, with a dual-major option in accounting or economics.
- 71% graduation rate
- Program Score 82.8
- $7,716 in-state tuition
- Dual major with accounting or economics
West Chester University of Pennsylvania offers a Bachelor of Science in Finance within its College of Business and Public Management, which the school reports is AACSB accredited. The major focuses on investment, international finance and financial markets, and builds communication, problem-solving and technical skills alongside theoretical and practical finance concepts. The program page lists internships for credit, study abroad, scholarships, an annual idea pitch competition and access to the Dr. Edwin Cottrell Entrepreneurial Center. Students can pursue a dual major with accounting or economics, and they can join the Economics and Finance Society, an investment group or the Omicron Delta Epsilon honor society. The school lists employers of graduates that include Vanguard, J.P. Morgan Chase, Deloitte and PwC.
The Program Score of 82.8 out of 100 is the basis of this program's ranking. West Chester graduates 71% of its students and admits 78% of applicants. In-state tuition is $7,716, compared with $19,290 for out-of-state students. The program fits Pennsylvania residents who want a public, AACSB-accredited finance degree at a lower price, and students who value internships and an international focus.
Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia
Philadelphia, PA · Nonprofit · online option
- Grad rate
- 79%
- Admit rate
- 89%
- In-state
- $53,060
- Out-of-state
- $53,060
A flexible finance major that offers a five-year path to a bachelor's and a master's through an accelerated program.
- 79% graduation rate
- Program Score 81.7
- $53,060 tuition, in-state and out-of-state
- Five-year bachelor's plus master's option
The finance major at Saint Joseph's University sits in the Haub School of Business and is delivered on campus. The school describes a flexible curriculum, so students can tailor coursework to their interests while learning how individuals, businesses and governments raise money, select investments and manage resources. Students can double major or add minors in areas such as accounting, international business, machine learning for business applications, and risk management and insurance. Admission does not require SAT or ACT scores to be submitted, according to the page.
An accelerated bachelor's and master's option lets finance students begin a Finance MS, an Organization Development and Leadership MS, or an MBA with a finance focus during senior year, finishing both degrees in five years. Students apply in their junior year. Federal data shows a 79% graduation rate and an 89% admit rate, with tuition of $53,060 for in-state and out-of-state students alike. The program has a Program Score of 81.7 out of 100, the basis of its ranking. It suits students who want a broad finance foundation with room to specialize or move quickly into graduate study.
Messiah University
Mechanicsburg, PA · Nonprofit
- Grad rate
- 75%
- Admit rate
- 79%
- In-state
- $41,300
- Out-of-state
- $41,300
Messiah University finance students can join a Student Investment Club that manages a portfolio of more than $500,000, with CFA- and CFP-aligned concentrations.
- 75% graduation rate
- Program Score 81
- $41,300 in-state tuition
- CFP Board registered planning concentration
Messiah University offers a B.S. in Finance from a Christian institution, with the program built around the Ralph S. Larsen Finance Lab. Students can choose a financial analysis concentration or a financial planning concentration. The school reports that the analysis concentration is an affiliate of the CFA Institute, covering at least 85 percent of the CFA Program Candidate Body of Knowledge, and that the financial planning concentration is CFP Board registered, so completing all six classes satisfies the education requirement for the CFP exam. The Student Investment Club actively manages a portfolio valued at more than $500,000, and students can earn Bloomberg certification through coursework. The page also lists an annual campus-wide stock market simulation and internship placements at firms such as Goldman Sachs, BNP Paribas and Stifel.
Federal data shows a 75% graduation rate and a 79% admit rate at Messiah. In-state tuition is $41,300, the same as out-of-state because the university is private. The Program Score of 81 out of 100 is the basis of its ranking. The program fits students who want a faith-based setting with hands-on investing experience and a clear path toward the CFA or CFP credentials.
Graduation Rates at the Ranked Finance Bachelor's Programs in Pennsylvania
The median school on this list graduates 83% of its students. The highest rates belong to University of Pennsylvania (97%) and Villanova University (92%). The top graduation rate is not at the #1 school, because the score also weighs selectivity, cost, and earnings.
- #2 University of Pennsylvania97% graduation rate
- #1 Villanova University92% graduation rate
- #3 Lehigh University88% graduation rate
Institution-wide graduation rates reported to IPEDS. They describe the whole school, not this program alone.
How Selective Are the Finance Bachelor's Programs in Pennsylvania?
On this list, 3 schools admit fewer than half of applicants, the most selective being University of Pennsylvania at 5%.
- #2 University of Pennsylvania5% admitted
- #3 Lehigh University26% admitted
- #1 Villanova University27% admitted
Institution-wide admit rates for first-time applicants, reported to IPEDS. Open-admission schools do not report one.
Public and Private Finance Bachelor's Programs in Pennsylvania
This list holds 4 public and 8 private nonprofit schools. Their median Program Scores: 88.8 public and 85.3 private nonprofit.
Control (public, private nonprofit, for-profit) as reported to IPEDS. Public schools usually charge residents less; private schools charge everyone the same rate.
Where the Finance Bachelor's Programs in Pennsylvania Are
The 12 ranked schools are spread across 10 cities. Philadelphia (3) is the only one with more than one ranked school.
Main campus city as reported to IPEDS.
Campus Size Across the Finance Bachelor's Programs in Pennsylvania
Enrollment on this list runs from 1,788 at Muhlenberg College to 50,737 at Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus. Of the 12, 4 enroll 20,000 students or more and 4 enroll fewer than 5,000.
Total institution enrollment reported to IPEDS, all levels and programs.
What Graduates of the Finance Bachelor's Programs in Pennsylvania Earn
| Rank | School | Median earnings, 4 years outEarnings, 4 yrs | Average net priceNet price |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Villanova UniversityVillanova | $131,996 | $41,536 |
| #2 | University of PennsylvaniaPenn | $202,069 | $29,577 |
| #3 | Lehigh UniversityLehigh | $127,210 | $25,272 |
| #4 | Pennsylvania State University-Main CampusPennsylvania State | $96,714 | $33,675 |
| #5 | University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh CampusPittsburgh | $95,087 | $29,362 |
| #7 | Muhlenberg CollegeMuhlenberg College | $94,403 | $25,253 |
| #8 | Temple UniversityTemple | $85,011 | $23,058 |
| #9 | University of ScrantonScranton | $100,962 | $32,132 |
| #11 | Saint Joseph's University - PhiladelphiaSaint Joseph's | $96,993 | $33,840 |
Four years out, medians on this list run from $85,011 at Temple to $202,069 at Penn.
The highest-ranked school in the table, Villanova (#1), reports $131,996, so the highest score and the highest pay are not the same school.
After grants, the average undergraduate pays least at Temple, $23,058 a year, and most at Villanova, $41,536.
College Scorecard, October 2026 release. Earnings cover each school's programs in this field at this degree level; net price is for full-time first-time undergraduates receiving aid.
What a Bachelor of Finance Costs in Pennsylvania
In-state tuition among Pennsylvania's ranked finance programs splits into two tiers. Public options run low: West Chester University of Pennsylvania charges $7,716 a year, Penn State's Main Campus $20,066, the University of Pittsburgh $20,556, and Temple University $21,989. Private schools run three to eight times higher: Messiah University charges $41,300, the University of Scranton $53,208, Saint Joseph's University $53,060, Lehigh University $63,930, and Villanova University tops the list at $66,838.
Run the math on a four-year bachelor of finance and the gap widens fast. Four years at West Chester totals $30,864 in tuition before aid, about a third of the $88,870 national median salary for financial analysts. Four years at Villanova totals $267,352, roughly three times that same annual salary. Both paths produce an accredited finance degree; the private premium buys smaller class sizes, brand recognition, and, at the top of the list, a higher graduation rate.
Cost and completion don't always trade off, either. Penn State's Main Campus and the University of Pittsburgh both post a 93.3 Program Score at roughly $20,000 a year, nearly matching Lehigh University's 95 score at more than three times the price. The University of Pennsylvania is the outlier that justifies its $60,920 sticker: a 97% graduation rate, the highest of any finance program in Pennsylvania on this list.
Published annual tuition and required fees reported to IPEDS. Private schools charge one rate regardless of residency; public schools charge non-residents the out-of-state rate shown on each card.
The CFA Charter and Finance Licensing in Pennsylvania
A bachelor of finance doesn't require a state license to work as an analyst, unlike accounting's CPA path, but two credentials shape hiring across Pennsylvania's finance sector. The CFA Institute's Chartered Financial Analyst designation is the standard credential for portfolio management and equity research roles, built on three sequential exams typically taken after a bachelor's degree, alongside four years of qualified work experience. Finance graduates from any of the 13 finance programs in Pennsylvania analyzed here are eligible to sit for the CFA Level I exam once they hold a bachelor's degree or are in the final year of one.
Securities and advisory roles carry separate requirements. Anyone who sells securities or gives investment advice in Pennsylvania typically needs to pass the FINRA Series 7 (general securities) and Series 63 (state law) exams, both sponsored by a registered broker-dealer employer, not the school. A finance degree builds the coursework foundation, corporate finance, investments, financial modeling, for these exams, but the licensing itself happens after graduation and on the job.
None of the 12 ranked programs in this list requires CFA coursework to graduate, but several, including Villanova and Penn State, build investment and portfolio-management electives that map directly onto the CFA Level I curriculum. Check each program's course catalog directly, since elective offerings change year to year and the CFA Institute updates its curriculum annually.
Why AACSB Accreditation Matters for a Finance Bachelor's Degree
Business school accreditation from AACSB International is the mark employers and CFA-track curricula look for first. It signals that a school's finance degree program, faculty credentials, and assessment standards met an external review, not just the university's own claims. Every school in Pennsylvania's top 12 finance programs by Program Score, including Villanova, the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School, Lehigh, Penn State, and Pitt, sits inside an AACSB-accredited business school.
Regional accreditation, through bodies like the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, covers the whole institution, but program-level accredited status from AACSB, or in some cases ACBSP for smaller and teaching-focused colleges, is the more specific signal for finance. Confirm program-level status directly on the school's site before enrolling; regional accreditation alone doesn't guarantee a finance curriculum built around CFA-aligned coursework or Series 7 and 63 preparation.
Accreditation also affects graduate-school admission and employer screening. Many Pennsylvania employers and CFA Level I candidates treat an accredited finance degree as a baseline filter, and skipping that check before enrolling can limit both job placement and credential eligibility later.
What Sets Pennsylvania's Top Finance Programs Apart
Villanova University leads Pennsylvania's finance rankings with a 95.6 Program Score and a 92% graduation rate, at $66,838 tuition. The University of Pennsylvania ranks second at 95.3, with the highest graduation rate in the state, 97%, against $60,920 tuition. Lehigh University rounds out the top three at a 95 score and an 88% graduation rate, at $63,930.
Below the top three, the picture changes: Penn State's Main Campus and the University of Pittsburgh tie at a 93.3 Program Score, with graduation rates of 86% and 85% respectively, at $20,066 and $20,556 in-state tuition, a fraction of the top three's private pricing. That gap, more than $40,000 a year, is the single biggest lever a Pennsylvania student has over total finance-degree debt.
Mid-tier programs carve out their own niches. Grove City College (85.4 score, 83% graduation rate, $21,700 tuition) pairs private-school class sizes with public-school pricing. West Chester University of Pennsylvania (82.8 score, 71% graduation rate, $7,716 tuition) is the most affordable option in the top 12 but posts the lowest completion rate among ranked schools. Messiah University closes the list at an 81.0 score, a 75% graduation rate, and $41,300 tuition, a mid-price option among Pennsylvania's private finance schools.
That mix of price and completion outcomes is what separates the best finance programs in Pennsylvania from schools that merely offer a finance major.
Online and Accelerated Bachelor's in Finance Programs in Pennsylvania
None of the 12 ranked finance programs in this Pennsylvania list is a fully online-only track; all are traditional on-campus bachelor of finance degrees reported to IPEDS with a single delivery format. That's a meaningful data point for prospective students weighing flexibility against the program set ranked here: an accredited on-campus finance degree from a Pennsylvania university carries the completion and cost profile shown in this ranking, from West Chester's $7,716 to Villanova's $66,838.
Students who need an online or hybrid format should confirm accreditation status separately for that delivery mode. A university-wide AACSB accreditation, or a business school's accreditation more specifically, doesn't automatically extend to every course-delivery format a school might add later. Ask directly whether the online section of a finance program carries the same accreditation, faculty, and curriculum as its on-campus counterpart before enrolling.
Accelerated paths, combined bachelor's-to-master's tracks in finance or a related field, appear at several of the larger Pennsylvania schools in this ranking, including Penn State and the University of Pittsburgh, letting students add a graduate credential without restarting the admissions process. Confirm specific program structures directly with each school, since accelerated-track availability and credit requirements change from year to year.
Finance Salary and Job Outlook: The National Context
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the median annual wage for financial analysts at $88,870, per its Occupational Outlook Handbook. That figure is national, not specific to Pennsylvania or to any single school on this list, and it's the same benchmark whether a graduate paid $7,716 a year at West Chester or $66,838 at Villanova.
Use the national salary figure as a floor for comparison, not a promise. Actual pay varies by industry, investment banking versus corporate finance versus advisory, experience, and CFA charter status. Detailed wage breakdowns by metro area and industry are available through BLS's Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program.
What the tuition-versus-salary math does make clear: graduates of Pennsylvania's lower-cost public finance schools, West Chester, Penn State's Main Campus, and Pitt among them, reach salary payback on their four-year tuition bill faster than graduates of the priciest private options, simply because they borrowed or paid less to start.