Online MBA Finance Degree + Best AACSB No GMAT Programs

Finance is a highly popular specialization for those who study towards a Masters of Business Administration (MBA). This is because the field of finance is in such high demand and offers so many different benefits. Graduates can work across a variety of different industries, including corporate banking, commercial banking, real estate and the investment services.

What We Do

An MBA Finance graduate is a highly desirable professional. You will have foundational expertise to allow you to get to work in any type of industry. You will be highly respected by colleagues and you can expect fantastic salaries and you will find executive and senior management positions are now available.

As a graduate of a Finance MBA program, you will get to work in various fields within finance. These include commercial banking, corporate finance, investment banking, financial planning and others. You will mainly work with numbers, coming up with innovative and out of the box methods to ensure less money goes out and more money goes in, while continuing to run vital services.

Why It’s Hot

According to Payscale.com, salaries for MBA professionals vary from $44,745 to $223,107 per year, as of April 2015. The highest earners are Chief Financial Officers, and the lowest earners are Financial Analysts, although even these have top annual salaries of $100,381.

A number of factors play an important role in determining salary. Experience seems to be a key factor. Those with at least five years experience will start to head towards a six figure income. So why is this career so hot?

Graduates are able to work across a variety of different industries, meaning they are in high demand.
Jobs are easily accessible, with many starting work during internships, which then leads to higher salaries and better positions once they graduate.
MBA programs are highly accessible, since they are often offered on a part time basis.

Demand for MBA finance graduates is so high that many of the world’s biggest and most respected companies offer internships. These include AT&T, Johnson & Johnson, Intel, Amazon and Microsoft, to name but a few. They have opportunities in place that have been created specifically for those who want to become financial analysts and managers. Additionally, they ensure the internship counts as a study credit.

The finance industry is one of the most important industries in the world. As as result, graduates will always be in high demand. Some suggest they basically run the world.

Work Environment

Those with a Finance MBA will almost always work behind a desk. Although they can work for a large variety of different types of organizations, their job will generally be focused on paperwork, computer data and more. In some cases, they may also be called as witnesses in court proceedings.

Those with an MBA in Finance will work directly with people. Generally, this is in order to provide information and guidance. They also work in consultancy, working with people across a range of financial institutions.

How to Do It

In order to achieve an MBA in Finance, you will first need to complete a bachelor’s degree, preferably in a related field such as business, finance or administration. You will then need to apply to become admitted to an MBA program. Competition is fierce, so it is recommended that you apply to a number of different programs.

All MBA programs combine real world applications with business practices. It is for this reason why these degrees are so competitive and in high demand. Our country delivers some of the best graduate programs in the world, which is why you will also have to compete with international applicants to be admitted to the degree program.

During your degree, you will learn about emerging markets, financial planning, cost benefit analysis and various other topics. This will give you a unique insight into how finance affects day to day life in the world today. Upon graduation, you will have the skills and knowledge to work in a huge variety of fields, including some that may not have a direct link to finance. You will be equipped to manage various types of businesses across a range of different markets and you will be almost guaranteed to have a very successful career. Because of this, degree programs place high requirements on applicants and students alike.

To complete an MBA in finance, you can choose between online and on site university programs. The degree offered by Park University offers a highly respected on site program. It was founded in 1998 and is currently offered by the university’s School of Business. The learning environment focuses heavily on the student, allowing them to become innovative and responsive business leaders who are able to work in the ever changing financial environment across the world. Additionally, it delivers graduates who are known for their entrepreneurial thinking styles, which allows them to make a business they work for more competitive. The emphasis of the program is on applying techniques and business knowledge to help in the decision making process. The MBA program is offered in 16 week sessions, 8 weeks sessions and 2 week intensive summer sessions. This means that it should take a student just 18 months to complete their degree.

Featured Programs:

Online Finance MBA Programs

Some of the most recommended online programs for an MBA in finance include:

*Online Master of Business Administration in Finance – Southern New Hampshire University – You can boost your marketability by developing superior financial management and investment analysis abilities. This accredited degree program is well suited to those who want to become security analysts, investment brokers, project analysts, and also financial analysts. You will learn about short term financial management, capital budgeting and portfolio management.
*Online MBA in Finance – Villanova University – Choose the top ranked Villanova Online Finance MBA and you can do more than expand your essential financial knowledge. AACSB Accredited. Bloomberg Businessweek ranks the Villanova MBA #12 in the country. Ranked #1 on the list of Best Regional Universities in the North in 2015 by U.S. News and World Report.
*Online MBA in Finance – Grand Canyon University – (Editor’s Pick!) – The MBA in Finance will give you the capacity to develop your own style of transformational leadership through the application of cutting edge business practices. This program highlights how the global economy affects decision making of organizations, planning and the sourcing of the resources of an organization. No GMAT is required.
*Online MBA with Finance Concentration – Washington State University – (Editor’s Pick!) – Earn your Online MBA from a highly-ranked university that was one of the first to offer its MBA in an online format. Hone your skills in the arena of financial analysis and explore the complexities of domestic and global financial markets. Study investments, interest rates, and financial futures in depth. U.S. News & World Report has consistently ranked the WSU Carson College of Business among the Top 25 Best Online Graduate MBA Programs. WSU is also among two percent of business schools worldwide to achieve accreditation at the bachelor, master, and doctoral levels from AACSB International.
*Online MBA with Finance Concentration – Northeastern University – (Editor’s Pick!) – Earn your Online MBA from a highly-ranked university that was one of the first to offer its MBA in an online format. The Financial Times ranks Northeastern University’s Online MBA #1 in the U.S. (2014). Northeastern’s D’Amore-McKim School of Business is AACSB accredited. Customize your MBA by selecting a Finance specialization. Northeastern is also featured in our America’s Best Online MBA rankings report.
*Online Master of Business Administration in Corporate Finance – Walden University – This program will increase your knowledge of finance so that you can contribute to informed business decisions at your company. You will gain a strong overview of current financial principles and the accepted practices in today’s financial markets. You also will learn about how to manage the finances of thrift institutions, and commercial and investment banks.
MBA in Finance and Accounting – University of Liverpool – This accredited program has five core modules and several elective options. The program takes three years to complete, and you are required to complete a dissertation or a consultancy project. The core modules are in leadership, strategic organization, finance and accounting for managers, market perspectives, and innovation and change.
Master of Business Administration with a Finance Specialization – Kaplan University – This program will develop within you a strong international mindset, understand global business issues, grow business in world markets and manage your business relationships in the growing world marketplace. In this finance program, you will study financial institutions and markets, risk analysis and management, corporate finance and financial statement analysis.
Master of Business Administration in Finance – Argosy University – This degree in business will enhance your professional business and finance skills that are most sought by today’s businesses around the world. You can earn this online degree in as little as a year. You will learn how to identify business challenges and opportunities and offer strategic solutions, and to understand change management, diversity, leadership and business ethics. You also will build new competencies in critical thinking, communications and systems analysis.
Master of Business Administration in Finance and Accounting – Regis University – This online degree in business will ready you for a key role in the management of your company’s fiscal operations and policies. You also will be able to boost your knowledge and skills in the most important financial areas and to develop needed skills in business and leadership. Learn how to grow managerial expertise and to enhance your self-confidence to become a top business leader.
Master of Science in Finance/MBA – Northeastern University – This online degree will help you to build the key skills that you need to have a successful career as a finance leader. You will be able to develop your managerial potential and your skills in finance in mergers and acquisitions, valuation, risk management, insurance, and investments. You also can choose to focus your electives in investments or corporate finance. Northeastern is a top ranked Online MBA featured in America’s Best Online MBA rankings for 2017.
Master of Business Administration in Finance – DeVry University – This online graduate degree will give you the chance to learn the details of entrepreneurial finance, securities analysis, mergers and acquisitions, advanced financial statement analysis and real estate finance. This no GMAT program stresses financial and analysis skills that are key to organizations of all sizes.
Master of Business Administration with a Specialization in Finance – American Intercontinental University – This degree is made for the student who wants to develop a global view on financial management and economics. The courses in this program are made so that you can develop a strong, core knowledge of business, plus all the skills that you need to succeed as a financial professional. This program is fully accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs.
Master of Business Administration with a Specialization in Finance – Florida Tech University Online – This online degree in business will give you the advanced skills and knowledge that you need to give your company the vision, opportunity and balanced approach to risk that it needs to succeed. You will learn the core business practices and principles and the innovative financial skills to move ahead in your company, and with no GMAT requirement.
Master of Business Administration in Finance – Ohio University – This new degree program will allow you to develop the strong leadership skills that you need to become an agent of change in our economy today. This program will help you to gain the credentials that you need to become a financial leader in your organization. This MBA program is accredited by the Association to advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).
Master of Business Administration in Finance – Drexel University – This online degree will provide you with courses in leadership, ethics, technology management and more. This is a cohort program, meaning that you will advance through the MBA program with a group of your classmates. You can then utilize each other’s knowledge and network connections to make your MBA experience more valuable.
Master of Business Administration in Finance – Colorado Technical University – This online program is designed for the student who wants to better develop their abilities to analyze financial information, and to develop the kind of decision making abilities that can make the difference between business project success and failure. This program has a Professional Learning Model that will challenge you to grasp how to best analyze financial information to make the best decisions for business success.
Master of Business Administration in Finance – Norwich University – With a finance concentration in your MBA, you will have a global and domestic perspective of finance that will make you a highly desirable professional of finance. You will learn finance theories, best practices and advanced skills that focus on markets of foreign exchange, management of multinational companies and a strong global finance environment. With the core MBA classes that you take at this accredited university, you will have both the financial and management skills that you need to prosper in the global marketplace.
Master of Business Administration in Finance – South University – You can enhance your management, leadership and finance skills with this online MBA. This program is well suited for the experienced business professional who wants to gain a better grasp of the best practices of management, finance and decision making in the global business market today. You will learn about effective planning, production and process strategies and be able to develop strong team leading skills.
Master of Business Administration in Finance – Walsh College – This online MBA features advanced coursework in accounting, finance, management and many related areas. You will learn all of the most important business skills from the foundation classes that are in every MBA program at this university. Most students are able to finish this online MBA in about two years.
Master of Business Administration in Finance – UMassOnline – This accredited business program is made to prepare managers to be strong, bold leaders in a constantly changing business environment. This MBA stresses the use of case studies, experiential learning and different types of field programs so as to integrate both practice and theory for students. If you have a strong background in finance, business and accounting, this program will be 10 courses in total, which can be completed in 18 months.
Master of Business Administration in Finance – Minnesota School of Business – This MBA focuses on financial forecasting, financial accountability, ethics, investment management and financial reports. You will focus your studies on case studies in financial analysis, business ethics and law, financial data and statistics management, fiscal resource management and investment portfolios.
Masters of Business Admin Finance Emphasis – ASU WP Carey School of Business – Optional areas of emphasis allow you to utilize elective online MBA classes in your second year to gain greater depth of knowledge in a desired area. You can select three focused courses (3 credits each) out of your four total electives in one area of study to comprise an area of emphasis. Each area of emphasis requires 9 credit hours of associated elective classe online MBA classes.
Masters of Business Administration Emphasis in Finance – Ohio University College of Business – The College of Business at Ohio University holds accreditation from AACSB International -The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business – for both our undergraduate and graduate programs. AACSB International is the accrediting body for the best business schools in the world; fewer than 15 percent of institutions teaching management education have achieved and maintained AACSB International’s rigorous standards. These standards assure excellence, continuous improvement, and the most qualified graduates.

Pros and Cons

Pros:

You are almost guaranteed to have a high flying, well paid job once you graduate.
You will have the skills to work in a global environment.
The role is interesting and responsible, and you will really feel like you are making a difference.

Cons:

The job can be very stressful and burnout rates are high.
Admission to programs is highly competitive.

Financial Aid

American Association of University Women – Offered to international women students in the US, as well as minority women in the US.
Robert A. Toigo Foundation – Offered to minority students who want to study financial services. Applicants must be nominated by Harvard Business School in order to be accepted.
The Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans – Fellowships offered to New Americans for up to two years of graduate level study in the US. Applicants must be naturalized or child of two naturalized parents.
Jack Kent Cooke Foundation – Scholarships offered to recently graduated students who want to progress to graduate level degrees. They must have been nominated by the institution from which they achieved an undergraduate degree in order to be eligible.
The Point Foundation – Scholarships offered to those who are members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual or Transgender (LGBT) community.

Career Paths

Investment management: Investment management is a highly interesting field of work for MBA finance graduates. A niche can be found by anyone, regardless of what their unique and individual strengths are. You must have strong analytical skills, as well as at least one other talent that sets you apart from others. Jobs include: portfolio managers, research analysts, investment bankers and private wealth managers.
Corporate finance: This area of work is perfect for true problem solves. The roles are varied and can be held in a range of different organizations. The spectrum ranges from investments to accounting, which means any specific skill can be utilized. Jobs include: Cash management and treasury, Internal financial analyst, pension manager, investor relations, real estate investor and internal mergers.

Why Choose a Finance MBA