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Deciding which college to attend can be a daunting task. For many, it will be the most important decision that they make in their lives. To make an informed decision, you have to consider a lot of variables, such as cost of attendance, financial aid, student-teacher ratio, academics, student life, and more. These factors will either positively or negatively impact the quality of education that you receive.

Do you want to acquire a master’s degree in finance but don’t know what institution you should attend? Well, if you are as ambitious as I was in my late teens, then you want to attend a top school, instead of an average or mediocre one. Fortunately, we have already done the legwork for you. To help you find the right school for your interests and goals, we’ve compiled a list of 2022’s best master’s in finance programs.

What institution did we omit from this list? Leave your suggestions in the comment section below.

1. MIT, Cambridge, MA

MIT’s high caliber master of finance degree program builds off of its rich legacy in the financial world. With prestigious alumni and prominent figures in finance currently serving in faculty positions, learners are involved in a peerless network. Classes in the MFin degree program include financial markets, fundamentals of financial mathematics, advanced analytics of finance, and corporate finance.

2. Harvard University, Cambridge, MA

Learners in the finance degree program are given a thorough comprehension of the highly complex world of finance through Harvard’s challenging coursework. Finance degree classes in the degree program consist of investment theory and applications, managerial finance, principles of finance, and foundations of real-world economics.

3. Columbia University, New York, NY

Learners begin their studies in financial engineering by understanding the foundations and methods of finance and how they function. Then learners can focus their studies with concentrations and electives. Specializations consist of asset management, computational finance/trading systems, computation and programming, finance and economics, derivatives. Classes offered in the degree program include:

• Monte Carlo Simulation
• Statistical Analysis and Time Series
• Professional Development and Leadership
• Mathematics of Financial Engineering Primer

4. Stanford University, Stanford, CA

Learners in the ICME master’s degree program are given opportunities in computational mathematics, applications, statistics, and more. Mathematical and computational finance learners are immersed in all areas of finance. Regulation reform, hedge funds, and derivatives are all expounded on by faculty scholars and through robust connections with professionals in the field.

5. John Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD

Classes in the MS in finance degree are instructed by scholars and sector professionals who are committed to learner success and mentorship. Foundational classes offer learners the practical theories and development of financial thought. On-campus learners can select from classes available in either the Washington, DC or Baltimore location. Classes in the major include business leadership and human values, the firm and the macroeconomy, financial modeling and valuation, and business leadership and human values.

6. University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA

Coursework in the finance degree program prepares learners for a vast array of opportunities in banks, and other areas of the financial landscape. Learners are involved in relevant classes, taught by University of Pennsylvania faculty scholars. Classes in the finance degree program include corporate finance, macroeconomics and the global economic environment, real estate investment: analysis and financing, and the finance of buyouts and acquisitions.

7. Princeton University, Princeton, NJ

An interdisciplinary degree program, classes are designed with the comprehension that finance is an increasingly complex landscape. Learners can take classes such as: pricing models and derivatives, corporate finance and financial accounting, fixed income: models and applications, and financial modeling.

8. University of Chicago, Chicago, IL

Classes in the finance concentration can be individualized toward specific goals. Students learn that questioning and remaining inquisitive are key elements to a better comprehension of big issues. Learners take 20 classes in their MBA program, with concentration classes using their elective space. Finance coursework includes portfolio management, advanced investments, financial instruments, and financial markets and institutions.

9. New York University, New York, NY

Classes in the HKUST-NYU Stern master of science in global finance degree prepare learners for the international implications and challenges in the financial sectors. Due to the geographical changes, learners are working directly in markets and solving hands-on problems. Group exercises, presentations, and an array of other learning formats keep learner engagement high. Classes offered in this degree program include foundations of corporate finance, financial markets and corporate finance in China, risk management in financial institutions, and derivatives markets.

10. University of Texas-Austin, Austin, TX

With a total of 36 credit hours required for completion, finance learners are challenged with the theory and quantitative know-how that are relevant in the financial landscape. The University of Texas-Austin is proud of its high faculty engagement of learners due to small classes. Learners can select a focus in their studies in either asset and investment management, corporate finance or consulting, or energy finance. Coursework in the MS in finance also consists of financial statement and security analysis, energy technologies, raising capital, and valuation.

11. Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN

Vanderbilt enables learners to tailor classes to their specific career aspirations. Networking with Vanderbilt alumni working in the finance sector is a powerful tool, and interactions are fostered intentionally through events and work experiences.

12. Brandeis International Business School, Waltham, MA

Learners at Brandeis International Business School can arrange their degree program to focus on an area of concentration. Whether looking for opportunities in transfer pricing or risk management, the MSF degree program can give you the tools for success. Core classes that are offered in this degree program include advanced corporate finance theory and practice, options and derivatives, fixed income securities, and investments.

13. Cornell University, Ithaca, NY

 Cornell’s robust degree program gives learners the capacity to design a pathway of classes. Learners can select classes from three modules: Stochastic modeling, optimization modeling, data science and statistical modeling. Learners also select classes from a fourth module in financial applications. Classes offered include:

• Quantitative Trading Strategies
• Equity Risk Management
• Quantitative Portfolio Management: From Model to Market
• Machine Learning for Finance

14. University of Michigan Ann-Arbor, Ann Arbor, MI

The finance fast-path at Michigan is split into two further tracks. Learners in the first track are chosen based on their knowledge of finance. The second track is for learners who have shown proficiency in summer finance online programs at the beginning level and advanced standards. Coursework that applies to both tracks includes corporate strategy, applied business statistics, operations management, and leading people and organizations.