Finance
Our 2023 graduates
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$62,427
average finance starting salary
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$18.67
average finance internship wage
The only program in Iowa to be ranked a “great school for finance majors”
— The Best 385 Colleges, 2020 Princeton Review
The world of finance is an exciting, ever-changing industry filled with a variety of career options. A career in finance can take you around the country or even the globe with many career options.
As a finance student, you’ll learn how companies make financial investments. You’ll learn the answers to fortune-building questions and how to take ideas and turn them into reality. The Ivy finance program teaches you how to invest in stocks and bonds and how to advise someone who wants to plan for their future.
Become the expert in making the most of financial markets, successfully raising capital, managing risk, growing assets, and serving the diverse needs of shareholders, partners, and employees. Find your path in banking, investing, security analysis, insurance, government, real estate, or any type of financial management.
When you earn your finance degree, you’ll be equipped with a strong understanding of global market forces and the ability to provide a financial management analytical experience. Finance is also an excellent area if you wish to become more knowledgeable as a consumer, particularly in the fields of investments, insurance, and real estate.
I chose finance because I had a keen interest in how money works in the real world and how to make sound financial decisions for myself.
William Lopez, finance, Ivy College of Business
Gain real-world experience
As a business student, you can participate in an internship as early as your first or second summer in college. Internships often provide an opportunity to confirm that your major is perfect for you. You will gain real-world experience where you can apply your classroom learning and skills in the workplace. After an internship, you’ll be better prepared for the global world of business. You will make connections with employers, network, and build relationships that may lead to full-time employment after graduation. Ivy students report high average salaries from their internships.
Brett McGee, an Ivy finance and accounting student spent his summer internship with the New York Federal Reserve Bank in Manhattan, New York. Read more.
Finance at Ivy
What sets us apart
What sets us apart
Ours is the only program in Iowa to be ranked a “great school for finance majors.” — The Best 385 Colleges, 2020 Princeton Review. Ours is a CFA® Institute University Affiliated Program, a global membership organization that awards the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation. To achieve this recognition, the program must cover 70 percent of the CFA Program Candidate Body of Knowledge and place emphasis on the CFA Institute Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice. Our program positions students well to obtain the Chartered Financial Analyst designation.
The Ivy College of Business is is highly ranked among AACSB undergraduate accredited programs. See our rankings page for details.
How we prepare you
How we prepare you
Here, you’ll study with faculty who are on the leading edge of research and current trends in finance, including the role of investment bankers in merger and acquisition activity, financing innovation and institutional determinants of economic growth, insider trading, under-representation of women in financial professions, and retirement savings in the gig economy. This is where finance meets the real world! From department-sponsored trips to major financial market hubs, FinTech Career Night, and a designated finance career coordinator, the Ivy College of Business sets you up for success.
How we support you
How we support you
In the Ivy finance program, you will:
- Learn side-by-side with internationally known faculty who support you.
- Meet and learn from leaders in the industry.
- Work directly with career coordinators who support you in finding internships and full-time employment.
- Have the opportunity to work with experts in the Ivy Writing and Speaking Center.
- Have access to a devoted academic advisor who supports you.
- Have access to scholarships — learn more about the scholarships we offer to our business students/
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Requirements
Finance major requirements and classes (For students entering Iowa State fall 2024)
Sample four-year plan
Prior catalog year requirements (for current students)
Finance minor
Concurrent master of finance
Curriculum Guide 2024
General Education Requirements 2024
Academic services
At the Ivy College of Business, we are here to support you from day one. We have academic advisors ready to help you select your classes and choose your major.
Professional career coaching
At Ivy, you can take advantage of professional career coaching. A career coordinator can assist you on how to approach the job market and to develop job-seeking strategies as well as networking opportunities. We are here to help you succeed!
Take the next step
As an Ivy finance major, you’ll become an expert on how to make the most of financial markets, successfully raise capital, manage risk, grow assets, and serve the diverse needs of shareholders, partners, and employees.
Connect with us
Undergraduate Student Services
1200 Gerdin Business Building
2167 Union Drive
Ames, Iowa 50011
undergrad@iastate.edu
515-294-8300
Questions?
- Send us an email: undergrad@iastate.edu.
- Call at 515-294-8300 any time between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday-Friday.
- Schedule a video chat with a member of our recruitment staff. We can do this on your favorite platform, just let us know which one you prefer: Google Hangouts, Zoom, Skype, FaceTime, or suggest another. Email our recruitment staff: choosebusiness@iastate.edu.