Finance and Financial Management

Finance (62 graduates) is a Wharton flagship: $122,698 year-one and $202,069 year-four. Debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.105 (ROI grade A) with median debt of $12,865 -- among the lowest program debt in Penn's dataset. Wharton finance graduates go directly into investment banking, private equity, and asset management at the highest-recruiting firms globally. The year-one figure of $122k is the highest in this cohort for a finance major, and the year-four figure of $202k reflects the compensation trajectory in investment banking and early private equity. The Wharton credential operates as a near-direct credential in the bulge-bracket banking recruiting process.

Finance produces 150 graduates with $102,814 year-one and $185,551 four-year -- the highest four-year figure in the WashU data. Debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.187 (ROI grade A). WashU finance graduates flow into investment banking, asset management, and corporate finance in St. Louis, Chicago, and New York. The $185k four-year figure reflects the compensation trajectory of finance professionals at bulge-bracket and middle-market banks. Median debt of $19,250 is low against these earnings.

Finance is Notre Dame's flagship earnings program and the highest-volume program in the dataset: 271 graduates per year, $99,222 median earnings at one year, and $160,313 at four years. Median debt is $19,000 and the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.191 earns an ROI grade of A. Mendoza finance graduates place at investment banks, private equity firms, and corporate finance divisions at rates that are high relative to non-Ivy peers. The one-year figure of $99,222 reflects strong placement into front-office financial services roles. For students who are confident in a finance career, the Notre Dame brand carries specific weight with Catholic-affiliated firms and Midwest financial institutions, in addition to the national bulge-bracket firms that recruit broadly from top programs. The four-year trajectory to $160,313 suggests strong advancement for those who stay in financial services.

Georgetown's McDonough School of Business sends 236 Finance graduates into the workforce earning $106,218 in year one -- the highest 1-year median of any Georgetown program. By year four, the figure reaches $152,744. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.159 (ROI grade A) and $16,877 median debt reflect both Georgetown's financial aid quality and the high earning power of finance graduates from a DC-based Jesuit university with strong Wall Street and consulting ties. Graduates enter investment banking, corporate finance, and financial services roles. The brand premium from McDonough is real in those markets.

Finance is Boston College's largest high-earning program at 384 graduates: $82,495 median year-one earnings and $147,746 at year four, with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.218 (ROI grade A). Median debt of $18,000 against $82k year-one earnings means most graduates recover debt in under a year of income. BC's Carroll School of Management finance pipeline flows directly into investment banking and asset management in Boston and New York. The four-year trajectory to $147k is among the strongest in the BC program set.

Finance is Wake Forest's top ROI program: 156 graduates, $85,944 year-one, $145,996 year-four, debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.227 (ROI grade A). Median debt of $19,500 at $85,944 year-one is negligible. The four-year trajectory to $145k places Wake Forest Finance among the top business school programs in the Southeast. Graduates enter investment banking, private equity, and corporate finance at rates well above regional peers, reflecting the school's relationship with Charlotte's financial services community.

Finance is Fordham's clearest ROI story: 262 graduates, $83,789 year-one median earnings, $141,860 at year four, and a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.320 (ROI grade B+). Median debt of $26,850 is less than four months of year-four earnings. Fordham's position in New York City feeds graduates directly into banking and asset management recruitment pipelines that would be harder to access from other geographies. Year-four earnings of $141,860 place this program in the top tier of finance programs nationally.

Finance is American's strongest ROI program by a wide margin -- 65 graduates per year, $83,505 first-year and $134,332 four-year median earnings, with median debt of $22,625 producing a 0.27 debt-to-earnings ratio and a B+ ROI grade. DC and New York placement drives the strong earnings. For prepared students focused on a finance career, AU's combination of Kogod School of Business credentials and DC-corridor access delivers comfortable ROI even at full sticker.

Finance is SMU's flagship outcome program with 326 graduates yearly - the largest cohort by a wide margin. Median first-year earnings of $83,159 and four-year earnings of $133,852 are exceptional, reflecting Dallas's role as a major southern financial center and SMU's deep alumni network. Median debt of $19,500 against this earnings level produces a 0.234 ratio and an A grade. This program is the single best ROI play on the campus.

434 graduates per year with 1-year median earnings of $81,844 and 4-year earnings of $132,075. Debt-to-earnings of 0.25 (grade: B+). McCombs School of Business carries significant brand recognition in Texas banking, private equity, and energy finance. Houston's energy finance corridor and Dallas's financial services sector recruit heavily from UT. The size of the graduating class combined with employer demand produces strong placement rates. This is not the highest-earning business path at UT, but the scale of the program and the employer network make it a solid choice.