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Finance

Gies College of Business

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What is Finance?

Finance is concerned with the acquisition and management of funds by business firms, governments, and individuals. In our program, you’ll learn both the theoretical background and the analytical tools required to make effective judgements when determining the value of financial and real assets and derivatives. You’ll choose from three specializations: 

  • Corporate Finance 
  • Risk Management
  • Wealth Management

First-year students need to apply to Business Undeclared for admission consideration to Gies. They then can pursue the Finance degree if admitted.

Career Options

  • Asset management
  • Commercial banking
  • Corporate finance
  • Financial consulting
  • Financial planning
  • Insurance
  • Investment banking
  • Real estate
  • Sales & trading

Post-Graduation Success1

96% employed or continuing education

82% employed after graduation

14% attending graduate school

$65,053 average starting annual income

Sample employer destinations: PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), KPMG, EY View All

Sample grad school destinations: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Washington University in St. Louis, Johns Hopkins University View All

Program Resources

Gies College of Business Program Webpage Degree Requirements

Review Criteria

First-Year Major-Specific Criteria

  • Commitment to activities, employment, or community involvement

View All Review Criteria

Transfer Criteria

Transfer Guide

Graduation & Retention2

3.7 years to degree

96% first-year retention rate

83% four-year graduation rate

93% six-year graduation rate

Annual Program Costs3

Illinois Resident

  • Tuition: $17,976
  • Fees: $4,928
  • Expenses: $18,222
  • Total: $41,126

Non-Resident

  • Tuition: $37,096
  • Fees: $4,928
  • Expenses:$18,562
  • Total: $60,586

International

  • Tuition: $42,868
  • Fees: $4,928
  • Expenses: $18,562
  • Total: $66,358

Related Majors

1 Post-graduate data was collected through the Illini Success initiative, which primarily relies on self-reported survey data sources. Statistics are aggregated from the past three years. Please note that total compensation may be greater than annual salary as other forms of compensation (e.g., signing bonus, commission, benefits) are not included. For more information on Illini Success data and methods, please visit the Illini Success website. For average wage or salary information five years after entry into an occupation, visit the Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes Explorer.

2 Graduation and retention data comes from several majors within a similar interest area. Data may not yet be available for newly created programs. Years-to-degree data is only available for programs from which you can earn a degree. Retention and graduation rates are only available for programs that you can apply directly into. Retention rates reflect retention to the university, not necessarily retention within the major.

3 "Expenses" are estimated and include books, supplies, housing, and other living expenses. The exact amount you’ll pay depends on where you decide to live, the meal plan you choose, and your overall lifestyle. To learn more about costs, please visit the Office of Student Financial Aid website. To learn the average monthly student loan payment over a period of 20 years based on estimated cost, visit the Illinois College2Career website.

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