Career Opportunities

Opportunities in Finance

Please visit the Office of Career Services for much more information on career opportunities, job search, and resume enhancement.

The 2005 Business Fair will be held on Tuesday, October 25 from 10:30 AM to 2:30 PM in the Tivoli Turnhalle. Please bring copies of your resume and dress professionally. Read their tips on success at job fairs.

A career in Finance offers many rewards: the opportunity to achieve financial success, a challenging and interesting business environment, and the satisfaction of a meaningful role in a dynamic field. Finance encompasses a broad spectrum of positions, including real estate, corporate financial management, investments, banking, insurance, and personal financial planning. The demand for well-qualified persons is growing, and the outlook is strong for the 2000's and beyond.

From Main Street to Wall Street, the finance function is central to the purpose of the organization and its goals. Corporate financial management encompasses several important functions, such as treasury, capital budgeting, acquisitions and mergers, and long-term financing. Security analysis and portfolio management are key factors in today's complex investment environment. Personal financial planning is a rapidly expanding field.

Successful financial managers are analytical, creative, goal-oriented, and adaptable. Good communication skills are necessary, as well as a solid grounding in economics, accounting, and computer applications. The Finance Department at Metro assists its students in developing these skills to the level required in the ever-changing economy, both domestically and internationally.

Finance majors who graduated in 1999 could expect a starting salary of over $30,000.

Projected Starting Salaries for Business Majors*
Major	Avg. Salary	% change since last year	75th Percentiles	25th Percentiles
Economics/Finance	34,699	4.1	37,500	31,600

*Source: Job Outlook '99 Student Online Version by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE)

Finance majors with experience can expect even higher salaries.

1999 Investment Management Compensation Survey*

	1999 Median Compensation	90th Percentile**
Investment Counseling Firm	$185,000	$682,264
Bank	$128,000	$365,111
Securities	$185,000	$757,108
Broker/Dealer Insurance Company	$150,000	$430,769
Mutual Fund Management Company	$196,000	$814,603
Plan Sponsor/ Endowment/ Foundation	$104,200	$294,412
Pension Consulting Firm	$95,000	$256,250

* Copyright 1999 Association for Investment Management and Research and Russell Reynolds Associates, Inc.
** 10% of Investment Managers earn more than this amount

Investment professionals in the western region of the U.S. earned median total compensation of $150,000. Further, CFA charter holders were found to earn about 22% more than those without the CFA designation. This clearly shows the advantage of earning a professional designation and the continuing education that is required.

See also the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

If you think that you may be interested in majoring in finance, please make an appointment with the department chair. You may call (303) 556-3776, or stop by WC 247. Also, be sure to check the Metro State Career Services web site for Finance.