topTo date, we’ve asked 261 current and past finance students about their happiness with their degree. Turns out, they rate it average.
There are thousands of majors available, and it can be overwhelming trying to choose one.
To help you reach the decision that is right for you, we asked students who have pursued a finance degree to respond to questions concerning five dimensions of the educational track they chose:
- Course material: Were they interested in the material they learned?
- Intellectual fulfillment: Did they find the coursework intellectually stimulating?
- Job prospects: Did they leave the program with job opportunities?
- Personality: Was the degree a good fit for their personality?
- Overall fit: Were they happy with the program overall?
We examined their responses and combined the rankings to give us an average satisfaction score across all students. This doesn't necessarily reflect how satisfied you would be with a finance degree, but it’s a starting point to help you evaluate your options.
How satisfied are finance students compared to other degrees?
Overall, finance students rate their satisfaction with their degree a 3.1 out of 5. This is low compared to other degrees which average a rating of 3.28 across all degrees. For context, finance students rate their happiness similarly to students in Engineering Technology, Digital Communication And Media/Multimedia and Finance and Related Studies.
Here are other degrees that have a similar satisfaction rating to finance
Let's break that down further.
Are finance students satisfied with what they’re learning?
We asked students about their satisfaction with their course material and overall intellectual fulfillment. Here’s what they said:
We asked graduates how interesting they found the course material to be. Their response was:
We asked graduates how intellectually fulfilling they found the degree. Their response was:
These ratings are meant to give you an indication about what other people enrolled in finance experienced. While their input is useful, keep in mind that different people have had vastly different experiences, all of which were impacted by their personal motivations, professors, and specific curriculum. Always keep your own goals at the center of your decision-making process when it comes to something as significant as your education.
Did finance graduates leave school with good job prospects?
Of course, working towards a degree is also about pursuing your desired career. Here’s what finance grads had to say about their job prospects:
We asked graduates how satisfied they were with their job prospects. Their response was:
We can see there’s a cluster of positive responses, which might indicate a strong or growing job market.
Were finance students happy with their degree overall?
This rating takes into account all factors: how demanding the program is, whether graduates felt it was worthwhile, and how fulfilling they found their educational experience.
We asked graduates how satisfied they were with their degree as a whole. Their response was:
As you consider this information and input from others, remember above all that your choice should be based on your interests, goals, passions, and abilities. Consider the future and give yourself time. If you’re feeling unsure, click here to take our career assessment and see what path could be right for you.
FAQs
Answer Example
"I am delighted with this career path, and I believe it is because I can help people on a daily basis. It is important for me to feel as though I am contributing to my community and this career certainly generates those feelings."
What is the satisfaction rate for finance? ›
Finance professionals are among the most satisfied workers, a recent survey by Monster found. More than one third (36%) of finance and accounting professionals expressed satisfaction with all aspects of their job.
Is finance a satisfying career? ›
Financial careers often involve high barriers to entry, stiff competition among applicants, and a lot of stress. Still, these jobs offer numerous perks, including a challenging work environment, interaction with highly motivated and intelligent colleagues, opportunities for advancement, and excellent pay.
Are people in finance jobs happy? ›
On average, financial analysts rate the meaningfulness of their work a 2.3/5. The majority of financial analysts struggle to find any sort of meaning in their work, likely resulting in less satisfaction with the career overall.
When were you most satisfied in your job example answers? ›
"I was really happy when I felt like a productive member of the team. One time, we were going to miss a deadline on an important project, but I was able to come up with a different strategy that helped everyone finish their part of the project on time. It ended up being a big success and getting us several new clients.
How do you answer job satisfaction questions? ›
Before answering the question, take the time to reflect on your career journey. Identify a specific moment or period when you felt particularly satisfied in your job. This could be a project completion, successful collaboration, or achieving a significant milestone.
How happy are finance majors? ›
How satisfied are finance students compared to other degrees? Overall, finance students rate their satisfaction with their degree a 3.1 out of 5. This is low compared to other degrees which average a rating of 3.28 across all degrees.
What is the average employee satisfaction rate? ›
Key Job Satisfaction Statistics
Their latest findings, derived from 2022 data, show the overall segment of satisfied workers is 62.3%. The highest percentage recorded. As a point of comparison, 56.8% of workers surveyed in 2020 said they were satisfied with their job. The historical low point was 42.6%.
What is the average rate of return in finance? ›
The average rate of return (ARR) is the average annual return (profit) from an investment. The ARR is calculated by dividing the average annual profit by the cost of investment and multiplying by 100 percent.
Why do people enjoy working in finance? ›
The Benefits of Working in Finance
Finance degree jobs can provide relatively high pay, stability, opportunities for advancement and consistent demand projections. Careers in finance may also offer flexibility for employees by allowing them to work remotely or in hybrid environments.
I'm drawn to finance because it provides a comprehensive understanding of an organization's financial health, risk management, and investment decisions. By pursuing a career in finance, I can strengthen my ability to analyze financial data, provide strategic insights, and guide organizations towards sustainable growth.
What do you enjoy most about your job in finance? ›
Many accounting and finance professionals love the scope and dynamic aspects of their jobs. They like being able to tap their technological know-how, methodical approaches to problem solving and deep understanding of how businesses work.
How stressful is a career in finance? ›
Finance is not always a stressful career, but for the highest-earning jobs it can be. Long hours and an “always on call” mentality can be extremely stressful for finance professionals, especially those dealing with global markets.
What is the hardest job in finance? ›
Trader is one of the most stressful jobs in finance. Traders may not work quite the crazy hours of investment bankers, but they have a sharper, more acute level of stress.
Do finance jobs have bad work life balance? ›
It's a bit counterintuitive to enter finance and then optimize for work / life balance, but there are some very comfortable finance jobs out there. It is entirely possible to earn >$300k and work <50 hours by your early 30s if you pick your spots right.
How do you explain job satisfaction? ›
Job satisfaction has been defined as a “pleasurable or positive emotional state, resulting from the appraisal of one's job experiences” [1].
What makes you happy and satisfied with your job employer? ›
Factors like a healthy work environment , fair compensation, access to employer-sponsored benefits, opportunities for development and the potential for advancement commonly contribute to employees feeling content in their roles.
How would you describe your level of satisfaction in your current role? ›
Assess your job satisfaction
Reflect on your current job and make a list of all the things that are satisfying to you about your work, such as tasks that you enjoy doing, positive relationships with coworkers, a sense of accomplishment when completing projects, etc. Write these things down in the "Satisfying" column.
