Online Finance Degree - Bachelor's Program | WGU

Online Finance Degree - Bachelor's Program | WGU
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Bachelor of Science
Online Finance Degree
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OVERVIEW
A Technology-Forward Online Finance Degree
In the field of finance, possessing the latest knowledge and skills can make all the difference to your success. WGU’s Bachelor of Science in Finance degree is a technology-forward program designed to prepare you to become an in-demand professional. This program focuses on application of skills and knowledge in traditional finance practice as well as emerging trends and technologies.
Designed with input from industry experts, this fully online bachelor's degree program sets you up with a solid foundation to execute on the most
sought-after skills
Financial modeling and data visualization
Fintech
Blockchain/cryptocurrency AI
Automated trading
Valuation
and protection of digital/information assets
Financial planning
Portfolio management
Technology and innovation
Logistics and operations
When you graduate with your bachelor’s degree in finance, you’ll be prepared to work for a range of employers—from Wall Street banks to wealth management firms.
Now’s the time to expand your education—and your career opportunities—with a degree in finance.
Compare this degree:
Also considering the B.S. Accounting degree program?
This article can help you understand the differences
62% of graduates finish similar programs within
24 Months*
WGU lets you move more quickly through material you already know and advance as soon as you're ready. The result: You may finish faster.
*WGU Internal Data
Flexible Schedule
Tuition per six-month term is
$3,830
Tuition charged per term—rather than per credit—helps students control the ultimate cost of their finance degree. Finish faster, pay less!
Cost & Time
Average salary increase
$12,214*
School of Business undergraduates report an average salary increase of $12,214 after completing their WGU degree.
*WGU Internal Data
Career Outlook
Ready to Start Your WGU Journey?
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COURSES
Finance Courses
Program consists of 40 courses
At WGU, we design our curriculum to be timely, relevant, and practical—all to help you show that you know your stuff.
Program Guide
The WGU bachelor’s degree in finance is an affordable way to prepare for a career in financial planning, management consulting, wealth management, investment banking, and more. Learn how to analyze an organization’s financial data and make strategic recommendations that support its growth.
The curriculum in this program is industry-aligned around professional certifications, including the Certified Management Accountant (CMA) and Financial Planning and Analysis Professional to ensure that you gain the knowledge and skills today’s employers look for.
WHAT ABOUT TRANSFER CREDITS?
Program consists of:
40 courses
An unofficial estimated 14 courses are fulfilled by your associate degree leaving 27 courses.
I Have an Associate Degree
Estimate My Transfer Credits
Courses Fulfilled By Your Associate Degree
This is an unofficial estimate of your transfer credits. You may receive more or less credits depending upon the specific courses taken to complete your degree and other credits you may have.
Below are the anticipated courses that will be fulfilled based on your indication that you have earned an associate’s degree. During the enrollment process this information will be verified.
General Education
Applied Probability and Statistics
Applied Probability and Statistics is designed to help students develop competence in the fundamental concepts of basic statistics including: introductory algebra and graphing; descriptive statistics; regression and correlation; and probability. Statistical data and probability are often used in everyday life, science, business, information technology, and educational settings to make informed decisions about the validity of studies and the effect of data on decisions. This course discusses what constitutes sound research design and how to appropriately model phenomena using statistical data. Additionally, the content covers simple probability calculations, based on events that occur in the business and IT industries. No prerequisites are required for this course.
Global Arts and Humanities
This is a Global Arts and Humanities course that contains three modules with corresponding lessons. This course is an invitation to see the world through the humanities, examine the humanities during the Information Age, and explore the global origins of music—essentially questioning what makes us human, and how people are connected across culture and time. Each module includes learning opportunities through readings, videos, audio, and other relevant resources. Assessment activities with feedback also provide opportunities to practice and check learning. With no prior knowledge or experience, a learner can expect to spend 30-40 hours on the course content.
Applied Algebra
Applied Algebra is designed to help you develop competence in working with functions, the algebra of functions, and using some applied properties of functions. You will start learning about how we can apply different kinds of functions to relevant, real-life examples. From there, the algebra of several families of functions will be explored, including linear, polynomial, exponential, and logistic functions. You will also learn about relevant, applicable mathematical properties of each family of functions, including rate of change, concavity, maximizing/minimizing, and asymptotes. These properties will be used to solve problems related to your major and make sense of everyday living problems. Students should complete Applied Probability and Statistics or its equivalent prior to engaging in Applied Algebra.
US History: Stories of American Democracy
​This course presents a broad survey of U.S. history from early colonization to the mid-twentieth century. The course explores how historical events and major themes in American history have affected diverse populations, influenced changes in policy an established the American definition of democracy.  This course consists of an introduction and five major sections. Each section includes learning opportunities through reading, images, videos, and other relevant resources. Assessment activities with feedback also provide opportunities to practice and check how well you understand the content. Because the course is self-paced, you may move through the material as quickly or as slowly as you need to, with the goal of demonstrating proficiency in the five competencies covered in the final assessment. If you have no prior knowledge of this material, you can expect to spend 30-40 hours on the course content.​
Integrated Physical Sciences
This course provides students with an overview of the basic principles and unifying ideas of the physical sciences: physics, chemistry, and earth sciences. Course materials focus on scientific reasoning and practical, everyday applications of physical science concepts to help students integrate conceptual knowledge with practical skills.
Composition: Writing with a Strategy
Welcome to Composition: Writing with a Strategy! In this course, you will focus on three main topics: understanding purpose, context, and audience, writing strategies and techniques, and editing and revising. In addition, the first section, will offer review on core elements of the writing process, cross-cultural communication, as well as working with words and common standards and practices. Each section includes learning opportunities through readings, videos, audio, and other relevant resources. Assessment activities with feedback also provide opportunities to check your learning, practice, and show how well you understand course content. Because the course is self-paced, you may move through the material as quickly or as slowly as you need to gain proficiency in the seven competencies that will be covered in the final assessment. If you have no prior knowledge or experience, you can expect to spend 30-40 hours on the course content.
Introduction to Sociology
This course teaches students to think like sociologists, or, in other words, to see and understand the hidden rules, or norms, by which people live, and how they free or restrain behavior. Students will learn about socializing institutions, such as schools and families, as well as workplace organizations and governments. Participants will also learn how people deviate from the rules by challenging norms and how such behavior may result in social change, either on a large scale or within small groups.
Introduction to Communication: Connecting with Others
Welcome to Introduction to Communication: Connecting with Others! It may seem like common knowledge that communication skills are important, and that communicating with others is inescapable in our everyday lives. While this may appear simplistic, the study of communication is actually complex, dynamic, and multifaceted. Strong communication skills are invaluable to strengthening a multitude of aspects of life. Specifically, this course will focus on communication in the professional setting, and present material from multiple vantage points, including communicating with others in a variety of contexts, across situations, and with diverse populations. Upon completion, you will have a deeper understanding of both your own and others’ communication behaviors, and a toolbox of effective behaviors to enhance your experience in the workplace.
Critical Thinking: Reason and Evidence
In this course you will learn key critical thinking concepts and how to apply them in the analysis and evaluation of reasons and evidence. The course examines the basic components of an argument, the credibility of evidence sources, the impact of bias, and how to construct an argument that provides good support for a claim. The course consists of an introduction and four major sections. Each section includes learning opportunities through readings, videos, audio, and other relevant resources. Assessment activities with feedback also provide opportunities to check your learning, practice, and show how well you understand course content. Because the course is self-paced, you may move through the material as quickly or as slowly as you need to gain proficiency in the four competencies that will be covered in the final assessment. If you have no prior knowledge or experience, you can expect to spend 30-40 hours on the course content.
Health, Fitness, and Wellness
Health, Fitness, and Wellness focuses on the importance and foundations of good health and physical fitness—particularly for children and adolescents—addressing health, nutrition, fitness, and substance use and abuse.
Business Core
Emotional and Cultural Intelligence
Success in today’s workplace requires more than technical skill. It depends on emotional awareness, cultural understanding, and ethical decision-making. This course will help you strengthen your ability to communicate effectively, connect across differences, and lead with empathy. These are not soft skills. They are the professional capabilities employers value most and the human qualities that technology can never replace.
Principles of Financial and Managerial Accounting
Principles of Financial and Managerial Accounting provides students with an introduction to the discipline of accounting and its context within the business environment. In this course, students will learn to differentiate between financial, cost, and managerial accounting and where these accounting types fit into the business environment. This course will help students gain a fundamental knowledge of the budgeting process, how to analyze basic financial statements, and how to use spreadsheets to analyze data. This course provides students with a business generalist overview of the field of accounting and acts as a preview course for the accounting major.
Principles of Economics
Principles of Economics introduces students to foundational economic theories on markets and market behavior. This information is valuable to students pursuing careers involving decision making and is applicable to any industry. This course has three competencies: The Economic Way of Thinking, Microeconomics, and Macroeconomics. In the first, economics is defined, and fundamental economic principles are introduced. Microeconomics develops the supply and demand model and demonstrates how it is used to understand business interactions and to make public policy decisions. The competency includes supply, demand, elasticity, efficiency, market failure, costs, production, and market structure. Macroeconomics focuses on the measurement and performance of the nation economy. The competency includes macroeconomic variables, aggregate supply, aggregate demand, money, monetary policy, fiscal policy, and international trade.
Concepts in Marketing, Sales, and Customer Contact
Concepts in Marketing, Sales, and Customer Contact introduces students to the discipline of marketing and its role within the strategic and operational environments of a business. This course covers fundamental knowledge in the area of marketing planning, including the marketing mix, while also describing basic concepts of brand management, digital marketing, customer relationship management, and personal selling and negotiating. All of this helps students identify the role of marketing within an organization. This course provides students with a business generalist overview of the field of marketing and an exploration of the marketing major.
Innovative and Strategic Thinking
This course covers an important part of being a business professional: the knowledge and skills used in building and implementing business strategy. The course helps students build on previously acquired competencies in the areas of management, innovative thinking, and risk management while introducing them to the concepts and theories underpinning business strategy as a general business perspective. The course will help students gain skills in analyzing different business environments and in using quantitative literacy and data analysis in business strategy development and implementation. This course helps to provide students with a generalist overview of the area of business strategy.
Managing in a Global Business Environment
Managing in a Global Business Environment provides students with a generalist overview of business from a global perspective, while also developing basic skills and knowledge to help them make strategic decisions, communicate, and develop personal relationships in a global environment. Business today is by its very nature a global environment, and individuals working in business will experience the global nature of business as they progress through their careers. This course builds on previously acquired competencies by providing an overview of U.S. federal laws in relation to doing business in a global environment.
Business Environment Applications II: Process, Logistics, and Operations
Business Environment II: Logistics, Process, and Operations provides students with a generalist overview of the business environment as they explore themes of ethics, problem-solving, and innovative thinking. This course adds to the students’ business skills and knowledge in a number of professional areas. The first part of the course uncovers a series of business processes like project and risk management. The second part gives an introductory-level look at the specialized areas of operations management, supply chains, and logistics. The course finishes with models of change management and how to use them to overcome barriers in organizations.
Fundamentals for Success in Business
This introductory course provides students with an overview of the field of business and a basic understanding of how management, organizational structure, communication, and leadership styles affect the business environment. It also introduces them to some of the power skills that help make successful business professionals, including time management, problem solving, emotional intelligence and innovation; while also teaching them the importance of ethics. This course gives students an opportunity to begin to explore their own strengths and passions in relation to the field while also acclimating them to the online competency-based environment.
Business Environment Applications I: Business Structures and Legal Environment
Business Environment Applications 1 provides students with a generalist overview of the business environment and a deeper look at a number of topics that make up the non-discipline areas of business which are required for a business person to be successful within any business environment. The first part of the course focuses on knowledge about organizations and how people operate within organizations, including the areas of organizational theory, structure, and effectiveness. The course then looks at business from a legal perspective with an overview of the legal environment of business. The course will prepare the student to consider specific legal situations and to make legal and ethical decisions related to those situations.
Fundamentals of Spreadsheets and Data Presentations
Fundamentals of Spreadsheets and Data Presentations offers learners an overview of the use of spreadsheet functions and methods for presenting data within spreadsheets. Learners will have the opportunity to explore features and uses of MS Excel and apply the tools to situations they may encounter while studying in their program. They will also be introduced to real world uses and tools to collect, organize and present data.
Finance Skills for Managers
This course provides students with an introductory look at the discipline of finance and its context within the business environment. Students gain the knowledge to differentiate between personal and business finance and how they may overlap in a business environment. Students also gain a fundamental knowledge of financial forecasting and budgeting, statement analysis, and decision making. This course provides the student a business generalist overview of the field of finance and builds on previous acquired competencies related to using spreadsheets.
Principles of Management
Principles of Management provides students with an introductory look at the discipline of management and its context within the business environment. Students of this course build on previously mastered competencies by taking a more in-depth look at management as a discipline and how it differs from leadership while further exploring the importance of communication within business. This course provides students with a business generalist overview in the areas of strategic planning, total quality, entrepreneurship, conflict and change, human resource management, diversity, and organizational structure.
Information Technology Management Essentials
Information Technology Management Essentials includes topics such as information systems analysis, database resource management, spreadsheet literacy, and computer literacy concepts. This course will help students understand the importance of information technology in an organization and apply databases to solve business problems.
Business Management
Organizational Behavior
Organizational Behavior and Leadership explores how to lead and manage effectively in diverse business environments. Students are asked to demonstrate the ability to apply organizational leadership theories and management strategies in a series of scenario-based problems.
Business Ethics
Business Ethics is designed to enable students to identify the ethical and socially responsible courses of action available through the exploration of various scenarios in business. Students will also learn to develop appropriate ethics guidelines for a business. This course has no prerequisites.
Values-Based Leadership
Values-Based Leadership guides students to learn by reflection, design, and scenario planning. Through a combination of theory, reflection, value alignment, and practice, the course helps students examine and understand values-based leadership and explore foundations in creating a culture of care. In this course, students are given the opportunity to identify and define their personal values through an assessment and reflection process. Students then evaluate business cases to practice mapping the influence of values on their own leadership. In this course, students also participate in scenario planning, where they can practice implementing their values in their daily routine (i.e., behaviors) and then in a leadership setting. The course illustrates how values-driven leadership is used in goal setting as well as problem-solving at an organizational level. There are no prerequisites for this course.
Project Management
Project Management prepares you to manage projects from start to finish within any organization structure. The course represents a view into different project-management methods and delves into topics such as project profiling and phases, constraints, building the project team, scheduling, and risk. You will be able to grasp the full scope of projects you may work with on in the future, and apply proper management approaches to complete a project. The course features practice in each of the project phases as you learn how to strategically apply project-management tools and techniques to help organizations achieve their goals.
Quantitative Analysis For Business
Quantitative Analysis for Business explores various decision-making models, including expected value models, linear programming models, and inventory models. This course helps student learn to analyze data by using a variety of analytic tools and techniques to make better business decisions. In addition, it covers developing project schedules using the Critical Path Method. Other topics include calculating and evaluating formulas, measures of uncertainty, crash costs, and visual representation of decision-making models using electronic spreadsheets and graphs. This course has no prerequisites.
Operations and Supply Chain Management
Operations and Supply Chain Management provides a streamlined introduction to how organizations efficiently produce goods and services, determine supply chain management strategies, and measure performance. Emphasis is placed on integrative topics essential for managers in all disciplines, such as supply chain management, product development, and capacity planning. This course guides students in analyzing processes, managing quality for both services and products, and measuring performance while creating value along the supply chain in a global environment. Topics include forecasting, product and service design, process design and location analysis, capacity planning, management of quality and quality control, inventory management, scheduling, supply chain management, and performance measurement.
Finance
Personal Finance
Personal Finance provides learners with an introduction to the discipline of finance from the perspective of the person, or family, rather than from the viewpoint of a business. In this course, learners will gain an understanding of financial literacy concepts, including personal budgeting and how to apply financial principles to achieve personal financial goals. Learners will identify various strategies to manage risks, to enhance postretirement income, and to accumulate and transfer wealth. Topics include record keeping, credit principles, cash flow, investment philosophy, monetary asset management, housing, and estate planning. This course provides learners with a general overview of personal finance and acts as a preview course for the finance major. There are no prerequisites for this course.
Financial Statement Analysis
Financial Statement Analysis discusses the concepts and provides tools for financial analysts to evaluate the financial elements of the firm as well as external factors to ultimately arrive at a valuation. You will learn a process to analyze data and the concepts where you can determine the quality of that data. This process provides a structure where ratios and company results are not looked at individually but as a whole in determining the worth of an enterprise, leading to an analysis-based valuation of the firm.
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance is about business structures that set the environment for the day-to-day operations of a business. This course teaches learners about the common forms of business structures, the factors that business owners consider when they choose which structure to use, and the roles of shareholders and stakeholders. This course also teaches that managing the financial function involves capitalizing the company and evaluating capital budget techniques, including those that use the time value of money. Through this course, learners will learn how to calculate the cost to finance a business using the weighted average cost of capital, how to value stocks and bonds, and how to determine the value of the firm. The prerequisites for this course include Principles of Financial and Managerial Accounting, Finance Skills for Managers, Applied Probability and Statistics, Principles of Economics, and Financial Statement Analysis.
Financial Management II
This course covers capital budgeting and long-term funding strategies. The course will delve into more advanced financial management principles primarily targeted toward corporate investment and capital planning. This course also explores an enterprise’s capital structure and how equity and long-term debt are used to finance and sustain long-term fixed asset projects. Decision methods, such as net present value, internal rate of return, and payback period, are discussed as techniques a finance professional might use in identifying and structuring the optimal capital budget. The learner will gain an understanding about equity capital, will assess financial markets, and will examine the differences in shareholder classifications and bonds. The course will teach how the dividend policy is devised and discover how the organization uses its corporate investment strategy to increase not only shareholder value but also corporate value for the shareholder. Prerequisites for Financial Management II are D196, Principles of Financial and Managerial Accounting; D076, Finance Skills for Managers; D363, Personal Finance; D362, Corporate Finance; D364, Financial Management I; and D366, Financial Statement Analysis.
Enterprise Risk Management
Enterprise Risk Management provides learners with an introduction to the discipline of risk management from the perspective of an organization rather than from the viewpoint of a person. In this course, learners will learn risk management concepts, including risk tolerance, risk appetite, and how to utilize governance and compliance resources to achieve an effective risk management strategy. Throughout this course, learners will determine various strategies to identify, assess, monitor, and control risks and other threats to an organization. Topics include approaches to risk mitigation, generally accepted frameworks and standards adopted to manage risk, current environmental, societal, and governance matters of risk interest to an organization, disaster recovery plans, and insurance products.
Innovation in Finance
Innovation in Finance provides students with an introduction to the technologies and product solutions that have disrupted the financial services industry. In this course, students will learn about the emerging financial technologies contributing to the evolution of lending, payments, wealth management, financial planning, and the insurance industry. This course will examine the role financial technology (FinTech) firms serve as financial disruptors and how these organizations are developed and supported, from start-up to scale. Throughout the course, students will identify the impact emerging technologies and FinTechs have on businesses, individuals, and society as a whole. Topics include emerging technology products and services, incubators, accelerator programs, FinTech ecosystems, and technologies that enable and facilitate disruption by emerging technologies. This course provides students with a general overview of financial innovation and serves as an integral component of the finance major. D076: Principles of Finance is a prerequisite for this course.
Finance Capstone
This course is designed as a synthesis of the knowledge learners have acquired throughout the program. The course culminates in a performance assessment that requires learners to apply the competencies gained throughout the finance program. In this course, learners will draw upon the concepts and techniques introduced in the undergraduate finance program to perform a comprehensive financial analysis of an enterprise. In completing the course, learners will perform analyses with spreadsheet software to simulate a real-world experience of a finance career professional.
Financial Management I
This course covers basic financial management principles primarily targeted to the operations part of a business. The learner gains an understanding about the basic finance organization in an enterprise in support of the company's primary goal to increase corporate value for shareholders in an ethical way. Tools a finance professional might use in managing the cash and current assets are discussed along with cash budgeting and financial strategic planning. The Dupont equation is reviewed as the basis for analyzing and improving the performance of the enterprise to improve value. The learner will acquire knowledge about how forecasting models and financial instruments are used to optimize the working capital investment portfolio. Prerequisite for Financial Management I is Corporate Finance.
Human Resources
Employment and Labor Law
Employment and labor law provides the framework that protects employees and guides employers. This course equips you to interpret and apply the legal requirements that shape every stage of the employment relationship. You will learn how to identify risks, ensure compliance, and establish fair practices that protect both organizational interests and employee rights.
Functions of Human Resource Management
Human resource management is where strategy and people come together. This course introduces you to the full scope of HR functions, including workforce planning, talent acquisition, compensation, employee development, labor relations, and workplace safety. By understanding how these functions work together, you will see how HR professionals influence both business results and the employee experience.
Accounting
Business Law for Accountants
Business Law for Accountants is designed to provide the advanced accounting student an understanding of the legal environment and issues encountered in the profession. Topics include the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC), contracts, securities regulation, Sarbanes-Oxley Act, legal entities, ethics, agency, and bankruptcy. The prerequisite to this course is Financial Accounting.
40 Courses
Program consists of 40 courses
At WGU, we design our curriculum to be timely, relevant, and practical—all to help you show that you know your stuff.
Program Guide
Capstone Project
Special requirements for this program
At the end of your program, you’ll complete a capstone project that that allows you to take what you’ve learned and apply it to a real-world situation, performing a financial analysis of an enterprise with software that simulate the experience of a finance professional.
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WGU vs. Traditional Universities
Compare the Difference
Traditional Universities
TUITION STRUCTURE
Per credit hour
Flat rate per 6-month term
SUPPORT
Schedule and wait days or even weeks to meet with one of many counselors
Simply email or call to connect with your designated Program Mentor who supports you from day one
EXAMS
Scheduled time
Whenever you feel ready
SCHEDULE
Professor led lectures at a certain time and place
Courses available anytime, from anywhere
TIME TO FINISH
Approximately 4 years, minimal acceleration options
As quickly as you can master the material, typically less than 3 years
TRANSFER CREDITS
Few accepted, based on certain schools and specific courses
A generous transfer policy that is based on your specific situation
Apply Now
Traditional Universities
TUITION STRUCTURE
Per credit hour
TUITION STRUCTURE
Flat rate per 6-month term
SUPPORT
Schedule and wait days or even weeks to meet with one of many counselors
SUPPORT
Simply email or call to connect with your designated Program Mentor who supports you from day one
EXAMS
Scheduled time
EXAMS
Whenever you feel ready
SCHEDULE
Professor led lectures at a certain time and place
SCHEDULE
Courses available anytime, from anywhere
TIME TO FINISH
Approximately 4 years, minimal acceleration options
TIME TO FINISH
As quickly as you can master the material, typically less than 3 years
TRANSFER CREDITS
Few accepted, based on certain schools and specific courses
TRANSFER CREDITS
A generous transfer policy that is based on your specific situation
Apply Now
Why WGU?
Earning Potential
A degree can dramatically impact your earning potential. According to a 2024
Harris Poll
, two years after graduation, WGU students report earning $22,200 more per year.
PAYING FOR SCHOOL
On Your Schedule
Competency-based education means you can move as quickly through your degree as you can master the material. You don't have to log in to classes at a certain time—you are truly in the driver's seat of your education
A FLEXIBLE SCHEDULE
Ready For Your Next Step
Graduates of this program are ready to progress toward the Certified Corporate Financial Planning & Analysis Professional and Certified Management Accountant certifications. This program meets the requirements for both of these financial exams.
ADMISSIONS INFO
Accredited, Respected,
Recognized™
One important measure of a degree’s value is the reputation of the university where it was earned. When employers, industry leaders, and academic experts hold your alma mater in high esteem, you reap the benefits of that respect. WGU is a pioneer in reinventing higher education for the 21st century, and our quality is institutionally recognized.
COST & TIME
How Much Does it Cost to Get a Finance Degree Online?
By charging per term rather than per credit—and empowering students to accelerate through material they know well or learn quickly—WGU helps students control the ultimate cost of their degrees. The faster you complete your program, the less you pay for your degree.
Apply FREE
Tuition Calculator
Pay less by completing your program faster
TOTAL COST:
YEARS
Cost Breakdown
Tuition
3,830
E-Books and Resources Fee
200
TOTAL (per 6-month term)
6-month terms
Total Cost
A Finance Degree Within Reach
There is help available to make paying for school possible for you:
The average student loan debt of WGU graduates in 2022 (among those who borrowed) was less than half* the national average.
Responsible Borrowing Initiative
Most WGU students qualify for financial aid, and WGU is approved for federal financial aid and U.S. veterans benefits.
Financial Aid
Many scholarship opportunities are available. Find out what you might be eligible for.
Scholarships
WGU undergraduate students have approximately half the debt at graduation compared to the national average, according to the Institute for College Access and Success (2022).
FLEXIBLE SCHEDULE
You Don’t Have to Put Your Life on Pause to Earn Your Degree.
WGU was built for the busy.
Study whenever and wherever works best for you while managing your existing job and family responsibilities. Your effort, not class time, determines the pace of your progress. We call it competency-based education, and it works like this:
Review your course material.
When you feel like you know the material, take an online assessment.
Pass and move on to the next unit.
There’s no waiting for a new semester to start. At WGU, you control where, when, and how fast you earn your online finance degree.
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“Now that I'm doing full-cycle accounting, I understand the scope. I understand where you start and where you're supposed to wind up. It just makes a lot more sense. Earning my degree has really helped me fill in the blanks and take my job satisfaction to a higher level because I actually understand why I'm doing what I'm doing now.”
—Kate Leger
B.S. Accounting
CAREER OUTLOOK
Your Finance Degree Can Add Up to a Lucrative Career
Turn your knack for numbers into a rewarding finance career with WGU’s Bachelor of Science in Finance degree. Financial professionals play a crucial role in ensuring a company or client’s financial stability. Earning your B.S. in finance degree ensures that your skills will be highly sought after, because every organization—from healthcare to technology—needs people to track its revenue and expenses. This is a rewarding career field that comes with
great job security and high salaries
, even for entry-level positions. This online finance degree at WGU
combines traditional practice
and
emerging trends
to prepare you for a variety of career opportunities in the finance realm.
MORE ABOUT CAREERS
Return on Your Investment
Many WGU graduates may see an increase in income post-graduation
Average income increase in annual salary vs. pre-enrollment salary from all degrees. Source:
2024 Harris Poll
of 1,655 WGU graduates.
Survey was sent to a representative sample of WGU graduates from all colleges. Respondents received at least one WGU degree since 2017.
9%
Employment of financial analysts is projected to
grow 9% through 2033
, much faster than average for all occupations.
—U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
A Bachelor’s in Finance Paves the Way for Career Success
Our alumni have great jobs and satisfying careers:
Job Titles
Investment analyst
Financial director
Vice president of finance and operations
Underwriter
Chief financial officer
Actuary
Diverse Industries
Financing
Investment Banking
Real Estate Investment & Management
Venture Capital/Startups
Insurance; Lending & Credit
Major Employers
Bank of America
U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs
Goldman Sachs
Wyndham
Northrop Grumman
WGU Grads Hold Positions With Top Employers
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ADMISSIONS
WGU Admission Requirements
What We Look for in Applicants
WGU considers a range of factors that reflect academic readiness, alignment with our mission, and potential for success in the program when reviewing applications. While no single element guarantees admission, strong applications to undergraduate programs possess one or more of the following:
Successfully complete college coursework
Possess an approved industry certification
Earned an associate’s degree in a related field
Applicants must possess a high school diploma or its equivalent AND demonstrate program readiness through one of the following:
Option 1
: Submit transcripts documenting completion of college-level coursework with a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher.
Option 2
: Possess a bachelor's or associate's degree from an accredited post-secondary institution.
Option 3
: Submit high school transcripts for review with a GPA of 2.0 or higher.
GENERAL ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
Get Your Enrollment Checklist
Download your step-by-step guide to enrollment.
VIEW CHECKLIST
Get Your Questions Answered
Talk to an WGU Enrollment Counselor.
CONTACT AN ENROLLMENT COUNSELOR
Transfer Credits
If you’ve taken courses, have earned certifications, or received a degree from a community college or another university, you're likely already well on your way to a WGU degree.
You can almost always transfer credits when you send accredited bachelor's or asociate degree transcripts.
WGU’s curriculum structure is competency-based, allowing you to apply your existing knowledge and skills to your education.
Students with an Associate of Arts (A.A.) or Associate of Science (A.S.) degree usually qualify for upper-division standing at WGU.
Depending on your degree program, you may qualify for additional requirement waivers.
If you have completed some college coursework but have not earned a degree, WGU will conduct  a transcript evaluation.
Your experience may waive some of your requirements.
TRANSFER INFORMATION
MORE DETAILS
WGU Certificates in Finance
Each of WGU’s Bachelor’s in Business degree programs begin with the same 4 terms of core classes, covering business basics and including valuable certificates. For the finance degree, you'll earn the you'll earn the strategic thinking and innovation, and leadership certificates. After finishing these core courses, you move forward to courses in your chosen major of Accounting, Business Management, Healthcare Management, Human Resource Management, Marketing, or IT Management.
MORE ABOUT COURSES
Strategic Thinking & Innovation
Strategic Thinking & Innovation
Leadership
Leadership
FAQs about a Finance Bachelor’s Degree
General Finance Program Questions
Online Finance Program Questions
A finance degree can prepare you for several careers, including:
Financial Analyst
Investment Banker
Actuary
Budget Analyst
Product Line Manager
Investment Analyst
Asset Manager
Underwriter
Salaries can vary quite a bit depending on your educational background and experience. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) the median annual wage for financial and business professionals was $77,000 in 2021, with
salaries ranging from $47,000 to $128,000
The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) lists an expected average
first-year salary of $60,695
for business and finance-related majors in 2022.
Finance can be a challenging degree path. But if you enjoy math, problem solving, and thinking strategically, then finance will likely be a rewarding degree for you.
The main difference between accounting and finance is that in finance, you typically focus on planning and directing the financial transactions for an organization. This includes budgeting, strategy, etc. In accounting, the focus is on recording and reporting on those transactions according to GAAP.
Success in this field requires a solid understanding of math. But you don’t have to be a math whiz to master your courses—you just have to be willing to put in the work and ask for help when you need it.
Earning your degree in finance comes with many benefits: it can give you the financial skills today’s employers are looking for and set you up for a stable, high-earning career in countless fields.
Yes! According to the BLS, jobs in finance are in high demand. Approximately
98,200 openings
for financial and business occupations are projected each year from 2021 to 2031.
The cost of your online accounting degree will vary based on the school you choose—different schools will have different tuition and fee amounts. WGU is one of the most affordable options for an online accounting degree, with tuition costing just $3,830 per six-month term. Tuition is charged per term, not per credit, so you can take as many courses as you're able during your six-month term. That means graduating faster will cost less!
Yes! There are many online degree programs that offer finance degrees. Do your research to learn which kind of online university is the best fit for you. For example, WGU offers entirely online degrees and no set class times—you do your coursework on your schedule. This helps you take control of your education and earn an online finance degree on your timeline.
There are many online colleges that offer finance degree programs, so it's important to do your research to find the best fit for you. Look at tuition costs, accreditation, educational models, and coursework to figure out which program is best. WGU is highly reputable, accredited, and affordable. Our online finance degree program has helped thousands of students pursue a finance career and find success.
An online finance degree is extremely valuable if you want to become a finance professional. For most finance positions you will need at least a bachelor's degree. This will help you learn about fundamental finance principles, rules, regulations, financial statements, and more.
An online finance degree can be a fantastic choice if you are currently working full-time and want to maintain your job while furthering your education. An online finance degree also allows you to get valuable credentials that boost your résumé, preparing you to move forward in your career. An online finance degree can be a great option for many working professionals and students who are looking for an accessible degree option.
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