Business & Finance Rank as Most Valuable Degrees, According to CFA Institute Survey

When it comes to choosing a college major, a study from CFA Institute, the global association of investment professionals, found that students believe that business and finance degrees offer the best career prospects, according to nearly 10,000 current students and recent graduates, aged 18-25, per a recent press release. The 2023 Global Graduate Outlook Survey gleans insights from recent graduates to inform current students as they head back to campus for the 2023-24 academic year and was conducted as an online survey, fielded by Dynata from April 12-24, 2023. Respondents were from the UK, US, Canada, India, Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong SAR, UAE, Germany, Spain, France, Brazil, and Mexico.

As today’s students start planning for their careers, it is important to carefully select a major that best aligns with their passions and sets them up for long-term success. The research found that finance and STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) subjects were the career fields that graduates consider the most stable. Aligning with that preference, business and finance were also seen as the most valuable degrees, followed by engineering, technology and medicine.

“Despite the uncertainty created by the pandemic, students and recent graduates across the world feel positive about their career prospects, most notably in finance, which now enjoys the confidence of more graduates than any other profession,” said Margaret Franklin, CFA, President and CEO, CFA Institute.

In addition to wanting to pursue majors that support their post-graduate goals, respondents said they possess a determination to make a positive societal and environmental contribution through their careers. More than three-fourths of American graduates (87%) say it’s important that they make a positive societal and environmental contribution.

Regardless of the degree or career path chosen, the value of pursuing a degree remains paramount to recent graduates. Roughly three-quarters of graduates say pursuing a degree was worth it (77%) and that their career prospects have improved by undertaking a degree (74%). As students get back in the swing of studying this academic year, they can feel empowered by the value of their degree to their future success and career opportunities.

In addition, as current students begin to weigh different career options, there is no better time to learn about the possibilities of finance careers. Within the financial system, there are numerous opportunities to pursue diverse career paths that can both make positive social changes and provide career success for years to come. To learn more about careers in finance, students can visit: https://www.cfainstitute.org/en/programs/cfa/charterholder-careers/roles.