A finance trade school or college program prepares you to work with money for banks, credit unions, investment firms and businesses. Most people start through a banking or finance associate degree, a bachelor’s in finance or a short online certificate.
Shorter programs lead to banking, lending and financial services jobs, while financial analyst and financial planner careers usually call for a bachelor’s degree. Programs differ most in length, cost and the license or certification they prepare you for.
Compare Finance Programs
We selected five programs that show the main ways to train for a finance career: an online financial analyst certification, a technical college banking degree, an online finance associate degree, an online bachelor’s and a financial planner education program. It’s a selection, not a ranking, and the school list below has more options.
| School | Credential and Length | Format and Location | Published Cost | Accreditation and Extras |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Corporate Finance Institute (CFI)Financial Modeling & Valuation Analyst (FMVA) | Professional certification18 required courses plus a final exam | 100% onlineSelf-paced; no prerequisites | From $372.75 a yearSelf-Study plan at its current discount (list $497); the plan includes CFI’s other certifications | Not a college credentialCourses earn CPE credits; focused on Excel modeling and valuation |
| Milwaukee Area Technical CollegeBanking and Financial Services | AAS degree61 credits; about 2 years full time | Online or on campusDowntown Milwaukee and West Allis, Wisconsin; August and January starts | $2,221.20 a semester2026-27 estimate for 12 credits, Wisconsin residents; $3,165.96 for nonresidents | Public technical collegeEarn a Financial Services Trainee certificate and technical diploma on the way to the degree |
| Southern New Hampshire UniversityAS in Finance | Associate degree60 credits (20 courses) in 8-week terms | 100% onlineSix term starts a year | $354 a credit$21,240 for 60 credits before transfer credit | NECHE accreditedTransfer in up to 45 credits; stacks into SNHU’s BS in Finance |
| Western Governors UniversityBS Finance | BS degree40 courses; WGU says 62% of graduates finish similar programs within 24 months | 100% onlineSelf-paced; starts on the first of every month | $3,850 a six-month termSame rate for terms starting October 2026; plus a resources fee | NWCCU accreditedCurriculum aligned with the CFA Level I exam and the CMA and FP&A certifications |
| College for Financial PlanningCFP Professional Education Program | CFP education requirement7 courses; the college recommends 750 to 1,000 hours of study | OnlineLive online, on-demand or self-study | $5,565 to $8,250For all 7 courses, depending on format and payment plan | CFP Board Registered ProgramCounts for 15 credits in the college’s MS in Personal Financial Planning |
About these prices: Programs publish costs in different ways, so these figures aren’t directly comparable. CFI charges a yearly subscription; MATC publishes a per-semester estimate; SNHU charges by the credit, WGU by the six-month term and the College for Financial Planning by the program or course. None include the net price after grants.
Checked November 2026; subject to change. Sources: CFI pricing, MATC Banking and Financial Services and tuition, SNHU AS in Finance, WGU 2026-27 tuition and College for Financial Planning tuition.
Is There a Trade School for Finance?
Yes, though finance isn’t taught like a hands-on trade. Technical and community colleges offer banking, financial services and finance associate degrees, and online schools offer finance certificates and degrees you can finish in two years or less.
A two-year program fits jobs such as personal banker, loan specialist, credit analyst trainee and teller supervisor. Financial analyst, financial planner and investment jobs usually ask for a bachelor’s degree, so if those are your goal, pick an associate degree whose credits transfer into one.
Types of Finance Programs
Finance training comes at five levels. They differ most in length and in which jobs they open up:
- Professional certificate: weeks to monthsOnline courses in financial modeling, valuation or banking skills; no admission requirements
- Technical diploma or certificate: 1 or 2 semestersFor-credit banking and financial services courses at a technical or community college
- Associate degree: about 2 yearsAn AAS in banking and financial services or an AS in finance, for bank, lending and credit jobs or transfer
- Bachelor’s degree: about 4 yearsA BS in finance, the usual requirement for financial analyst, corporate finance and investment jobs
- CFP education or master’s: 1 to 2 yearsFinancial planning coursework or an MS in finance for people who already have, or are finishing, a bachelor’s
Accreditation: For a college certificate or degree, make sure the school holds institutional accreditation from an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, so your credits transfer and you can use federal aid. For the CFP path, the education program must be registered with the CFP Board.
Which Finance Program Fits Your Goals?
Start with the job you want. Banking and lending jobs are open to associate degree graduates, while analyst and planner jobs usually need a bachelor’s plus a certification.
Corporate Finance Institute (FMVA)
For adding financial analyst skills fast
CFI’s FMVA suits students and career changers who want practical Excel modeling and valuation skills, and people already in accounting or business roles who want to move toward financial analysis.
- Courses cover building three-statement models, budgeting and forecasting, valuation and presenting financial data.
- There are no prerequisites, and you don’t need a finance background to start.
- One subscription covers all of CFI’s courses and certifications.
Tradeoff: It isn’t a college degree, and most financial analyst job postings still ask for a bachelor’s.
See the certification →Milwaukee Area Technical College
For a technical college route into banking
MATC’s Banking and Financial Services degree suits students who want a two-year path into bank, credit union and lending jobs, online or in Milwaukee.
- Courses include principles of banking, money and financial markets, credit management, investment principles and corporate financial management, along with accounting, tax and Excel.
- You earn a Financial Services Trainee certificate and a technical diploma on the way to the degree.
- MATC says the degree transfers to one or more four-year schools.
Tradeoff: Out-of-state students pay a higher rate, and you’ll need a bachelor’s later for most analyst roles.
Explore Milwaukee Area Technical College →Southern New Hampshire University
For an online finance associate that leads into a bachelor’s
SNHU’s AS in Finance suits working adults who want a finance degree in two years with the option to keep going.
- Classes run in 8-week terms, so you take one or two courses at a time.
- Credits stack into SNHU’s BS in Finance, which is ACBSP accredited and offers a CFP Board-registered Financial Planning concentration.
- There’s no application fee.
Tradeoff: The per-credit rate is higher than in-state community college tuition in most states.
See the program →Western Governors University
For a self-paced online finance bachelor’s
WGU’s BS Finance suits disciplined, self-directed students, especially working adults with transfer credit, who are aiming for financial analyst or corporate finance roles.
- The curriculum is aligned with the CFA Level I exam and with the CMA and Financial Planning and Analysis Professional certifications.
- WGU estimates an associate degree covers about 14 of the 40 courses.
- You pay one rate per six-month term, no matter how many courses you finish.
Tradeoff: There are no scheduled classes, so slow progress means paying for more terms. WGU is online only.
See the program →College for Financial Planning
For the education step toward becoming a CFP professional
The college’s CFP Professional Education Program suits people who want to become financial planners or advisors and already have, or are finishing, a bachelor’s degree.
- The seven courses meet the CFP Board’s coursework requirement.
- You can choose live online classes, on-demand video or self-study.
- The courses count for 15 credits in the college’s MS in Personal Financial Planning.
Tradeoff: The coursework alone doesn’t make you a CFP professional. You still need a bachelor’s degree, the CFP exam and work experience.
See the program →Schools for Financial Analysts
Most financial analysts have a bachelor’s degree in finance, accounting, economics or another business or math field. Employers also value strong Excel skills, financial modeling and, for investment roles, progress toward the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation.
If you’re starting from scratch, a common route is an associate degree at a technical or community college, then a transfer into a finance bachelor’s such as WGU’s or SNHU’s. If you already have a bachelor’s in another field, a modeling certification such as CFI’s FMVA or a master’s in finance is usually the faster way in.
Finance Program Costs and Financial Aid
What you’ll pay depends mostly on the type of credential, whether the school is public or private, and how many credits you can transfer in.
Published costs before aid
- From $372.75 a yearOnline certification: CFI’s discounted Self-Study subscription, which includes the FMVA
- $2,221 to $3,166 a semesterTechnical college associate degree: MATC’s 2026-27 estimate for 12 credits, resident and nonresident
- $354 a credit or $3,850 a termOnline degrees: SNHU’s per-credit rate and WGU’s six-month flat rate
- $5,565 to $8,250CFP education: the College for Financial Planning’s seven-course program, depending on format
Before you compare prices, check:
- Whether the price covers the whole program, one term or one credit
- In-state versus out-of-state rates, including for online students
- How many of your existing credits will transfer
- Whether your employer offers tuition assistance
- Your net price after grants, using the school’s net price calculator
Costs from each program’s website, checked November 2026.
Paying for school: Degree programs at accredited schools accept federal student aid for eligible students, but professional certifications such as the FMVA don’t. See our guide to financial aid for trade school.
What You’ll Study in a Finance Program
Certificates focus on job skills; degree programs add accounting, economics, statistics and general education. Common subjects include:
- Principles of financeTime value of money, risk and return, and how businesses raise and spend money
- Banking and lendingHow banks and credit unions work, consumer and business loans, and credit analysis
- Money and financial marketsInterest rates, the Federal Reserve, and stock and bond markets
- InvestmentsStocks, bonds and funds, and building and evaluating a portfolio
- Financial statement analysisReading balance sheets, income statements and cash flow statements to judge a company’s health
- Corporate financeBudgeting, forecasting and choosing which projects a company should fund
- Excel and financial modelingBuilding forecasts and valuation models in spreadsheets
- Personal financial planningRetirement, insurance, tax and estate planning for individual clients
Finance Licenses and Certifications
Some finance jobs require a license, and others reward a certification. The most common are:
- FINRA Securities Industry Essentials (SIE)A $100 entry exam on securities basics; open to anyone 18 or older, with no firm sponsor needed
- FINRA Series 7 and other licensesRequired to sell securities; you must be sponsored by a FINRA member firm to take them
- CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER (CFP)For financial planners: registered coursework, a bachelor’s degree, the CFP exam and 6,000 hours of experience (or 4,000 as an apprentice)
- Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA)A three-level exam program for investment analysts and portfolio managers
- Financial Modeling & Valuation Analyst (FMVA)An online certification in Excel modeling and valuation for analyst roles
If you’re interested in the CPA license or bookkeeping credentials, see our pages on accounting trade schools and bookkeeping certification programs.
What Can You Do With Finance Training?
Finance graduates work at banks, credit unions, insurance companies, investment firms and the finance departments of almost every kind of business. Common job titles include:
- Personal bankerOpening accounts and helping customers choose loans and banking products; open to associate degree graduates
- Loan officerReviewing applications and recommending approval of consumer, mortgage or business loans
- Credit analystJudging whether people or companies can repay what they borrow
- Financial analystStudying company finances and investments to guide business and investment decisions; usually needs a bachelor’s
- Personal financial advisorHelping clients plan for retirement, taxes, insurance and investments; often CFP certified
- Securities sales agentBuying and selling stocks, bonds and other investments for clients; requires FINRA licenses
Jobs and pay: For pay and job outlook, see the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics profiles for financial analysts, personal financial advisors, loan officers and securities and financial services sales agents.
Finance Program FAQs
Can you go to trade school for finance?
Yes. Technical and community colleges offer banking, financial services and finance associate degrees, and some offer shorter diplomas and certificates. They lead to bank, lending and credit jobs, and many credits transfer to a bachelor’s if you later want an analyst or planner role.
Can you work in finance without a degree?
Some entry-level jobs, such as bank teller and some customer service roles at banks, don’t require a degree. Securities sales jobs need FINRA licenses, which a firm sponsors, but most firms also prefer a degree. Analyst, planner and corporate finance jobs usually require a bachelor’s.
How long does it take to get a finance degree?
An associate degree takes about two years full time, and a bachelor’s about four. Online programs with transfer credit or self-paced terms, such as WGU’s, can be faster; WGU says 62% of graduates finish similar programs within 24 months.
What degree do you need to be a financial analyst?
Most employers ask for a bachelor’s degree in finance, accounting, economics, statistics or a related field. For investment roles, many analysts also work toward the CFA designation, and some earn a master’s in finance or an MBA.
How do you become a financial advisor?
Most financial advisors have a bachelor’s degree. To earn the CFP certification, you complete CFP Board-registered coursework, pass the CFP exam and log 6,000 hours of experience, or 4,000 hours as an apprentice. Advisors who sell securities also need FINRA licenses, starting with the SIE exam.
Can you study finance online?
Yes, at every level. All five programs in our table can be completed online, from CFI’s self-paced certification to WGU’s bachelor’s and the College for Financial Planning’s CFP courses.
What’s the difference between finance and accounting?
Accounting records and reports what already happened with a company’s money, and it leads to bookkeeping, accounting and CPA careers. Finance uses that information to plan, invest, borrow and manage risk. See our accounting trade schools page if record-keeping and tax work appeal to you more.
Schools With Finance Programs
These schools offer finance, banking or related business programs. Open a school’s profile for programs, costs and contact details.
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