by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 17 U.S. colleges awarded 253 degrees and certificates in Risk Management. Bachelor’s degrees are the most popular award, at 71% of graduates. College Factual ranks 7 schools in its 2027 Best Risk Management Schools ranking and compares their cost in a Best Value ranking. Graduates earn a median $63,256 one year after completing, rising to $79,232 after four years.
Studying Risk Management involves the study of A Program That Focuses On The Principles Of Business Risk Measurement, Mitigation, And Management. Includes Instruction In Business Analytics, Foundations Of Insurance And Risk Management, Investments, Life And Health Insurance, Loss Prevention, Property And Liability Insurance Risk Assessment, Risk Control, Risk Financing, And Security.
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
In the U.S., risk management is a popular field of study, with 253 degrees awarded annually. 17 colleges award risk management degrees, an average of 15 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 135.
By level, the 253 awards include 179 bachelor’s degrees and 74 master’s degrees.
Women earned 42% of risk management degrees and certificates in the latest year (105 of 253). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (161) and Asian (22), and international students earned 9.
College Factual ranks 7 schools in its 2027 Best Risk Management Schools ranking, including 7 for bachelor’s degrees. It also ranks risk management schools within 2 states. In all, 17 colleges offer risk management programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Risk Management Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common risk management credential is the bachelor’s degree: 179 of the 253 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to risk management call most for Reading Comprehension, Critical Thinking and Active Listening, and for knowledge of Mathematics, Economics and Accounting and English Language, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Written Comprehension, Oral Expression and Oral Comprehension.
Top skills, rated 0–5:
Top knowledge areas, rated 0–5:
How long a risk management degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 179 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 74 |
Bachelor’s degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to risk management, at 53.3%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree | 53.3% |
| Master’s degree | 18.1% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 7.5% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 6.5% |
| Some college courses | 4.7% |
| First professional degree | 3.7% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 3.1% |
| Less than a high school diploma | 1.8% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 1.0% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 0.3% |
Source: O*NET Online.
7 occupations are related to Risk Management, with an average median salary of $124,577; the strongest outlook belongs to Investment Fund Managers, at 14.1% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Risk Adjustment Analyst, Operational Risk Manager, Business Risk Manager and Loss Control Consultant.
The occupation related to risk management with the most projected jobs is Financial Risk Specialists, at 684,551.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Financial Risk Specialists | 684,551 | -3.8% |
| Treasurers and Controllers | 229,662 | 0.6% |
| Actuaries | 216,689 | -3.6% |
| Investment Fund Managers | 185,925 | 14.1% |
| General and Operations Managers | 163,335 | -2.2% |
| Financial Managers | 145,690 | 9.0% |
| Insurance Underwriters | 55,479 | -3.6% |
Risk Management graduates earn a median $63,256 one year after completing their program, $79,232 after four years and $73,412 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $63,256 |
| 4 years | $79,232 |
| 5 years | $73,412 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The highest-paying occupation related to risk management is Treasurers and Controllers, with a median salary of $162,461.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Treasurers and Controllers | $162,461 |
| Investment Fund Managers | $157,819 |
| General and Operations Managers | $149,694 |
| Insurance Underwriters | $129,939 |
| Financial Risk Specialists | $127,364 |
| Financial Managers | $75,665 |
| Actuaries | $69,100 |
Risk Management has 15 similar majors in the Business, Management & Marketing field, which together award 421,499 degrees a year; the largest are Business Administration and Management, General (352,768), Organizational Leadership (16,833) and Business Administration, Management and Operations, Other (12,704). Browse all Business, Management & Marketing majors or the full list of college majors.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Business Administration and Management, General | 352,768 |
| Organizational Leadership | 16,833 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations, Other | 12,704 |
| Operations Management and Supervision | 11,915 |
| Logistics, Materials, and Supply Chain Management | 11,775 |
| Project Management | 6,038 |
| Office Management and Supervision | 2,975 |
| Non-Profit/Public/Organizational Management | 2,443 |
| Retail Management | 1,363 |
| Purchasing, Procurement/Acquisitions and Contracts Management | 805 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
