by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 2 U.S. colleges awarded 6 degrees and certificates in Financial Risk Management. Bachelor’s degrees are the most popular award, at 83% of graduates. Graduates earn a median $61,016 one year after completing, rising to $89,140 after four years.
A major in Financial Risk Management covers A Program That Focuses On The Strategies Used To Define And Manage Acceptable Financial Risk For Companies. Includes Instruction In Banking And Bank Regulations, Derivative Securities, Interest Rate And Credit Markets, Financial Engineering Of Systematic Risk, And Equity, Bond, Futures, And Options Markets.
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings. Data as of: July 2026.
In the U.S., financial risk management is a popular field of study, with 6 degrees awarded annually. 2 colleges award financial risk management degrees, an average of 3 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 5.
By level, the 6 awards include 1 certificates and 5 bachelor’s degrees.
Women earned 33% of financial risk management degrees and certificates in the latest year (2 of 6). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (4) and Hispanic or Latino (2).
The most common financial risk management credential is the bachelor’s degree: 5 of the 6 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to financial risk management call most for Critical Thinking, Reading Comprehension and Speaking, and for knowledge of Economics and Accounting, English Language and Mathematics, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Oral Expression, Written Comprehension and Oral Comprehension.
Top skills, rated 0–5:
Top knowledge areas, rated 0–5:
How long a financial risk management degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 1 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 5 |
Bachelor’s degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to financial risk management, at 51.9%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree | 51.9% |
| Master’s degree | 18.7% |
| Doctoral degree | 9.9% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 6.1% |
| Some college courses | 3.8% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 3.4% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 2.5% |
| Less than a high school diploma | 1.4% |
| First professional degree | 1.1% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 0.8% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 0.3% |
Source: O*NET Online.
9 occupations are related to Financial Risk Management, with an average median salary of $114,713; the strongest outlook belongs to Investment Fund Managers, at 14.1% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Credit Risk Analyst, Operational Risk Manager, Securities Research Analyst and Equity Research Analyst.
The occupation related to financial 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% |
| Credit Analysts | 274,988 | -3.7% |
| Treasurers and Controllers | 229,662 | 0.6% |
| Investment Fund Managers | 185,925 | 14.1% |
| Business Teachers, Postsecondary | 181,317 | 10.6% |
| General and Operations Managers | 163,335 | -2.2% |
| Financial Managers | 145,690 | 9.0% |
| Financial and Investment Analysts | 76,931 | 6.8% |
Financial Risk Management graduates earn a median $61,016 one year after completing their program, $89,140 after four years and $89,830 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $61,016 |
| 4 years | $89,140 |
| 5 years | $89,830 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The highest-paying occupation related to financial 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 and Investment Analysts | $82,666 |
| Business Teachers, Postsecondary | $80,576 |
| Financial Managers | $75,665 |
Financial Risk Management has 8 similar majors in the Business, Management & Marketing field, which together award 60,416 degrees a year; the largest are Finance, General (53,828), Financial Planning and Services (4,834) and Banking and Financial Support Services (1,044). Browse all Business, Management & Marketing majors or the full list of college majors.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Finance, General | 53,828 |
| Financial Planning and Services | 4,834 |
| Banking and Financial Support Services | 1,044 |
| Investments and Securities | 352 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services, Other | 282 |
| Public Finance | 36 |
| International Finance | 34 |
| Credit Management | 6 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.