Finance & Economics
Finance & Economics is one of 30+ university majors covered by NorthVoy's free academic guidance platform. Graduates typically earn $65,000–$180,000 per year, with projected job growth of 8% (Average).
Key skills you will develop
- Financial Modeling
- Economic Analysis
- Investment Valuation
- Risk Management
- Quantitative Research
Career paths
- Investment Banker
- Financial Analyst
- Economist
- Portfolio Manager
- Financial Consultant
- Central Banker
Salary and job outlook
Graduates typically earn $65,000–$180,000 per year, with projected job growth of 8% (Average).
Highest-paying roles: Investment Banker, CFO, Portfolio Manager.
Best countries to study Finance & Economics
- United Kingdom
- United States
- Switzerland
- Singapore
- Netherlands
- Germany
Top universities
- Erasmus University Rotterdam (Netherlands)
- University of Mannheim (Germany)
- University of Vienna (Austria)
- Tilburg University (Netherlands)
- University of Edinburgh (UK)
- University of Toronto (Canada)
- University of Melbourne (Australia)
- HEC Montréal (Canada)
- London School of Economics (UK)
- University of Oxford (UK)
- New York University Stern (USA)
- University of Chicago Booth (USA)
- ETH Zurich (Switzerland)
How to get started
- Read 'The Intelligent Investor' by Benjamin Graham or 'Freakonomics' to develop economic intuition.
- Learn Excel and basic financial modeling — it's the industry's core tool.
- Explore Finance, Economics, or Accounting programs at universities.
Your first project
Pick a publicly traded company and write a 1-page investment case: What does the company do? Is it growing? Is it profitable? Would you invest at the current price, and why?
12-month action plan
Jan–Mar: Build Financial Literacy
- Read 'The Intelligent Investor' or follow Investopedia's free beginner guides
- Track a stock or index fund for 3 months — observe and note what drives changes
- Learn basic Excel: formulas, pivot tables, and simple charts
Apr–Jun: Explore Economic Thinking
- Read Freakonomics or listen to the podcast — economics is everywhere
- Study supply and demand, inflation, and interest rates through Khan Academy
- Analyze one company's annual report — revenue, profit, debt, and what the numbers tell you
Jul–Sep: Practice Financial Modeling
- Build a simple financial model in Excel (e.g. personal budgeting or a mock business)
- Complete a free financial modeling introduction course (CFI or Coursera)
- Follow financial news: Bloomberg, FT, or WSJ — summarize one article per week
Oct–Dec: Prepare & Apply
- Research Finance, Economics, or Accounting programs and their entry requirements
- Join an investing club or school economics competition
- Draft a personal statement emphasizing analytical thinking and financial awareness
Study cost: Moderate–High.
Take the free quiz to see whether Finance & Economics matches your profile.