Finance Programs and Careers in Rhode Island
Students can pursue a variety of full-time, part-time, and fully online finance programs in Rhode Island, from Master of Science (MS) in Finance programs to Certificates in Finance. The finance programs offered can help you for professional examinations and certifications like Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and Certified Financial Planner (CFP). Those with degrees in finance may find opportunities to work in Rhode Island after graduation, both in the financial sector and in financial positions in other industries. Below you will find information on the types of finance programs available in Rhode Island.
Quick Facts
- There are 9 colleges and universities with finance degree programs in Rhode Island.1
- 3 schools offer a certificate in finance.1
- 1 school offers an associate’s degree in finance.1
- 9 schools offer a bachelor’s degree in finance.1
- 6 schools offer a master’s or advanced degree in finance.1
- No schools ranked in Forbes’ Best Business Schools 2019.2
- 1 school ranked in Princeton Review’s Great Schools for Business and Finance Majors 2020.3
- No schools ranked in US News & World Report’s Best Undergraduate Finance Programs 2021.4
- No schools ranked in US News & World Report’s Best Graduate Finance Programs 2021.5
For not-for-profit colleges and universities with finance degree programs.
Table of Contents
- Comparison of Finance Programs
- Top-Ranked Schools with Finance Programs in Rhode Island
- Select Schools in Rhode Island with Finance Degrees
- Rhode Island Finance Careers and Salary Outlook
- Finance Associations in Rhode Island
Rhode Island Finance Program Comparison
We have developed the following table to help you compare all of the finance programs in Rhode Island from not-for-profit schools that offer programs with a concentration in finance. In addition to allowing you to compare the business school’s accreditation, finance degrees that appear in bold are Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Institute University Affiliation Programs, those that have been recognized for curricula aligned to preparing for the CFA Exam.
| School | Accreditation | Finance Degree(s) | Acceptance Rate6 | Grad Rate1 | Online Options? | Median Debt7 | Net Price1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bryant University | AACSB | Certificate-Financial Planning; BS-Actuarial Mathematics; BS-Business Administration: Finance; BS-Business Administration: Financial Services; BS-International Business: Finance; Minor-Actuarial Mathematics; Minor-Finance; MBA-Global Finance | 74.2% | 81% | Yes | $26,000 | $40,038 |
| Community College of Rhode Island | ACBSP | Certificate-Financial Services; AS-Business Administration: Financial Services | N.Av. | 20% | — | $5,250 | $5,760 |
| Johnson and Wales University-Online | — | BS-Finance; MBA-Finance; MS-Finance | N.Av. | N.Av. | Yes | $17,836 | $18,499 |
| Johnson and Wales University-Providence | — | BS-Finance; MBA-Finance | N.Av. | 65% | Yes | $17,836 | $27,922 |
| Providence College | AACSB | BS-Finance; Minor-Finance; MBA-Finance | N.Av. | 87% | — | $27,000 | $35,796 |
| Rhode Island College | IACBE | BS-Finance; Minor-Finance; Certificate of Graduate Study (CGS)-Financial Planning; MPac-Personal Financial Planning | N.Av. | 49% | — | $13,321 | $9,572 |
| Roger Williams University | AACSB | BS-Finance; Minor-Finance | N.Av. | 67% | — | $19,000 | $37,611 |
| Salve Regina University | IACBE | BS-Financial Management | N.Av. | 78% | — | $25,457 | $36,646 |
| University of Rhode Island | AACSB | BS-Business Administration: Finance; MBA-Finance | 93.8% | 69% | — | $18,500 | $19,652 |
- — indicates none.
- N.Av. indicates no data available.
Top-Ranked Schools with Finance Programs in Rhode Island
Georgetown CEW’s ROI Ranking by Long-Term Net Present Value 2019
The Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce (CEW) has compared 4,500 colleges and universities on graduates’ return on investment (ROI). We use their net present value (NPV) ranking, which is the current dollar value of earning a four-year degree from the school over a 40-year horizon.
- Bryant University (#73; $1,393,000)
- Providence College (#143; $1,257,000)
- University of Rhode Island (#324; $1,098,000)
- Salve Regina University (#350; $1,082,000)
- Roger Williams University (#634; $981,000)
- Rhode Island College (#1,052; $890,000)
- Johnson and Wales University-Online (#1,717; $791,000)
- Johnson and Wales-Providence (#1,967; $756,000)
- Community College of Rhode Island (#2,271; $722,000)7
Princeton Review’s Great Schools for Business and Finance Majors 2020
- Bryant University
Select Schools in Rhode Island with Finance Degrees
Traditional Undergraduate Programs
Roger William University
The Mario J. Gabelli School of Business at Roger Williams University (RWU) offers a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Finance that can help students gain the skills needed for careers across the finance industry. Finance students must complete at least 120 credit hours with a minimum GPA of at least 2.0 to graduate. The curriculum for the four-year degree requires 15 core business classes and at least five finance courses, including Principles of Investments, Financial Statement Analysis, and Advanced Financial Management. The program also requires an international component, such as a study-abroad program or an International Dimension course in which students study aspects of business on an international scale. Students have the opportunity to participate in the E.L. Wiegand Center for Advanced Financial Education (CAFE), which offers hands-on opportunities to manage real portfolios and industry-related field trips to domestic and international finance centers. Freshman applicants to RWU must submit high school transcripts and have the option to submit scores from the SAT or ACT.
Salve Regina University
Salve Regina University hosts a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Financial Management that will help students gain the educational base necessary to begin working towards professional certifications such as Certified Financial Planner (CFP) or Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA). Students in the four-year, full-time program will need to complete 120 credits, including 66 courses towards the Financial Management major. Financial Management courses include Financial Accounting, Risk Management, and Investment Planning, in which students take control of their own account with financial services leader Morgan Stanley. Other experiential options include internship opportunities with companies such as TD Ameritrade and Smith Barney. Admission to Salve requires a high school diploma. Salve also offers an accelerated program that will allow students to earn a BS in Financial Management and an MBA within five years.
Traditional Master’s Programs
Bryant University
The College of Business at Bryant University offers a Master of Business Administration (MBA) with a Global Finance specialization designed with an international focus to help students prepare to do business globally and locally. The program is offered in two formats, a two-year, part-time format in which students take classes two nights a week and a full-time, one-year format. Students in the one-year program will take 40 credits. Part-time students will only need 37 credits to graduate. Three elective classes are required for the Global Finance concentration, including Global Finance Management; Global Finance Institutions and Markets; and Financing the Global Supply Chain. The Global Immersion Experience course, in which students travel to and study finance in another country, is required for the one-year track and recommended for the two-year track. Applicants to the program must have a bachelor’s degree.
Providence College
Students at Providence College’s School of Business can earn a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree with a Finance concentration. This program is management-focused, providing students with both business knowledge and practical business experience. The MBA program is offered in a full-time format that can be completed in a single year and a part-time format for working professionals that can be completed in two years. Courses are split between 10 core courses and at least two elective courses. To earn a Finance concentration, students must complete at least three finance electives such as Internal Finance, International Analysis, and Portfolio Management. Students without an academic history in business may need to complete additional prerequisite courses. Applicants to the program must have a bachelor’s degree and acceptable scores on either the GMAT or GRE. Exam waivers are available for students who qualify.
Rhode Island College
Rhode Island College (RIC) offers a Master of Professional Accountancy (MPac) with a concentration in Personal Financial Planning that will help students meet the requirements to sit for the Certified Financial Planner (CFP) and Certified Public Accountant (CPA) exams. To earn the MPac, students must complete 30 credit hours. The curriculum is split between three finance courses and 21 accounting courses. Financial planning coursework encompasses subjects such as financial planning, corporate taxation, and personal tax planning. Applicants to the program will need a bachelor’s degree, two prerequisite accounting courses, and an acceptable GMAT score. The GMAT requirement may be waived for applicants with either a CPA license or a BS in Accounting with a minimum GPA of 3.0. RIC also provides a Certificate of Graduate Study (CGS) in Financial Planning.
University of Rhode Island
The University of Rhode Island (URI) hosts a Master of Business Administration (MBA) with a Finance specialization designed to prepare students for leadership positions in either the public or private sector. The MBA is available in two formats, a one-year full-time format and a part-time, evening-only format that can be completed in 2.5 years. The part-time program requires a minimum of 36 credits to complete, while the full-time program requires 42 credits. MBA core courses include Financial Management; Financial Accounting; and Operations and Supply Chain Management. Students with previous business coursework may be able to waive select classes. Enrollment in the MBA program requires a bachelor’s degree and a sufficient GMAT or GRE score. Applicants may qualify for an exam waiver.
Online and Hybrid Programs
Johnson & Wales University-Online
Johnson & Wales University’s (JWU) online campus offers a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Finance with a career-oriented curriculum covering topics such as economics, risk management, and financial markets. The four-year degree requires 120 credit hours to complete, including 36 credits of Business Core courses and 21 credits of Finance major courses including Investments; Capital Markets and Financial Institutions; and International Finance. Students who maintain a 2.0 or higher GPA may take an experiential learning course such as an internship, a directed experiential education project, or a study abroad program. JWU requires applicants to have a high school diploma and either previous college credit or two years of work experience. Graduates from the BS in Finance may be interested in continuing to an MBA with JWU, either online or at their Providence campus.
Johnson & Wales University
Johnson & Wales University (JWU) hosts a Master of Business Administration (MBA) with a Finance concentration that can be completed in a hybrid format, with general business classes available through their providence campus and concentration classes available online. The degree is available both part- and full-time. Full-time students can complete the degree in as little as one year. Offering courses such as Financial Management, Strategic Marketing, and Bond Market Analysis, the MBA in Finance requires at least 36 credit hours to complete. Students without previous business coursework will need to take two additional foundation courses. Admission to JWU’s MBA program requires a bachelor’s degree. Students seeking a more focused program may be interested in JWU’s Master of Science (MS) in Finance, offered through JWU’s online campus.
Rhode Island Finance Careers and Salary Outlook
Finance graduates in Rhode Island can find many career opportunities within the state. Rhode Island is home to many major national and international companies, including CVS Caremark and Textron. Insurance companies such as Amica Mutual Insurance and FM Global are headquartered in the state, as well as the Providence-based bank Citizens Financial Group. Other financial companies, such as Bank of America, Fidelity Investments, and Metlife Insurance Company, have operations in Rhode Island. In addition to a large finance sector, Rhode Island is also home to several nationally-known companies such as Hasbro, APC by Schneider Electric, and GTECH.
Financial managers in Rhode Island are both the most numerous financial professionals in the state and those with the highest average salaries of financial positions, with 2,480 financial managers making an average salary of $161,880 per year.8 The average salary of financial managers in Rhode Island is higher than the national average of $147,530 annually.9 Rhode Island has the fourth-highest concentration of financial examiners in the US at 0.91 jobs out of every 1,000, and these positions are projected to grow by 7.7% through 2028.10,11 The projected growth of financial analysts in Rhode Island is 6.4% through 2028, slightly higher than the expected national growth for that financial analysts through 2028 of 6.2%.11
Rhode Island Finance Job Information
| Occupation | Number Employed8 | Average Salary8 |
|---|---|---|
| Business and Financial Operations Occupations | 30,320 | $80,780 |
| Financial and Investment Analysts and Other Specialists | 1,870 | $88,620 |
| Financial Examiners | 440 | $87,640 |
| Financial Managers | 2,480 | $161,880 |
| Loan Officers | 1,490 | $70,660 |
| Personal Financial Advisors | N.Av. | $109,030 |
Finance Associations in Rhode Island
- Rhode Island Society of Certified Public Accountants (RISCPA): Organizes networking events and hosts continuing education and professional development for member CPAs.
- Healthcare Financial Management Association, Massachusetts-Rhode Island Chapter (HFMA MA-RI): Devoted to improving the financial management of healthcare organizations, organizes educational events, publishes a newsletter and industry-relevant news, and supports professional development and networking events.
- Society of Financial Service Professionals, Rhode Island Chapter (FSP Rhode Island): Supports members by providing educational opportunities, networking opportunities, and promoting high ethical standards.
References:
1. National Center for Education Statistics College Navigator: https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/
2. Forbes Best Business Schools 2019: https://www.forbes.com/business-schools/list/
3. The Princeton Review. The Best 382 Colleges, 2020 Edition. The Princeton Review, 2019.
4. US News & World Report Best Undergraduate Finance Schools 2021: https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/rankings/business-finance
5. US News & World Report Best Graduate Finance Schools 2021: https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-business-schools/finance-rankings
6. US News & World Report Best Business Schools 2021: https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-business-schools
7. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce, Ranking ROI of 4,500 US Colleges and Universities: https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/CollegeROI/
8. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics, State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates, Rhode Island: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_ri.htm
9. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wages, Financial Managers: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes113031.htm
10. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wages, Financial Examiners: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes132061.htm
11. Projections Central Long Term Occupational Projections: https://projectionscentral.org/projections/longterm