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MBA vs Master of Finance: Which Is better?

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Learn about earning either a Master of Finance or a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in finance to advance your financial career.

[Featured Image]: A student sits in a study space with a laptop and notebook, preparing for a master鈥檚 in finance degree.

A master鈥檚 in finance is a generalist finance master鈥檚 degree designed to aid students in preparing for a wide range of career options. If you鈥檇 like to pursue a financial career, earning a master鈥檚 degree can be a lucrative choice. It can help you advance your understanding of corporate financial practices and, in turn, elevate your career prospects.听

At the graduate level, you have the option of earning a Master of Finance or a Master of Business Administration (MBA) with a concentration in finance. Each degree type is structured differently, and the one you choose will depend on your experience and career goals. Read on to learn more about these types of master鈥檚 in finance degrees, how they compare to one another, and what you can learn in each type of programme.听

Master of Finance vs Master of Business Administration聽

Generally speaking, a Master of Finance is for financial professionals who want to further their financial knowledge and technical skills within a short period of time. An MBA in finance, on the other hand, is for students who want to gain broad business knowledge whilst focusing a significant portion of their coursework on finance.听

Master of Finance degree

Master of Finance students are likely already working in finance, perhaps as staff accountants or as members of a company鈥檚 corporate finance team. These programmes tend to take around one year to complete.听

A growing number of online master鈥檚 in finance programmes have become available, which can be a useful option when you鈥檙e working full time and prefer greater flexibility to finish your education. You may have the opportunity to enrol part time or full time in an online master鈥檚 in finance, taking courses asynchronously or virtually, and working through the programme at your own pace.听

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Master of Finance courses explore the subject theoretically and practically, so you can strengthen important skills in the areas of corporate finance and investing. You can expect to deepen your knowledge of economics, statistics, ethics, and data, among other topics. Your courses may include:

  • Corporate finance

  • Financial markets and investment

  • Time series analysis and forecasting

  • Asset markets

  • Financial modelling

  • Business valuation

  • Quantitative methods

  • Markets and securities

Specialisms

You may have the option of choosing electives based on an area of finance that interests you. In such cases, after completing the coursework outlined above, you can select an aspect of finance that you want to learn more about. Students often choose a specialism based on their career goals. Specialisms can include:

  • Corporate finance

  • Options theory

  • Trading strategy

  • Financial systems

  • Risk management

  • Portfolio management

  • Asset allocation

  • Blockchain and applications聽

  • Banks, regulation, and monetary policy

  • Mergers and acquisitions

  • Shareholder activism and corporate responsibility

MBA degree

Finance is often one of the top-paying MBA concentrations. Whilst students do not have to pursue a career at a financial institution, many graduates end up working in investment banking, asset management, executive management, and consulting.

Unlike the Master of Finance, you won鈥檛 have the option of choosing a niched financial specialism because your concentration will count as such. Traditional MBA degrees take approximately one to two years to complete, and most programmes expect students to attend full time. However, you鈥檒l find a number of options, such as part-time MBAs or online MBAs, that allow you to keep working whilst earning your degree.听

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The courses you complete as part of your MBA will combine foundational business classes with electives that focus on finance.听

Examples of general business courses are as follows:聽

  • Foundations of leadership

  • Business strategy

  • Managerial economics

  • Organisational behaviour

  • International finance

  • Research methods

  • Business ethics

Examples of MBA in finance courses:聽

  • Financial strategy

  • Entrepreneurial finance聽

  • Sustainable business

  • Marketing

MBA vs Master of Finance: Which is better?聽

To make sure you pick the right master鈥檚 in finance for you, it helps to consider what you want to learn by enrolling in a master鈥檚 programme and what you hope to do after graduating.听

If you鈥檙e new to finance and interested in a career in the field, an MBA might be the better choice. Many Masters of Finance programmes require prior financial experience.

If you鈥檙e a financial professional who wants to accelerate your career, a Master of Finance may be the stronger option given your ultimate goals.听

Regarding careers, you can pursue many similar senior or managerial financial roles with both degrees. That said, an MBA may broaden your career prospects because of its foundational business curriculum.听

Whilst your earnings will depend on your company and location, MBA in finance graduates can earn an average salary of between 拢37,000 to 拢64,000, depending on your role, company, and experience level [闭.听

MBA programmes can also be competitive鈥攁nd may be costly. For example, an MBA from London Business School costs approximately 拢119,950 []. Comparatively, Master of Finance degrees, like the one at the University of Edinburgh, tend to cost around 拢29,900 [闭.听

What can you do with a master鈥檚 in finance?聽

The possibilities for work following a master鈥檚 in finance are strong, with access to a number of industries, such as government, manufacturing, and tech.听

Managerial finance jobs have a strong career outlook, with most employers feeling optimistic about their organisation鈥檚 performance in the coming year. The roles you can pursue after earning a master鈥檚 degree in finance will vary. Explore some common examples below:聽

Job titleAverage UK salary*
Financial advisor拢39,067
Financial analyst拢39,110
Business analyst拢42,237
Investment manager拢76,712
Financial manager拢51,878
Chief financial officer拢119,877
Bookkeeper拢25,041
Internal auditor拢38,478

*Salary data from Glassdoor is accurate as of April 2025.

Getting started with 糖心vlog官网观看

A master鈥檚 degree in finance is an effective way to develop the skills you need to advance your career. Whether you earn an MBA or a Master of Finance, you鈥檒l build a strong foundation for a lucrative career in business and finance. Earn your Master of Business Administration from the globally renowned Gies College of Business at the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana, on 糖心vlog官网观看 for a total cost of 23,904 USD. The programme offers several concentrations, such as financial management and managerial economics. You can take any of these separately, and your coursework will count towards your degree if you decide to enrol later.听

If a shorter programme better suits your needs, the University of Glasgow offers an MBA Essentials course. Explore more on 糖心vlog官网观看 today.

Article sources

1.听

Glassdoor. 鈥, https://www.glassdoor.co.uk/Salaries/mba-finance-salary-SRCH_KO0,11.htm.鈥 Accessed 16 April 2025.

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糖心vlog官网观看鈥檚 editorial team is comprised of highly experienced professional editors, writers, and fact...

This content has been made available for informational purposes only. Learners are advised to conduct additional research to ensure that courses and other credentials pursued meet their personal, professional, and financial goals.