Key Takeaways:
- A PhD in Finance prepares you for high-earning roles like university professor, investment researcher, and financial manager.
- Graduates can opt for academia, focusing on teaching and research, or high-stakes financial roles in public or private sectors.
- The degree offers competitive advantages in job opportunities, influencing compensation, benefits management, and strategic financial planning.
In this guide, we explore what you can do with a PhD in Finance, including top PhD in Finance jobs, career paths, and earning potential.
A PhD in Finance opens the door to diverse opportunities, from academic careers in finance to research positions and high-level finance jobs. With this advanced degree, you can pursue roles that offer excellent salaries and valuable research opportunities in finance. Whether you’re interested in academia or industry, a PhD in Finance can lead to rewarding careers tailored to your expertise.
Featured Programs
University Professor
Every year, many graduates of the PhD in Finance choose to work as college professors in colleges and universities’ economics and finance departments. Although their primary responsibilities are to teach students every semester, they also spend a great deal of time performing research. Additionally, they must publish books or articles based on the research they conducted. University professors are also responsible for preparing exams for the class, creating the course syllabus, preparing lectures, and grading tests and assignments. While this position doesn’t pay as much as some pay with the finance doctoral degree, they do make excellent wages and find the work very rewarding.
Investment Researcher
Investment research is a popular career choice for PhD in Finance holders who don’t choose to work in an academic setting. Investment researchers use their knowledge of finance to research how certain income investments are performing. They may work in the private or public sector. They deal with corporate bonds, foreign currencies, credit equities, commodities, and similar fixed-income accounts. Investment researchers use their research and expertise to make recommendations to their clients. Investment researchers generally earn higher wages than those working in academia.
Financial Manager
Working as a financial manager can be stressful at times but can also be very rewarding. Imagine the rewarding feeling of successfully managing someone’s money and knowing they’ve earned a high return based on your research and recommendations! Financial managers may be hired with a master’s degree, but those with a PhD in Finance typically see the best job opportunities. A big part of their job involves researching and analyzing current market trends so they can help the company increase both their customer base and their profits. They also generate the company’s business reports, forecasts and financial statements.
Compensation and Benefits Manager
Compensation and benefits managers are essential to an organization’s workforce because they help the company determine what kind of wages they can pay their employees. They figure out how to balance the salaries and compensation benefits so the company is competitive while still being profitable and maintaining a good workforce. They oversee the distribution of wages and benefit packages and ensure the company is paying the right amount based on the profitability of the company and the employee’s job performance. Compensation and benefits managers also select and work with benefits vendors, investment managers, and insurance brokers.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs in business and financial operations are expected to grow 7 percent during the 2018-2028 decade, resulting in almost 600,000 new jobs by 2018. Professionals who earn a PhD in Finance will generally see the best opportunities.
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