Top 5 Finance MBAs in New York City

Wall Street anchors the economy of New York City, and much of the U.S. So, it’s no wonder that it’s considered the world’s premier financial center. It’s home to the New York Stock Exchange, NASDAQ and more prominent financial institutions. Plus, Manhattan is a leading center of banking, finance and communication. In fact, financial services account for more than 35 messages of the city’s employment income.

That’s why it makes sense to get a finance MBA in New York City. There’s no better location to dive into the industry and all of its many facets, but which MBA program is the best? Of course, every school offers courses in finance, but there are a few schools that stand out.

Below, we’ve outlined the five best finance MBAs and why they stand out.

Stern School of Business – New York University

At the Stern School of Business, the finance department is home to world-renowned faculty, including Professor Robert Engle, the 2003 Nobel Prize winner in economics. And those professors are in charge of teaching a variety of finance courses for the MBA program. What makes Stern stand out is the myriad of finance specializations available to students. Unlike most programs, which offer a single finance concentration, Stern breaks it down into unique specializations:

• Banking
• Corporate Finance
• Finance
• Financial Instruments and Markets
• Financial Systems and Analytics
• FinTech
• Quantitative Finance

The courses that make up the specializations include everything from bankruptcy and reorganization to behavioral finance, valuation and financial information systems.

Outside of the classroom, Stern offers students an opportunity to join the Graduate Finance Association, and to participate in the Center for Real Estate Finance Research. And thanks to their focus on finance, 5 percent of MBA graduates enter the diversified financial services industry and 24 percent enter investment banking.

Columbia Business School

MBAs at the Columbia Business School can easily and effectively focus their career path in finance. The finance program includes such courses as asset management, investment banking and risk management. Outside of the classroom, the school offers students seven different programs and centers dealing with finance and economics. The most interesting programs include:

• Private Equity Program: The program serves as the business school’s primary point of contact with the private equity industry.
• Heilbrunn Centre for Graham & Dodd Investing: The center promotes the practice and study of original investing principles, to improve investing with a world-class education and research.

And it’s obvious that the finance MBA works at Columbia. In 2015, 15 percent of graduates went into finance: investment management, 14 percent went into finance: banking, and another 14 percent went into finance: other.

Gabelli School of Business – Fordham University

The finance MBA at the Gabelli School is a standout program. The concentration includes eight courses on finance including hedge funds, equity analysis and emerging markets. But it’s not just the concentration that makes Gabelli a good choice. It’s also the MBA Immersion Week experience, which allows students to spend five days immersed in the inner workings of the finance industry.

Outside of the program, students can participate in the Fordham Finance Society, which is student-run and provides a diverse range of events, speakers and resources in finance. As part of the society, the school offers a variety of challenges and events for graduate students including the University Trading Challenge.

Zicklin School of Business – Baruch College

At the Zicklin School, the MBA in finance is a major that covers a broad range of careers in the financial industry. There are dozens of courses that students can choose from, and 12 credits are required to complete the major. An example of possible courses include futures and forward markets, advanced managerial finance and measurement and management of credit risk.

The school is also home to the Subotnick Financial Services Center, which is a state-of-the-art instructional facility that provides hands-on finance practice. And the crowning achievement of the Center is the Wasserman Trading Floor. This floor includes 55 high-end workstations and high-tech financial tools that can be used for experiential learning experiences.

Zarb School of Business – Hofstra University

The finance MBA at the Zarb School is dedicated to helping MBAs achieve a career in the financial services industry. The degree requires 41-48 semester hours to complete and includes courses such as managerial finance, investments and advanced quantitative analysis for managers.

MBAs at Zarb also have the opportunity to use The Center for International Financial Services and Markets. To help students on their career path, the center regularly hosts conferences and workshops as well as offering resources for faculty and student study. There’s also the Financial Management Association, Graduate Finance Association and the Hofstra Investment Banking Association, which offer additional finance guidance and experience.

regions: New York City

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