Finance Programs and Careers in Idaho

This page provides details about different postsecondary finance programs in Idaho. In addition to bachelor’s in finance programs, Idaho schools also offer minors and master’s programs. Some programs are designed for traditional in-person study, while others are available online or through a hybrid format. Below you will find profiles of selected programs in the state. Graduates of finance programs may find employment opportunities in various industries in Idaho or nearby states. You will find data on employment and salary levels for finance positions in the state below.

Quick Facts

• There are 5 colleges and universities with finance degree programs in Idaho.¹
• 1 school offers a certificate in finance.¹
• No schools offer an associate’s degree in finance.¹
• 5 schools offer a bachelor’s degree in finance.¹
• 1 school offers a master’s or advanced degree in finance.¹
• No schools ranked in Forbes’ Best Business Schools 2019.²
• No schools 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 Idaho
• Select Schools in Idaho with Finance Degrees
• Idaho Finance Careers and Salary Outlook
• Finance Associations in Idaho

Idaho Finance Program Comparison

We have developed the following table to help you compare all of the finance programs in Idaho 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.

• — indicates none.
• N.Av. indicates no data available.

Top-Ranked Schools with Finance Programs in Idaho

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.

• Brigham Young University (#890; $922,00)
• University of Idaho (#1,126; $877,00)
• Northwest Nazarene University (#1,600; $807,000)
• Boise State University (#1,817; $777,000)
• Idaho State University (#2,162; $733,000)⁷

Select Schools in Idaho with Finance Degrees

Traditional Undergraduate Programs

Boise State University

Boise State University (BSU) offers a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) in Finance that requires 120 credit hours to complete. The four-year, full-time degree emphasizes three main finance areas: corporate finance; investment and portfolio management; and financial institutions. The program offers hands-on learning through local internships and case studies. Students will begin the curriculum in pre-business classes before applying for enrollment in BSU’s College of Business and Economics (COBE). Admission to the COBE requires students to complete the pre-business coursework with a 2.5 or higher GPA. Finance major courses include Financial Modeling, Investment Management, and Personal Financial Planning. Applicants to BSU must have a high school diploma or GED and an acceptable ACT or SAT score. Students from other majors who are interested in finance can also pursue the Finance Minor at BSU.

Brigham Young University-Idaho

Brigham Young University Idaho (BYUI) hosts a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Business Finance that will develop the student’s analytical skills and knowledge of financial practices. The full-time program requires at least 120 credit hours to complete and will prepare students to enter positions such as investment analyst, financial planner, or credit analyst. The curriculum is split between General Education courses and major courses, divided into 35 to 37 credits of core courses; 15 credits of marketing and leadership courses; and general electives. Available finance courses cover subjects such as banking, financial modeling, new ventures, and financial planning. Business Finance students must achieve at least a “C-” in all coursework. Applicants to BYUI will need to submit high school transcripts, ACT or SAT scores, and an endorsement by their church or religious leader. BYUI also offers a BS in Financial Economics and a Finance minor.

Northwest Nazarene University

Northwest Nazarene University (NNU) offers students a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Financial Economics that features professional training and experiential learning opportunities. To complete the on-campus program students must earn 124 credit hours, 54 credits of which are business courses. Included in the Financial Economics curriculum are 36 credits of core business courses, 15 credits of financial economics courses, and at least three elective credit hours. Major courses include Money and Financial Institutions; Managerial Economics; Saving and Investing; and at least two internship credits. Freshman applicants to the program must have graduated high school with a minimum GPA of 2.5. Applicants with some college credit must have at least a 2.0 GPA on college coursework. Students may add two semesters of language study to complete the program as a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree.

University of Idaho

The College of Business and Economics at the University of Idaho offers a Bachelor of Science in Business (BSB) with a Finance major that provides students hands-on learning opportunities and a customizable curriculum. Full-time students in the four-year program must take 121 credits to graduate and may pursue an optional PGA Golf Management program within the degree. Required finance courses include Intermediate Financial Management, Problems in Financial Management, and Financial Institutions. Beyond the general coursework, Finance majors can pursue real trading through U Idaho’s Baker Trading Program, the David Investment Group, or D.A. Davidson Group Student Investment Program, an investment competition in which regional student teams manage a $50,000 portfolio over the course of one year. Applicants to U Idaho must have graduated high school with a satisfactory GPA and have taken the necessary college preparatory coursework, and must also submit a satisfactory ACT or SAT score.

Traditional Master’s Programs

Idaho State University

Idaho State University (ISU) offers students a Master of Business Administration (MBA) with an emphasis in Finance that can be pursued in-person, online, or as a hybrid program that allows students to study while maintaining full-time employment. If business prerequisites are met, full-time students can complete the degree in as little as one year. The 48-credit hour curriculum is divided into three segments: 18 credits in the Core 1 curriculum, 21 credits in the Core 2 curriculum, and nine credits of finance electives. Students with previous business classes may be able to waive the Core 1 courses, needing only 30 credit hours to graduate. Classes in the finance emphasis include Financial Modeling, Real Estate Finance, Entrepreneurial Finance, and Investments. Admission to the MBA in Finance requires a bachelor’s degree and a GMAT or GRE score. Applicants with a GPA of 3.5 or higher may waive the testing requirement.

Online and Hybrid Programs

Idaho State University

Idaho State University (ISU) offers a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) in Finance that can be completed partially online and emphasizes hands-on learning with both real and simulated situations. The 120-credit hour curriculum requires students to take a minimum of 54 credits of business courses and 24 credits towards the Finance major. There is an optional emphasis in Data Analytics that may be added to the degree. Major courses include Corporate Financial Management; Investments; and applied learning courses such as the Student Managed Investment Fund, where students spend one year managing the $50,000 D.A. Davidson Student Investment Fund. Assured admission requires completing the Idaho State Board of Education core requirements with a minimum 2.5 GPA and sufficient scores on the ACT or SAT. Students seeking a broader curriculum may pursue the Flexile BBA program, which allows students to double or triple major in business.

Idaho Finance Careers and Salary Outlook

Idaho is home to many agricultural, energy, and science and technology corporations. The Fortune 500 grocery companies Safeway and Albertsons are based in the state, as well as several mining and manufacturing companies, including Midas Gold and Hecla Mining. Technological manufacturers such as Micron Technology are headquartered in Idaho. The finance technology company Clearwater Analytics and statewide and local financial institutions offer financial positions. Boise, the state’s biggest city, is home to many corporate centers, and smaller cities such as Meridian, Nampa, Idaho Falls host various employers needing finance professionals.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the financial professionals with the highest salary levels in Idaho are personal financial advisors, with an average salary of $99,220 per year.⁸ Financial managers have the highest employment levels among finance professionals in the state, with 2,970 positions.⁸ Both positions are expected to see slower growth than the national average through 2028, with Idaho personal financial advisor positions with expected growth of 5.2% compared to a national rate of 7% and financial managers with expected growth of 9.9%, significantly slower than the national rate of 16%.⁹ The only financial profession in Idaho expected to grow faster than the national rate is financial analysts, with positions expected to grow by 7.3% through 2028, faster than the national rate of 6.2%.⁹ Despite this, the nonmetropolitan regions of the state rank competitively for personal financial managers in employment concentration and average annual salary.¹⁰ Southeast-Central Idaho ranks fourth in the nation in concentration for personal finance managers, at 1.21 out of every 1,000 jobs.¹⁰ Personal financial advisors in northwestern Idaho have the fifth-highest annual average salary among nonmetropolitan areas in the US at $133,000 per year.¹⁰ Two of Idaho’s metro areas rank in the top 10 metropolitan areas in the US for the concentration of loan officers; Pocatello ranks second in the nation at 7.40 jobs out of every 1,000, and Coeur d’Alene ranks eighth with 4.14 jobs out of every 1,000.¹¹

Idaho Finance Salary Information

Finance Associations in Idaho

• Idaho Bankers Association (IBA): Trade association for bankers operating in Idaho that hosts educational events, provides resources to members, and advocates on for the banking industry in the state.
• Idaho Society of CPAs (ISCPA): Professional association that provides support for Idaho’s CPAs through continuing education opportunities, networking events, and legislative advocacy.
• Chartered Financial Analyst Society Idaho (CFA Society Idaho): Organizes continuing education opportunities, provides networking opportunities, and promotes ethical and professional standards in the industry.

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, Idaho: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_id.htm
9. Projections Central Long Term Occupational Projections: https://projectionscentral.org/projections/longterm
10. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wages, Personal Financial Advisors: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes132052.htm
11. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wages, Loan Officers: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes132072.htm