Financial Planning Degree Program: Making Money Watching Money

From wealthy clients with a diverse portfolio to middle-income families looking to save for their kid's college education, the financial planning industry is on the rise. And graduating from a financial planning degree program is your first step into this lucrative career field.

Career Options in Financial Planning

• Financial analysts, securities analysts, and investment analysts. Professionals who make investment decisions or recommendations to a variety of businesses and organizations.
• Ratings analysts. Professionals who perform budget, cost, and credit analysis research to evaluate the ability of companies or governments to repay their debts.
• Personal financial advisors. Professionals who help clients with retirement and estate planning, funding a college education, and general investment choices.

Financial Planning: Employment Outlook and Salary Potential

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, overall employment of financial planning professionals is projected to grow by 37 percent over the decade through 2016; that's much faster than the national average for all occupations. Also, PayScale reports that those graduates of an online degree program in financial planning can look to earn a median annual salary of $37,862 in the first year. Those with twenty or more years of experience can potentially earn $53,831.

Online Degree Program Coursework

An online education in financial planning begins with coursework in economics, taxes, and investments. It's a unique combination of business principles and financial operations. Degrees exist from the associate's to master's level, and many students choose to combine their credentials with industry certification or an MBA degree to improve their resume.
Sources:
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Financial Analysts and Personal Financial Advisors
PayScale

Kelly Richardson has over fifteen years of creative and technical writing experience. He teaches secondary Honors-level English and writes ad copy for a variety of clients in industries such as medicine, technology, and education.