{"id":419,"date":"2026-09-02T06:10:29","date_gmt":"2026-09-02T06:10:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.degreequery.com\/?p=419---a8afe20a-e616-4c15-8f0c-59703ccaeca4"},"modified":"2026-09-30T14:08:59","modified_gmt":"2026-09-30T14:08:59","slug":"degree-need-financial-advisor","status":"publish","type":"query","link":"https:\/\/www.degreequery.com\/queries\/degree-need-financial-advisor\/","title":{"rendered":"What degree do I need to be a financial advisor?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Overview<\/strong><\/p>\n

As the name implies, a financial advisor is one who gives counseling, suggestions, guidance, and recommendations on matters of money for his\/her clients. Thus, it is a job wherein the advisor uses his\/her education and knowledge to help individuals, couples and even small businesses reach their respective financial objectives. This is a people-oriented job as it entails face-to-face discussion with clients. You may prefer to be one of the 20% of advisors who are self-employed or work in a large financial institution replete with benefits and other perks.<\/p>\n

Is there a difference between an advisor<\/em> and an adviser<\/em>? According to some texts, the words are not interchangeable in the financial services industry. The former term applies to being a practicing financial advisor. Adviser, according to Congress and the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) refer to advisory matters referencing the law.<\/p>\n

Education\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Now that we’ve established you want to be an advisor<\/em><\/strong> and not an adviser,\u00a0<\/em>we’ll look at education requirements. As you peruse the multitude of colleges and universities, you may wonder if this is a\u00a0good career choice. The US Labor Department has projected a 27% growth rate through 2022 in this field; that’s an additional 60,300 new positions.<\/p>\n

For starters, you’ll need a Bachelor’s Degree in finance from either a brick-and-mortar college\/university or online program. A quick search online reveals numerous online finance degree programs for those seeking this route. Regardless of your choice,\u00a0finance or financial planning courses are contained within the Bachelor of Business Administration programs. Typical coursework\u00a0overs a range of\u00a0topics such as accounting, economics, taxation, business law, and banking.<\/p>\n

Beyond the undergrad degree is a graduate-level financial planning curriculum within a Master of Business Administration (MBA) program. This degree usually takes up to two years to complete. However, many MBA candidates opt to obtain the degree through evening and weekend classes or online while employed. If a MBA is in your sights when job hunting, it’s worthwhile to inquire\u00a0about their policy regarding advanced degrees.\u00a0Should an employer pay for your MBA, there’s no obligation to be beholden to this company. Your\u00a0MBA may provide more beneficial career possibilities worthy of pursuit.<\/p>\n

Also, there are\u00a0Doctor of Business Administration and Ph.D. programs offered at over\u00a0300 campus and online accredited colleges\/universities in the U.S..\u00a0\u00a0The prerequisites vary per institution; some programs may require prior employment in a related field of business.<\/p>\n

Accreditation<\/strong><\/p>\n

Regardless of what your career choice is under the financial advisor umbrella, there are many types of charters and certificates one may add to your credentials:<\/p>\n