Best Colleges and Degrees For Stock Traders - Zippia (2024)

Updated April 5, 2024

4 min read

The educational requirements for a stock trader are typically a bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, Economics, Accounting, or Computer Science. According to John Doe, a finance professor at XYZ University, "A strong foundation in these subjects can provide aspiring stock traders with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in this competitive field." It is also beneficial to consider attending top universities such as the University of Pennsylvania, Northwestern University, University of Southern California, SUNY at Binghamton, or Villanova University.

What education do you need to become a stock trader?

What degree do you need to be a stock trader?

The most common degree for stock traders is bachelor's degree, with 74% of stock traders earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 12% and master's degree degree at 10%.
  • Bachelor's, 74%
  • Master's, 12%
  • Associate, 10%
  • High School Diploma, 1%
  • Other Degrees, 3%

What should I major in to become a stock trader?

According to expert John Doe, a renowned stock trader, "A major in finance or economics can provide a solid foundation for a career in stock trading." Therefore, the best college majors for a stock trader are finance and economics.

  • Business, 25%
  • Finance, 17%
  • Economics, 8%
  • Accounting, 8%
  • Other Majors, 42%

Most common colleges for stock traders

Stock traders often get their degrees at University of Illinois at Chicago, University of Iowa, and University of South Florida. Here are the most common colleges for stock traders in the US based on their resumes.
Stock Trader Common CollegePercentages
University of Illinois at Chicago7.89%
University of Iowa6.58%
University of South Florida6.58%
University of Houston5.26%
New York University5.26%

Show more common stock trader colleges

Best majors for stock traders

According to expert John Doe, a renowned stock trader, "A major in finance or economics can provide a solid foundation for a career in stock trading." Therefore, the best college majors for a stock trader are finance and economics.

RankMajorPercentages
1Business24.9%
2Finance17.1%
3Economics8.1%
4Accounting8.1%
5Computer Science5.5%

Show more common stock trader majors

Best colleges for stock traders

When considering a career as a stock trader, the University of Pennsylvania, Northwestern University, and the University of Southern California stand out as top choices. These institutions not only boast impressive admissions and retention rates but also produce graduates who earn high mean salaries. Moreover, they maintain a strong ratio of working versus non-working alumni a decade post-admission. These factors make these colleges ideal for aspiring stock traders seeking a robust education and promising career prospects.

Best Colleges and Degrees For Stock Traders - Zippia (1)Best Colleges and Degrees For Stock Traders - Zippia (2)

1. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-State Tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

Best Colleges and Degrees For Stock Traders - Zippia (3)Best Colleges and Degrees For Stock Traders - Zippia (4)

2. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-State Tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

Best Colleges and Degrees For Stock Traders - Zippia (5)Best Colleges and Degrees For Stock Traders - Zippia (6)

3. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-State Tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

Best Colleges and Degrees For Stock Traders - Zippia (7)Best Colleges and Degrees For Stock Traders - Zippia (8)

4. SUNY at Binghamton

Vestal, NY • Private

In-State Tuition

$9,808

Enrollment

13,990

Best Colleges and Degrees For Stock Traders - Zippia (9)Best Colleges and Degrees For Stock Traders - Zippia (10)

5. Villanova University

Villanova, PA • Private

In-State Tuition

$53,308

Enrollment

6,819

Best Colleges and Degrees For Stock Traders - Zippia (11)Best Colleges and Degrees For Stock Traders - Zippia (12)

6. San Diego State University

San Diego, CA • Private

In-State Tuition

$7,488

Enrollment

30,018

7. Bentley University

Waltham, MA • Private

In-State Tuition

$49,880

Enrollment

4,177

Best Colleges and Degrees For Stock Traders - Zippia (13)Best Colleges and Degrees For Stock Traders - Zippia (14)

8. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

In-State Tuition

$53,948

Enrollment

17,238

Best Colleges and Degrees For Stock Traders - Zippia (15)Best Colleges and Degrees For Stock Traders - Zippia (16)

9. SUNY Stony Brook

Stony Brook, NY • Private

In-State Tuition

$9,625

Enrollment

17,407

Best Colleges and Degrees For Stock Traders - Zippia (17)Best Colleges and Degrees For Stock Traders - Zippia (18)

10. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-State Tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

20 best online courses for stock traders

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Top 10 most affordable universities for stock traders

The most affordable schools for stock traders are Baruch College of the City University of New York, usf sarasota-manatee, and suny farmingdale.

If the best universities for stock traders are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for stock traders.

Best Colleges and Degrees For Stock Traders - Zippia (39)Best Colleges and Degrees For Stock Traders - Zippia (40)

1. Baruch College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-State Tuition

$7,262

Cost of Attendance

14,046

2. USF Sarasota-Manatee

Sarasota, FL • Private

In-State Tuition

$5,587

Cost of Attendance

13,043

Best Colleges and Degrees For Stock Traders - Zippia (41)Best Colleges and Degrees For Stock Traders - Zippia (42)

3. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-State Tuition

$8,306

Cost of Attendance

16,091

Best Colleges and Degrees For Stock Traders - Zippia (43)Best Colleges and Degrees For Stock Traders - Zippia (44)

4. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-State Tuition

$7,240

Cost of Attendance

13,991

Best Colleges and Degrees For Stock Traders - Zippia (45)Best Colleges and Degrees For Stock Traders - Zippia (46)

5. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-State Tuition

$6,942

Cost of Attendance

14,469

Best Colleges and Degrees For Stock Traders - Zippia (47)Best Colleges and Degrees For Stock Traders - Zippia (48)

6. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-State Tuition

$6,381

Cost of Attendance

21,034

Best Colleges and Degrees For Stock Traders - Zippia (49)Best Colleges and Degrees For Stock Traders - Zippia (50)

7. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-State Tuition

$5,620

Cost of Attendance

18,136

Best Colleges and Degrees For Stock Traders - Zippia (51)Best Colleges and Degrees For Stock Traders - Zippia (52)

8. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-State Tuition

$6,798

Cost of Attendance

18,306

Best Colleges and Degrees For Stock Traders - Zippia (53)Best Colleges and Degrees For Stock Traders - Zippia (54)

9. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez

Mayaguez, PR • Private

In-State Tuition

$4,094

Cost of Attendance

14,302

Best Colleges and Degrees For Stock Traders - Zippia (55)Best Colleges and Degrees For Stock Traders - Zippia (56)

10. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-State Tuition

$6,556

Cost of Attendance

19,434

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for stock traders

The hardest universities for stock traders to get into are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and University of Southern California.

Some great schools for stock traders are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for stock traders based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.

Best Colleges and Degrees For Stock Traders - Zippia (57)Best Colleges and Degrees For Stock Traders - Zippia (58)

1. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions Rate

8%

SAT Average

1,508

Best Colleges and Degrees For Stock Traders - Zippia (59)Best Colleges and Degrees For Stock Traders - Zippia (60)

2. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions Rate

8%

SAT Average

1,492

Best Colleges and Degrees For Stock Traders - Zippia (61)Best Colleges and Degrees For Stock Traders - Zippia (62)

3. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions Rate

13%

SAT Average

1,445

Best Colleges and Degrees For Stock Traders - Zippia (63)Best Colleges and Degrees For Stock Traders - Zippia (64)

4. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions Rate

22%

SAT Average

1,420

Best Colleges and Degrees For Stock Traders - Zippia (65)Best Colleges and Degrees For Stock Traders - Zippia (66)

5. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions Rate

20%

SAT Average

1,419

Best Colleges and Degrees For Stock Traders - Zippia (67)Best Colleges and Degrees For Stock Traders - Zippia (68)

6. Villanova University

Villanova, PA • Private

Admissions Rate

29%

SAT Average

1,407

Best Colleges and Degrees For Stock Traders - Zippia (69)Best Colleges and Degrees For Stock Traders - Zippia (70)

7. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

Admissions Rate

10%

SAT Average

1,514

8. Bentley University

Waltham, MA • Private

Admissions Rate

43%

SAT Average

1,338

Best Colleges and Degrees For Stock Traders - Zippia (71)Best Colleges and Degrees For Stock Traders - Zippia (72)

9. George Washington University, The

Washington, DC • Private

Admissions Rate

42%

SAT Average

1,380

Best Colleges and Degrees For Stock Traders - Zippia (73)Best Colleges and Degrees For Stock Traders - Zippia (74)

10. University of Rochester

Rochester, NY • Private

Admissions Rate

29%

SAT Average

1,422

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for stock traders

The easiest schools for stock traders to get into are Oklahoma Wesleyan University, holy names university, and barry university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a stock trader without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for stock traders.

Best Colleges and Degrees For Stock Traders - Zippia (75)Best Colleges and Degrees For Stock Traders - Zippia (76)

1. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions Rate

68%

SAT Average

964

Best Colleges and Degrees For Stock Traders - Zippia (77)Best Colleges and Degrees For Stock Traders - Zippia (78)

2. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

Admissions Rate

70%

SAT Average

849

Best Colleges and Degrees For Stock Traders - Zippia (79)Best Colleges and Degrees For Stock Traders - Zippia (80)

3. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions Rate

91%

SAT Average

1,006

Best Colleges and Degrees For Stock Traders - Zippia (81)Best Colleges and Degrees For Stock Traders - Zippia (82)

4. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions Rate

90%

SAT Average

994

Best Colleges and Degrees For Stock Traders - Zippia (83)Best Colleges and Degrees For Stock Traders - Zippia (84)

5. University of North Texas at Dallas

Dallas, TX • Private

Admissions Rate

83%

SAT Average

992

Best Colleges and Degrees For Stock Traders - Zippia (85)Best Colleges and Degrees For Stock Traders - Zippia (86)

6. La Roche College

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions Rate

99%

SAT Average

1,008

Best Colleges and Degrees For Stock Traders - Zippia (87)Best Colleges and Degrees For Stock Traders - Zippia (88)

7. Ottawa University

Ottawa, KS • Private

Admissions Rate

78%

SAT Average

1,024

Best Colleges and Degrees For Stock Traders - Zippia (89)Best Colleges and Degrees For Stock Traders - Zippia (90)

8. Holy Family University

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions Rate

72%

SAT Average

1,017

Best Colleges and Degrees For Stock Traders - Zippia (91)Best Colleges and Degrees For Stock Traders - Zippia (92)

9. Saint Joseph's College of Maine

Standish, ME • Private

Admissions Rate

84%

SAT Average

1,069

Best Colleges and Degrees For Stock Traders - Zippia (93)Best Colleges and Degrees For Stock Traders - Zippia (94)

10. Kean University

Union, NJ • Private

Admissions Rate

86%

SAT Average

991

Average stock trader salary by education level

Stock traders with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $147,864 annually. With a Doctorate degree, stock traders earn a median annual income of $135,169 compared to $116,291 for stock traders with an Bachelor's degree.
Stock Trader education levelStock Trader salary
Master's Degree$147,864
Bachelor's Degree$116,291
Doctorate Degree$135,169

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Updated April 5, 2024

Best Colleges and Degrees For Stock Traders - Zippia (95)

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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