Salaries for graduates of leading masters in finance programmes have grown much faster for those working in financial services compared with other sectors, in a sign of the industry’s strength. The latest Financial Times ranking shows that, among those who completed a masters in finance degree three years previously in one of 65 ranked schools, the average salary was $98,000 this year for those working in finance — up 12 per cent compared with 2023.
The salary gap between graduates working in the financial and non-financial sectors has increased to $20,000, up from $6,000 in 2017. The 2024 rankings were compiled using data from business schools and alumni who completed their masters in 2021. Participation by institutions is voluntary, and the list is weighted according to factors including salaries, gender balance and value for money. The ranking data shows that there is still a significant majority of men, both as students and teachers.