Dual major in Finance and Computer Science?

I’m currently a high school junior, and I’m trying to decide on what I want to do after HS. Business and programming are both very intriguing to me, and I’m having a hard time deciding between majoring in CS to get a job as a Software Engineer, or majoring in finance to get into Investment Banking.

I think I will be a competitive applicant for target schools such as UPenn, UChicago, Caltech, etc. if that makes a difference.

Investment banking intrigues me slightly more because of the higher comp and lifestyle, but I’m scared I would “burn out” from the long hours and poor work/life balance. I know there are a lot more career options with a finance degree as well, so that is also pushing me more towards that direction.

I’ve heard that software engineering comes with a much better work/life balance, and I feel that it could be worth the lower comp, but I’m not sure.

One idea I’ve had is to try to get into a dual major program with CS and Finance, so that I could easily transition to software engineering if I get burned out from IB. Is this a good idea? I would have a higher class load which could possibly lower my GPA.

Basically, I’m asking for your opinions on each career choice, and whether or not it is a good idea to pursue a dual major.

Thank you for any input!

13 Comments

Career Advancement Opportunities

September 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.3%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

September 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.5%
  • Morgan Stanley 03 98.9%
  • Evercore 01 98.4%
  • Banco Santander 02 97.9%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.3%

Professional Growth Opportunities

September 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 98.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.9%
  • JPMorgan No 97.3%

Total Avg Compensation

September 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (16) $429
  • Associates (51) $260
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (26) $182
  • Intern/Summer Associate (15) $159
  • 1st Year Analyst (84) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (76) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
3
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
4
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
5
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
6
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
7
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
8
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
9
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
10
Mimbs's picture
Mimbs
98.8
success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”