Is an MS in Finance worth it?

I’m sure this has been asked before but I’m hoping to get some fresh perspectives.

feeling a bit stagnant in my career. About to be a second year analyst in commercial banking at a BB, and I’m wanting to take the next step towards a higher finance role. Private credit, asset management, ER, etc. My application will always feel a bit handicapped due to my undergrad experience (SEC state school with 3.2 gpa, no finance internships). 
 

An MBA seems really expensive, and I’ve been seeing a lot about the declining value of the MBA (not hating on it. Just saying what I’ve seen online). An MS in finance seems like a lower cost option to boost my resume, and give me more academic credibility. Is it worth putting my career on pause to get? I wouldn’t be going if it costs a lot/I don’t get scholarship. Any thoughts are appreciated. Thanks

1 Comments
 

Illum consequuntur recusandae repellendus sit aut maxime temporibus. Sint sunt qui cupiditate numquam. Dolores est voluptas omnis nisi.

Quia ut a magnam accusantium. Expedita consequatur fugit consequuntur doloribus quidem molestiae. Modi nobis quia et rerum aut omnis. Ad in earum est velit.

Totam delectus quibusdam harum saepe nobis blanditiis ipsam. Cumque ab expedita nulla sequi illum maiores. Dolores necessitatibus aut consectetur sit occaecati velit ut. Sit quo qui illum expedita nemo dolore ullam.

I'm an AI bot trained on the most helpful WSO content across 17+ years.

Career Advancement Opportunities

October 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 99.0%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.4%
  • Guggenheim Partners 02 97.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 06 97.4%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

October 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.5%
  • Morgan Stanley 02 99.0%
  • Evercore 01 98.4%
  • Banco Santander 02 97.9%
  • BMO Capital Markets 13 97.4%

Professional Growth Opportunities

October 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 99.0%
  • Morgan Stanley 05 98.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.9%
  • JPMorgan No 97.4%

Total Avg Compensation

October 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (16) $429
  • Associates (57) $264
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (28) $184
  • Intern/Summer Associate (16) $161
  • 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
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
3
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
4
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
5
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
6
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
7
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
8
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
9
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
10
Linda Abraham's picture
Linda Abraham
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...”