Earning the CFP (Certified Financial Planner) credential requires a combination of education, experience and examination. All candidates must possess bachelor's degrees to sit for the CFP exam, though the degrees do not have to be in financial-planning-related fields.
Top 10 Business Schools
While not specifically financial planning degrees, the below schools offer business degrees with opportunities to concentrate on finance:
| College/University | Location | Institution Type | Degrees Offered | Tuition and Fees, In-state (2015-2016)* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Pennsylvania | Philadelphia, PA | 4-year, Private not-for-profit | Bachelor's, Master's, Doctorate | Undergraduate: $49,536 Graduate: $34,268 |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Cambridge, MA | 4-year, Private not-for-profit | Bachelor's, Master's, Doctorate | Undergraduate: $46,704 Graduate: $49,272 |
| University of California - Berkeley | Berkeley, CA | 4-year, Public | Bachelor's, Master's, Doctorate | Undergraduate: $13,431 Graduate: $13,431 |
| University of Michigan - Ann Arbor | Ann Arbor, MI | 4-year, Public | Bachelor's, Master's, Doctorate | Undergraduate: $13,856 Graduate: $20,966 |
| New York University | New York, NY | 4-year, Private not-for-profit | Bachelor's, Master's, Doctorate | Undergraduate: $47,750 Graduate: $40,984 |
| University of Virginia | Charlottesville, VA | 4-year, Public | Master's | Graduate: $17,094 |
| Carnegie Mellon University | Pittsburgh, PA | 4-year, Private not-for-profit | Bachelor's, Master's, Doctorate | Undergraduate: $50,665 Graduate: $41,371 |
| University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill | Chapel Hill, NC | 4-year, Public | Bachelor's, Master's, Doctorate | Undergraduate: $8,591 Graduate: $11,074 |
| University of Texas - Austin | Austin, TX | 4-year, Public | Bachelor's, Master's, Doctorate | Undergraduate: $9,806 Graduate: $10,934 |
| University of Notre Dame | Notre Dame, IN | 4-year, Private not-for-profit | Bachelor's, Master's | Undergraduate: $47,929 Graduate: $47,765 |
Source: *National Center for Education Statistics
School Selection Critria
Students interested in certified financial planner programs may want to keep these considerations in mind:
- Students who already hold bachelor's degrees in unrelated fields might want to seek out schools that offer complete specialized financial planning programs, typically offered as graduate certificate programs that last 1-2 years.
- Those who do not already hold bachelor's degrees can opt to complete bachelor's degree programs that fulfill both degree and CFP educational requirements simultaneously.
- Some CFP programs offer night, weekend or online coursework options for students needing scheduling flexibility.
- Consider a school's reputation and ranking in published school rankings.
Holding a bachelor's degree is necessary to sit for the Certified Financial Planning exam. Degrees in finance or business typically provides the right preparation for this.
