With the Dow climbing over 200 points last week, market analysts with finance degrees are being recruited for mergers & acquisitions forecasting, a core role in capital market expansion. In the last 19 years, the cost of attending a public, in-state college has increased by 29% when adjusted for inflation, according to a September 2025 report from U.S. News and World Report. As of August 2025, private colleges cost an average of $56,628 per year, and public ones cost $27,146. After four years, and in many cases five to six years, that cost can stack up significantly, so you will want to ensure that you're putting your dollars into an institution that will make it worthwhile. Luckily, those with bachelor's degrees earn about $40,500 more annually than those without, reports the Association of Public & Land-Grant Universities. However, some colleges have a higher return on investment than others. Curious what courses you’ll take online? Check out our bachelor’s degree in finance program guide Defensive stock sectors outperforming in recent weeks have pushed finance degree jobs in portfolio hedging and downside risk modeling into the recruitment spotlight.