Online Master of Science in Finance
Explore Our Online Master’s Degree in Finance
Online
12 Months
30 Credit Hours
$1,000 Per Credit
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Master Market Strategies and Data Skills for Finance Careers
- Apply By: 9/29/25
- Start Class: 10/13/25
Earn your online Master of Science in Finance in a nationally ranked program from Illinois Tech’s Stuart School of Business and gain the skills to lead in today’s financial industry. Designed for working professionals, this 100 percent online program offers flexible, accelerated eight-week courses and a strong quantitative core—giving you the tools to understand markets, trading, and financial structure. Learn Python for hands-on experience with a key industry language, and study with faculty who bring real-world insight from finance and research. You’ll build valuable connections with alumni and industry leaders and join a program with a proven record of success. Graduates have landed roles at J.P. Morgan, Ernst & Young, the Federal Reserve Bank, and more.
Program Details
- No application fee
- 8-week courses
- Transfer up to 9 credit hours
- Take advantage of comprehensive career services and resources
- AACSB accredited
Curriculum
Master’s in Finance Online Courses
30 Total Credits
10 Courses
This 100 percent online finance master’s program blends advanced financial theory with practical skills. Courses are taught in Python and include a strong quantitative core, giving you tools to analyze markets and manage risk. Explore trading, institutional operations, and financial research through real projects guided by industry professionals. The curriculum in this AACSB-accredited program prepares you to thrive in fast-paced finance careers. Transfer up to nine credit hours and finish faster.
Develop Finance Expertise With Market Insights
Implement Quantitative Models and Price Derivatives
Using Excel, SQL, and Python, you will learn the mechanisms of pricing, trading, and risk management of financial derivatives.
Develop Statistical Modeling Expertise
Master statistical methods, variance and regression analysis, and forecasting techniques to drive financial decisions.
Enhance Financial Reporting and Forecasting Skills
Learn to interpret external financial reports, apply ratio analysis, and forecasting techniques for informed decision‑making.
Admissions Requirements
Apply for Your Online Master of Science in Finance Degree Program Today
Application Deadline 9/29/25
Start Date 10/13/25
At Illinois Tech, we make graduate education more accessible and flexible. No test scores are required, there’s no application fee, and you can transfer up to nine credits. With multiple start dates year-round, you can begin when it works best for you. Take the next step in your finance career and explore the admission requirements for the online master’s program below.
| Online Application Form | Apply Now |
|---|---|
| Degree and Minimum GPA | Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution with a minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0* on a 4.0 scale |
| Transcripts | Official transcripts are required for all previous undergraduate and graduate study. |
| Transfer Credits | Up to 9 transfer credits accepted |
| Additional Requirements |
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*Applicants with a lower GPA will be considered based on work experience and time since degree completion.
Illinois Tech strives to make higher education accessible to everyone. We’ve made it easier to apply by not requiring test scores or an application fee. We also accept applicable transfer credits toward your graduate program. With multiple start dates offered year-round, you can begin when it fits your schedule. Plus, our enrollment advisers are here to support you.
AdmissionsTuition and Aid
Stay on Budget With Illinois Tech’s Affordable Pay-As-You-Go Tuition
Calculate your cost for attending Illinois Tech Use our tuition calculator to help you estimate your total tuition costs.
Illinois Tech is committed to making your education accessible and rewarding. We offer a range of financial aid options including scholarships, grants, and assistantships. You can transfer up to nine credit hours, which can help you save on tuition and finish your degree sooner. We encourage all students to complete the FAFSA and explore outside scholarships to maximize support.
| Cost per Credit Hour | $1,000 |
|---|---|
| Total Number of Credit Hours | 30 |
| Total Estimated Tuition | $30,000 |
| Other Costs to Budget For | The estimated tuition cost does not include factors like textbooks, fees, or other expenses. |
Military Students at Illinois Tech
Illinois Tech proudly processes United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits for admitted veteran and active-duty students. Veterans admitted to Illinois Tech are eligible to apply for these VA benefits: the Montgomery GI Bill, the Post-9/11 Program, the Yellow Ribbon Program, the Reserve Educational Assistance Program (REAP), the Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance (DEA), and the Veterans Educational Assistance Program (VEAP).
Tuition and Financial Aid
At Illinois Tech, we are committed to making your educational journey both enriching and accessible. Our diverse financial aid options, including scholarships, grants, and assistantships, are designed to support students across all disciplines. We encourage you to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to access federal and state financial assistance and explore external scholarships to maximize your funding opportunities.
Tuition Details
Online Master’s in Finance Career Opportunities
As a graduate of Illinois Tech’s master’s degree in finance online program, you will gain the in-demand skills top companies seek including a strong quantitative foundation, real-world project experience, and hands-on training in Python. You will gain an understanding of how markets are structured and how trading works. Our grads have launched successful careers at J.P. Morgan, Ernst & Young, and the Federal Reserve—entering a field projected to grow 17 percent with more than 75,000 job openings annually through 2033.
Finance Careers
Portfolio Manager $101,502 per year1
Hedge Fund Manager $192,521 per year2
“Picking a graduate program is all about fit. I was looking for a program that could improve my programming skills, a program that competed in competitions, and a program that had current industry professionals teaching. Stuart checked all of my boxes.”
– Keenan Ibrahimbacha (M.S. FIN ‘20)
What You’ll Learn
Upon completion of this program, you will have gained comprehensive knowledge of:
- The primary mathematical methods used in finance and financial markets, including calculus, precalculus, probability, and statistics, for application in simple and compound interest, annuities and mortgages, option pricing and strategies, and elementary portfolio theory
- The principles of statistics, theory, methods of statistical interest, and variance and regression analysis
- Key accounting concepts, financial ratios, forecasting techniques, and industry issues critical in interpreting and analyzing external financial reports
- How to implement quantitative models using Microsoft Excel, SQL, and Python
- The fundamentals of bond and option pricing, as well as the CAPM, APT, and the Fama-French models
- The mechanisms of pricing, trading, and risk management of financial derivatives including options, forwards, futures contracts, swaps, OTC derivatives, arbitrage-free pricing, risk-neutral pricing, binomial trees, the Black-Scholes-Merton model, and the Monte Carlo simulation for pricing
Learn from Expert Faculty Who Are Here for You
Our faculty bring real-world experience from their professional fields and are passionate about building meaningful connections. They are here to mentor you, offer personalized support, and help you reach your goals.
Ricky “Rick” Cooper, Director, Ph.D. in Finance
Faculty Spotlight: Ricky “Rick” Cooper
Director, M.S. in Finance
Director, M.S. in Financial Economics
Associate Professor of Finance
Ricky “Rick” Cooper is an associate professor and director of the graduate finance programs at Stuart School of Business (M.S. in Finance, M.S. in Financial Economics, Ph.D. in Finance). Throughout his academic career, he has taught all aspects of financial theory, investments, and financial management at Illinois Tech, Vanderbilt University, Harvard University, and Wayne State University.
While he has always taught, Cooper also had a professional career, beginning with State Street Global Advisors in Boston, where he quickly rose from active international portfolio manager to cofounder of the Enhanced Index Group to cofounder and associate director of the Advanced Research Center.
He then returned to his hometown of Chicago, where he worked as a senior partner and director of analytics for Harris Investment Management. In this role, he modernized the analytic systems and led the revamping of the models with a commensurate uptick in investment performance. He then spent several years as an owner and chief investment officer of his own firm.
Cooper sold his interest in his company and turned his attention to high-frequency trading, where he became director of risk management for Xambala, Inc., a proprietary high-frequency trading company. It was there that he developed many methodologies that formed the backbone of his early publications upon moving to Illinois Tech.
His research has published more than two dozen articles in highly ranked journals, including the Journal of Futures Markets, the Financial Analysts Journal, the Journal of Financial Economics, and The Journal of Portfolio Management, among others. His latest research projects focus on techniques of quantitative portfolio management and the intersection of knowledge management and business innovation. Cooper is co-editor of the journal Algorithmic Finance.
Sources
- Payscale.com. “Average Portfolio Manager.” Retrieved April 17, 2025, from https://www.payscale.com/.
- Payscale.com. “Average Hedge Fund Manager Salary.” Retrieved April 17, 2025, from https://www.payscale.com/.