If you’re a financial whiz kid able to calculate tall stacks of numbers at a single glance, design an investment portfolio that generates client income and are blessed with an empathetic ear, then a career as a financial advisor might be for you. But first you need to find the right school to prepare you for it, says College Factual, a website created to help students discover a college and a career they love without wracking up a ton of debt in the process.

Last year, more than 50,000 college students earned a degree in finance and financial management, an important step toward a career as a financial advisor.

In compiling a list of 2021’s best colleges for finance and financial management, College Factual examined 317 schools, using such factors as degree completion, educational resources, student body caliber and the all-important post-graduation earnings. While U.S. college graduates with a bachelor’s degree in finance and financial management earned an average annual starting salary of $48,186, graduates of colleges on College Factual’s list earned an average annual starting salary of $64,032 . 

Here, in ascending order, are the 10 best colleges for finance and financial management 2021.

10. Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, Calif.

Located in the San Francisco Bay area, Santa Clara University is a private Jesuit University founded in 1851. The school offers both undergraduate and graduate degrees in finance. SCU finance undergraduate students borrow a median amount of $19,500 in student loans, and earn a median post-graduation salary of $68,100 a year.

9. Tulane University, New Orleans, La.

Founded as a public medical college in 1834, Tulane is now a private research university. The school offers both undergraduate and graduate degrees in finance. Tulane finance students borrow a median amount of $22,500 in undergraduate student loans, and earn a median post-graduation salary of $62,800 a year.

8. Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas

Southern Methodist University is a private research university located in University Park, a suburb of Dallas, with satellite campuses in Plano, Texas, and Taos, N.M. The school offers both undergraduate and graduate degrees in finance. SMU finance students borrow a median amount of $19,270 in undergraduate student loans, and earn a median post-graduation salary of $68,100 a year. 

7. Villanova University, Villanova, Pa.

Named in honor of St. Thomas of Villanova, Villanova University was founded in 1842, and is the oldest Catholic university in Pennsylvania. The school offers both undergraduate and graduate degrees in finance. Villanova finance students borrow a median amount of $25,793 in undergraduate student loans, and earn a median post-graduation salary of $68,300 a year.

6. University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Ind.

The University of Notre Dame, founded in 1842, is a private Catholic research university located in a suburb of South Bend, Ind. The school offers both undergraduate and graduate degrees in finance. Notre Dame finance students borrow a median amount of $19,000 in undergraduate student loans, and earn a median post-graduation salary of $77,100 a year.

5. Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pa.

Established in 1865 by businessman Asa Packer, this private research university has been coeducational since 1971. The school offers both undergraduate and graduate degrees in finance. Lehigh finance students borrow a median amount of $22,196 in undergraduate student loans, and earn a median post-graduation salary of $68,200 a year.

4. Georgetown University, Washington, D.C.

Located on a hill above the Potomac River, Georgetown University is a private research university founded by Bishop John Carroll in 1789. The school offers both undergraduate and graduate degrees in finance. Undergraduate admissions are highly selective. Georgetown finance students borrow a median amount of $17,000 in undergraduate student loans, and earn a median post-graduation salary of $81,400 a year.

3. Boston College, Chestnut Hill, Mass.

Boston College was founded as a small liberal arts college in 1863, but is today a large, private Jesuit research university. The school offers both undergraduate and graduate degrees in finance. BC finance students borrow a median amount of $16,375 in undergraduate student loans, and earn a median post-graduation salary of $68,500 a year.

2. Bentley University, Waltham, Mass.

Founded in 1917 as a school of accounting and finance in Boston’s Back Bay neighborhood, Bentley University is now a private university located in suburban Waltham. The school offers both undergraduate and graduate degrees in finance. Undergraduate admissions are highly selective. Bentley finance students borrow a median amount of $23,250 in undergraduate student loans, and earn a median post-graduation salary of $61,300 a year.

1. University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pa.

Founded in 1740, the University of Pennsylvania is a prestigious Ivy League research university located in an urban setting. The school offers both undergraduate and graduate degrees in finance. Undergraduate admissions are highly selective. UPenn finance students borrow a median amount of $19,500 in undergraduate student loans, and earn a median post-graduation salary of $107,700 a year.