Finance Degree in Boston, MA — Salary & ROI 2026
Finance degree analysis for Boston, MA. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$96K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$151K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
2.4 yrs
in Boston
Cost of Living
137
index (100 = avg)
Finance in Boston, MA Overview
Boston is one of Massachusetts's top college towns, with 24 institutions and a student population of 40,388. Public tuition averages $14,167/year here — near the national average for public universities. Finance enrollment is stable nationwide, with steady demand for graduates skilled in Financial Modeling and Valuation. The adjusted starting salary in Boston is approximately $95,900, growing to $150,700 by mid-career.
Category
Business
Local Colleges
24
Public Tuition
$14,167/yr
Private Tuition
$60,730/yr
Room & Board
$14,423/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$10,458/yr
Unemployment
4.5%
Graduation Rate
56%
Finance Salary in Boston (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Boston's cost of living index of 137 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Finance salary: $70,000 starting, $110,000 mid-career, $145,000 senior level.Boston adjustment factor: 1.37x based on the local cost of living index.
Finance ROI Calculator for Boston
Estimate your return on investment for a Finance degree using local Boston tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $14,167 | Private avg: $60,730
Boston avg aid: $10,458/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$114,360
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$47,950
vs HS diploma in Boston
ROI Payback Period
2.4 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Boston
$1,187,140
Lifetime earnings premium ($1,301,500) minus total education cost ($114,360)
Student Loan Payoff for Finance in Boston
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Boston for Finance
Boston University
private
$62,360/yr
$249,440 total
Northeastern University
private
$59,100/yr
$236,400 total
University of Massachusetts Boston
public
$14,167/yr
$56,668 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Bunker Hill Community College
$5,760/yr
Roxbury Community College
$5,280/yr
Top Employers for Finance in Boston
Boston offers opportunities in Financial services, Consulting firms, Fortune 500 companies for Finance graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Boston Hiring Sectors for Business
Financial services
Consulting firms
Fortune 500 companies
Startups
Marketing agencies
Common Finance Job Titles
Finance in Nearby Massachusetts Cities
Worcester, MA
$82K starting · COL 117
11 colleges
Springfield, MA
$93K starting · COL 133
6 colleges
Cambridge, MA
$93K starting · COL 133
6 colleges
Lowell, MA
$79K starting · COL 112.5
5 colleges
Brockton, MA
$76K starting · COL 108.5
5 colleges
Quincy, MA
$90K starting · COL 128.5
4 colleges
New Bedford, MA
$72K starting · COL 102.5
4 colleges
Lynn, MA
$83K starting · COL 118.5
4 colleges
Other Business Majors in Boston
Business Analytics
$107K starting · 2 yr ROI
Economics
$89K starting · 4 yr ROI
Information Systems
$69K starting · 3.3 yr ROI
Supply Chain Management
$69K starting · 3.5 yr ROI
Operations Management
$69K starting · 3.8 yr ROI
Accounting
$85K starting · 3.8 yr ROI
Real Estate
$69K starting · 4 yr ROI
Business Administration
$79K starting · 4.2 yr ROI
Finance Degree in Boston — FAQ
Data Sources: Salary data from BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook. Cost of living from BLS Regional Data. College data from NCES/IPEDS. Updated March 2026.
Explore More
Compare Finance ROI in other cities, or explore other majors in Boston.