Finance Degree in Cincinnati, OH — Salary & ROI 2026
Finance degree analysis for Cincinnati, OH. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$71K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$112K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
2.8 yrs
in Cincinnati
Cost of Living
102
index (100 = avg)
Finance in Cincinnati, OH Overview
Cincinnati is one of Ohio's top college towns, with 28 institutions and a student population of 32,655. Public tuition averages $12,226/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 Cincinnati is approximately $71,400, growing to $112,200 by mid-career.
Category
Business
Local Colleges
28
Public Tuition
$12,226/yr
Private Tuition
$43,040/yr
Room & Board
$12,772/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$12,666/yr
Unemployment
3.1%
Graduation Rate
70%
Finance Salary in Cincinnati (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Cincinnati's cost of living index of 102 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Finance salary: $70,000 starting, $110,000 mid-career, $145,000 senior level.Cincinnati adjustment factor: 1.02x based on the local cost of living index.
Finance ROI Calculator for Cincinnati
Estimate your return on investment for a Finance degree using local Cincinnati tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $12,226 | Private avg: $43,040
Cincinnati avg aid: $12,666/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$99,992
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$35,700
vs HS diploma in Cincinnati
ROI Payback Period
2.8 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Cincinnati
$869,008
Lifetime earnings premium ($969,000) minus total education cost ($99,992)
Student Loan Payoff for Finance in Cincinnati
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Cincinnati for Finance
University of Cincinnati
public
$12,226/yr
$48,904 total
Xavier University
private
$43,040/yr
$172,160 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Cincinnati State Technical and Community College
$5,004/yr
Top Employers for Finance in Cincinnati
Cincinnati offers opportunities in Financial services, Consulting firms, Fortune 500 companies for Finance graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Cincinnati Hiring Sectors for Business
Financial services
Consulting firms
Fortune 500 companies
Startups
Marketing agencies
Common Finance Job Titles
Finance in Nearby Ohio Cities
Columbus, OH
$72K starting · COL 103
31 colleges
Cleveland, OH
$67K starting · COL 96
20 colleges
Toledo, OH
$76K starting · COL 108
16 colleges
Akron, OH
$74K starting · COL 105
5 colleges
Dayton, OH
$73K starting · COL 104
9 colleges
Parma, OH
$63K starting · COL 90
4 colleges
Canton, OH
$59K starting · COL 84
4 colleges
Lorain, OH
$60K starting · COL 85.2
3 colleges
Other Business Majors in Cincinnati
Business Analytics
$80K starting · 2 yr ROI
Economics
$66K starting · 4 yr ROI
Information Systems
$51K starting · 3.3 yr ROI
Supply Chain Management
$51K starting · 3.5 yr ROI
Operations Management
$51K starting · 3.8 yr ROI
Accounting
$63K starting · 3.8 yr ROI
Real Estate
$51K starting · 4 yr ROI
Business Administration
$59K starting · 4.2 yr ROI
Finance Degree in Cincinnati — 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 Cincinnati.