Finance and Financial Management Services at Long Island University

A finance degree from Long Island University faces formidable competition in New York's crowded market. While similar finance programs across the state suggest first-year earnings around $51,000—roughly aligned with the state median—this falls dramatically short of what top New York schools deliver. Fordham graduates earn $84,000, Binghamton grads make $74,000, and even mid-tier programs like RIT produce $57,000 starters. In a field where employers actively recruit from target schools and where your network often determines your trajectory, starting $20,000-30,000 behind peers from recognizable programs puts LIU graduates at a significant disadvantage.

The estimated debt of $26,000 appears manageable in isolation—it's close to the national benchmark for finance degrees. But context matters: you're paying similar amounts for considerably weaker outcomes than competitor schools produce. The 0.50 debt-to-earnings ratio is workable, but that assumes you land a $51,000 job quickly, which may prove challenging given that LIU's 90% admission rate and modest academic profile don't signal the selectivity that finance employers typically target for analyst and associate roles.

For a student dead-set on finance, particularly investment banking or corporate finance in New York, this program carries real risk. The lack of reported data suggests very few students complete this specific major, which raises questions about resources, faculty depth, and employer recruitment. Unless your child has strong family connections in finance or plans to pursue graduate education that could reset their credential, consider whether peer programs with proven track records might offer better odds of breaking into this competitive field.