Fintech MBA

This guide is all about getting an MBA in fintech. Once you obtain this degree, it includes a fintech MBA overview, an online MBA in fintech options, and potential career paths. 

Take a moment to think about how often you transfer money from one banking account to another through your phone. Or how about when you see someone paying for groceries by scanning their watch. These are just two examples of how financial technology plays a role in everyday life.

As innovation and technology continuously introduce themselves into every aspect of our lives, it’s no surprise that it has become immersed in the world of finance. When it comes to new and innovative ways to handle and predict finances, no conversation is greater than the one around financial technology, or “fintech” as it has become known today. 

Even more than the consumer world, fintech has played a key role in business for the last two decades. And with cryptocurrency becoming a highly lucrative industry, fintech isn’t going away anytime soon. As a result, more and more professionals are beginning to educate themselves about the world of fintech.

This article will provide an overview of what you can do with an MBA concentrating in fintech and how it can pave the way for a highly rewarding career. 

What is a Fintech MBA?

By blending the many elements of finance and technology, a degree focused on fintech will give students the first-hand experience of working in a field that has begun to change the way banks, insurance companies, and investment firms do business. 

This specific degree prepares students to develop an in-depth understanding of how to incorporate technology into improving financial services and their performance and best manage finances for small businesses and large corporations. Students will learn about all the different fintech tools and applications while understanding how the field is progressing. 

The two areas a degree in fintech covers include:

Finance – Students will learn the strategies around financial and investment analysis and the basics behind accounting, statistics, and economics.

Technology – Students will gain the knowledge and skills to incorporate the different technology areas into the world of finance.

Why do people want a career in fintech?

Financial technology is a constantly evolving field that affects many facets of our daily lives. A career in fintech will allow students to join a rapidly growing field that is leading the way in financial innovation. 

As our world of automation becomes more commonplace, a student in this field will be equipped to introduce groundbreaking functions and processes to make a difference in the industry. 

The process for earning a higher education degree is changing. More and more institutions offer online course options. Online course options allow students to learn outside of the classroom and on their schedules. Many institutions offer online options, which we will get into below in this article. 

You might also be interested in our complete guide to a master’s degree in fintech.

Online Fintech MBA Programs

Whether a fintech educational program is online or offline, the curriculum is the same. The only differences between the two types of programs are how the courses are structured and delivered.

For example, rather than sitting in a traditional classroom listening to a lecture, students can listen to that lecture in a digital format, such as an audio or video file. The benefit of this is they can start and pause the recording to listen to it at their own pace, take notes, and even listen to it as many times as needed and at their convenience.

There was once a time when online programs weren’t as respected in the same way as traditional on-site programs. However, in today’s digital age, this has changed drastically. Online programs give students a head start in how they will be working in the future. Some positive attributes of an online degree include:

Experience with digital fintech tools: Students will learn more about and experiment with the digital tools used for fintech, giving them an idea of what a day on the job will look like. 

Independent thinking and research: Without having peers and professors within earshot, students are left to work independently and do research on their own. 

Communication skills: Online learning allows students to take the time to come up with well-thought-out responses, questions, or opinions, which will prepare them for all digital forms of communication leveraged in today’s business world. 

Responsibility balance: Most online programs are self-paced, meaning it is up to the student to complete certain sections or modules within a certain amount of time. This requires students to balance responsibilities between work, life, and school. Showing that you can successfully juggle responsibilities is a huge asset to any hiring manager.

Although showing that you completed an online degree program is always an asset, not every institution and program is accredited. To ensure your chances for success, enroll in a program from an accredited institution. 

Overview of a Fintech MBA

Earning an MBA in finance will allow you to obtain the tools needed to get a head start in the field. There are many different areas of finance that you will eventually master throughout the program that will be able to be applied to your future in the industry. These areas include:

• Information technology
• Social entrepreneurship
• Product development
• Product management
• International finance
• Public finance
• Real estate finance

Focusing your degree on fintech will help you gain an entirely different batch of skills that will be useful today and in the future. These industry-specific skills include:

• Fintech analytics: Data-driven credit modeling
• Digital currencies, blockchain, and the financial services industry
• Financial information systems
• Robo advisors & systematic trading
• Applications in entrepreneurial finance: fintech
• Risk management for fintech
• Fintech personal finance and payments

Projects

As mentioned above, focusing your MBA on fintech will introduce you to everything within the world of finance. Along with that will come many projects in different areas, which can include:

• Digital transformation and financial services
• Digital payments and marketplace lending
• Personal banking and AI
• Insurtech and real estate tech
• Blockchain and cryptocurrency
• Financial regulation

Research

The finance industry is constantly evolving, especially as cryptocurrency becomes more popular and introduced into daily life. With these programs, the student can expect to do extensive research on how fintech will impact the world of business and even personal banking in the not-too-distant future.

Most MBA programs require you to do a graduate-level research paper to conclude the course requirements.

Internships/fieldwork

Along with regular homework assignments and research papers, MBA programs deliver a first-hand experience working in the industry. With most institutions requiring an internship or fieldwork to complete your degree, you will get an opportunity to incorporate what you’ve learned from your courses and lectures into the real world.

Here are some benefits of doing an internship or fieldwork:

• First-hand perspective of the day-to-day responsibilities
• Gain professional work experience
• Build skills from exposure to work profile
• Potentially convert an internship into a pre-placement offer
• Potential income (depending on the position/company)

Cost, Financial Aid, and Scholarships

So what does an MBA with a concentration in fintech cost? Of course, this can vary with many factors, such as institution, program type, enrollment status, and whether you are an in-state or out-of-state student. It’s best to budget between $12,000 to $120,000 per semester for an MBA in finance with a concentration in fintech.

Higher-level or continuing education is always an investment. The good news is that you may not necessarily have to pay for an MBA in finance 100 percent out of pocket. There are financial aid, student loan, and scholarship options worth investigating. 

School-based scholarships and grants: Most institutions offer scholarships or grants that you can apply for to help pay for tuition and fees. Some grants you may not have to pay back. This is based on the student’s financial needs and whether or not other scholarships are awarded.

Assistantships and work-study programs: Many students can sign up or apply for work-study to work on campus to contribute to their tuition. This primarily applies to full-time and part-time students who have some presence on campus.

Third-party or private scholarships: Similar to institution-offered scholarships and grants, there are plenty of outside organizations that offer scholarship programs, some of which are specific to various groups and interests, such as sports, theater, music, or math clubs. Some organizations offer scholarships for single and working parents. Do your homework to see what’s out there and what you may qualify for.

Company sponsorship: If you already work full time for a company or have a company of your own, consider participating in a tuition reimbursement program.

Federal student aid: Federal loans are always an option. Though most must be repaid over time, federal student aid typically has varying interest rates and repayment terms.

Career Outlook 

A career in finance will always be in demand, especially as fintech grows in demand. This means the options and opportunities are practically endless. Whether your career goals involve becoming a finance consultant, an entrepreneur, or a CFO at a large enterprise, an MBA in finance with a focus on fintech won’t steer you in the wrong direction.

For more information, check out our complete profiles for three quickly growing fintech careers: blockchain developer, cryptocurrency analyst, and fintech app developer.

Fintech MBA FAQs