[Miryo]

I've been told by many that the degree you choose doesnt really affect your chances of getting a job at an investment bank.

I assumed Economics would be the most suited degree for this kind of thing but I looked at LSE's graduate destinations and Investment banking was a much more popular destination for finance students than it was for any other degree.

Also, the average starting salary of a finance student was almost double the average.

Finance page: http://www2.lse.ac.uk/intranet/Caree...ance/Home.aspx

Economics page: http://www2.lse.ac.uk/intranet/Caree...mics/Home.aspx

My question is why do finance graduates earn so much more?

[bmqib]

Probably for the postgrad degrees

[Zweihander]

Would take those pages with a pinch of salt. There definitely more people from LSE Econ who want to, and end up going into banking than their A&F students. Either course is good though, and LSE is a stellar university. Pick whichever you think you'd enjoy more.

[M1011]

"The average starting salary of graduates from the Finance department in 2009-10 was £60,689 - the highest departmental salary in LSE."

Is this true? I've not even seen an entry position that pays this much. During a recession as well. Typo maybe, or am I being pessimistic?

[stackemup]

Is this true? I've not even seen an entry position that pays this much. During a recession as well. Typo maybe, or am I being pessimistic

'The LSE's Department of Finance (formerly part of the Department of Accounting and Finance)'

I'm assuming that the salary is for their students studying MSc Finance/Msc Finance & Private Equity.

Remember some of these students will have a few good years of actual employment, and may choose to study the Masters in Finance later on. These students would skew the salary upwards.

The salary data is also for 2009-2010, the Economy was recovering from rescission through this time and in 2010 GDP growth was 2.09%. This may have boosted confidence in the markets and so employers would have been more optimistic of hiring.

I doubt that these figures are as high today as they were a few years ago, especially with all that uncertainty.

[M1011]

(Original post by stackemup)
'The LSE's Department of Finance (formerly part of the Department of Accounting and Finance)'

I'm assuming that the salary is for their students studying MSc Finance/Msc Finance & Private Equity.

Remember some of these students will have a few good years of actual employment, and may choose to study the Masters in Finance later on. These students would skew the salary upwards.

The salary data is also for 2009-2010, the Economy was recovering from rescission through this time and in 2010 GDP growth was 2.09%. This may have boosted confidence in the markets and so employers would have been more optimistic of hiring.

I doubt that these figures are as high today as they were a few years ago, especially with all that uncertainty.

All good points, but having just read this link on another thread I'm even more doubtful. Although granted this isn't talking about masters.

http://www.cherwell.org/news/academi...aid-in-country

[poohat]

(Original post by M1011)
All good points, but having just read this link on another thread I'm even more doubtful. Although granted this isn't talking about masters.

http://www.cherwell.org/news/academi...aid-in-country

From a similar article on the same report (http://www.equalitylaw.co.uk/news/24...-and-losers/):

The top and bottom five were as follows: highest – 1) Oxford, maths (£42,589); 2) Bournemouth, engineering (£38,095); 3) Robert Gordon, engineering (£36,500); 4) Cambridge, economics (£36,277); 5) Derby, nursing (£34,111);

Im putting this in the 'doubtful' category.

[M1011]

(Original post by poohat)
From a similar article on the same report (http://www.equalitylaw.co.uk/news/24...-and-losers/):

Im putting this in the 'doubtful' category.

I laughed quite a bit at this quote;

(Original post by EquityLaw)
According to the HESA data, Oxford maths graduates were the highest-paid, earning £42,589 on average – getting on for four times what media studies graduates from Northumbria were making (i.e. £11,789) at the other end of the scale.

I do wonder how the article can claim to measure earning potential and yet place nursing at Derby as the fifth highest in the country. Are we to presume that Derby nurses make more then doctors over the course of a career? I think they mistook opening salary for earning potential