It has been a little while since I last updated everyone on the University of Southern California MSF program and a bunch has changed. This program has really evolved and continues to improve over the handful of years it has been in existence. With the USC brand and the continued success and improvements the program has made, it will no doubt continue to be one of the more sought out Masters in Finance programs, especially on the west coast.
STEM Certification
The USC MSF program is STEM certified, joining the majority of programs who have listened to what prospective students want, especially international students. As I have mentioned before on this site, the STEM certification allows international students on F-1 visas to apply for a 24-month extension of their OPT.
2017 Placements
The University of Southern California MSF Program released their 2017 placement report, making this the third year that a report has been provided. These reports are always of interest to students considering which program to attend and I appreciate the fact that USC provides this information. I will include a link to the full report at the end of this section, but below are some highlights of this years report.
- Class size – 65
- Seeking Employment – 75% (not seeking – 14%)
- Received an offer – 75% (accepted – 73%)
MSF Class of 2017, Salary
- Base – Max ($110,000), Avg ($66,500)
- Bonus – Max ($25,000), Avg ($10,286)
Hiring Companies (not a complete list)
- American Realty Advisors/PM Realty Group
- Angeles Investment Advisors
- Bank of the West
- CBRE
- Citics Securities
- Deloitte
- Eastdil Secured
- Ernst & Young
- FTI Consulting
- Goldman Sachs Group
- Huasheng Investment Company
- J.P. Morgan
- Kayne Anderson Rudnick
- KPMG
- Mattel
- NBCUniversal
- PricewaterhouseCoopers
- Salem Partners
- Stout Risius Ross
- SunTrust Robinson Humphrey
- U.S. Bank
- Walt Disney Company
- Warner Brothers
You can see the full report here.
2018-2019 Application
This years application cycle is fast approaching. For those looking to apply, the following dates will signify the 1st and 2nd rounds.
- Round 1 – November 26, 2018
- Round 2 – January 7, 2019
Please keep in mind that Round 1 applicants receive priority when it comes to scholarship/grant money.
I’ll make sure to keep everyone posted on the program in case anything changes or there are any updates. Hope this helps and please stay tuned.
Here is a link to the University of Southern California MSF Program
