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Business · Finance Rank #220 of 431

Financeat Illinois Wesleyan University

Graduates earn $62,619/yr in their first year — about 13.0% above the national Finance average. Base-case 10-year earnings $898K; scenarios range from $764K to $955K depending on AI disruption.

Bloomington, IL Private nonprofit Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
72 STRONG
73
Optimistic
70
Pessimistic
Earnings
$62,619
1-year post-graduation
ROI
3.6x
Earnings : tuition
10-yr Base
$898K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
Very High
59% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at Illinois Wesleyan University

At $62,619 per year, Finance graduates from Illinois Wesleyan University earn slightly above the $55,340 national median. The premium is real but not dramatic.

The 4.0x return on tuition is positive but not overwhelming. Financial outcomes depend on keeping costs close to in-state rates.

AI risk is moderate — 55% task exposure — and the 20% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

The median debt load of $26,000 represents less than half a year of starting salary — among the lightest debt-to-income ratios we track.

At #220 out of 431 programs, Illinois Wesleyan University's financial outcomes for Finance trail the majority of peers. The value case depends on other factors.

Earnings growth from $62,619 to $102,441 over five years (64% increase) indicates that graduates in this field see meaningful salary progression.

AI Outlook Integration

Three scenarios, ten years out

Each scenario is a different assumption about how AI reshapes the career paths this major feeds into. Earnings projections stack the full 10-year cumulative trajectory; scores use the same 0–100 metric as the hero, recomputed under that scenario's assumptions.

Pessimistic
Mass Automation
$764K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score70/100
Earnings Multiple3.4x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$898K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score72/100
Earnings Multiple4.0x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$955K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score73/100
Earnings Multiple4.3x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Illinois Wesleyan University's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.

Career Paths

Where Finance graduates typically work

Common career destinations for this program's graduates, weighted by the school's specific occupation mix. Salary is BLS national median; AI risk is per-role task-exposure research.

1
Chief executives
+4.3% 10-yr growth · 22,200 openings/yr
$206,420/yr
High
2
Financial managers
+14.8% 10-yr growth · 74,600 openings/yr
$161,700/yr
High
3
Financial risk specialists
+6.5% 10-yr growth · 4,800 openings/yr
$106,000/yr
High
4
General and operations managers
+4.4% 10-yr growth · 308,700 openings/yr
$102,950/yr
Moderate
5
Personal financial advisors
+9.6% 10-yr growth · 24,100 openings/yr
$102,140/yr
High
6
Financial and investment analysts
+5.7% 10-yr growth · 25,100 openings/yr
$101,350/yr
Moderate
Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. AI exposure from OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs and Felten AIOE research.
Compare & Explore

Peer schools offering Finance

How Illinois Wesleyan University stacks up against other schools offering this major.

Highest earnings
University of Pennsylvania
PA · Private nonprofit
82
DW Score
$123K
1-yr earn
8.2x
ROI
Georgetown University
DC · Private nonprofit
80
DW Score
$106K
1-yr earn
4.9x
ROI
Washington University in St Louis
MO · Private nonprofit
81
DW Score
$103K
1-yr earn
6.6x
ROI
University of Notre Dame
IN · Private nonprofit
79
DW Score
$99K
1-yr earn
4.5x
ROI
Wake Forest University
NC · Private nonprofit
78
DW Score
$86K
1-yr earn
4.4x
ROI
Also at Illinois Wesleyan University

Other top programs at Illinois Wesleyan University

Other highest-scoring programs offered at Illinois Wesleyan University, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.

Consider the trade route

Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Finance offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.

Compare Finance trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →
FAQ

Frequently asked about Finance at Illinois Wesleyan University

How does Illinois Wesleyan University's Finance program score?

A score of 72/100 reflects decent absolute metrics, but Illinois Wesleyan University trails the majority of Finance programs on relative rankings. Context matters more than the raw number.

How vulnerable is Finance to AI automation?

AI won't 'replace' Finance careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 55% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.