Finance courses
15 finance qualifications in Australia, from certificates to the degree, compared side by side: cost, duration, providers and where each one leads.
- Qualifications
- 15
on this page
- Providers
- 97
across all qualifications
- Median pay
- $104,200–$109,400
across roles in this field
- Employment growth*
- +15%
1 of 3 roles in shortage
Which of these is right for you?
We don't recommend one provider over another, but four things usually decide which qualification is the right one to start with.
- How much time can you give it?
- A certificate usually runs months, not years, and gets you working sooner. A degree is a multi-year commitment, but it's the only route into a registered profession like pharmacist.
- Do you want to study online, on campus, or both?
- Check each qualification's study modes below. Some are online only, some require placements or on-campus units even in a mostly online course.
- What's your entry point?
- If you're starting from school leaver or career change with no background in the field, the lowest rung on the ladder is usually the realistic start, not the top qualification.
- Which role are you aiming for?
- Some roles need one specific qualification. Others accept several. The roles section below says which qualification on this page actually gets you there.
The finance qualifications
15 qualifications, from certificates through to a degree. Each links through to cost, duration and the providers that teach it.
Certificates and diplomas
Certificate III in Financial Services
15 providersA starting point for school leavers and career changers who want to work in banking, insurance, credit or retail financial services.
Certificate IIIView qualification →Certificate IV in Credit Management
4 providersThis qualification is for people who look after credit for a lender, a utility, a retailer or any business that lets customers pay later.
Certificate IVView qualification →Certificate IV in Finance and Mortgage Broking
22 providersThis qualification is for people who want to work as a mortgage or finance broker, helping clients work out what they need and then find a loan that fits.
Certificate IVView qualification →Certificate IV in General Insurance
5 providersA Certificate IV in General Insurance suits people working, or hoping to work, in general insurance: handling claims, assessing risk, underwriting policies or looking after customers.
Certificate IVView qualification →Certificate IV in Personal Injury Management
4 providersThis qualification is for people who handle personal injury claims and support injured people through the process.
Certificate IVView qualification →Diploma of Credit Management
2 providersThis diploma prepares people to make and manage lending decisions: judging whether a business or individual can repay, handling accounts that go wrong, and setting the rules a credit team works to.
DiplomaView qualification →Diploma of Finance and Mortgage Broking Management
19 providersSuited to people who want to arrange loans for clients, either as a mortgage broker or in a credit role with a lender.
DiplomaView qualification →Diploma of Financial Counselling
7 providersYou train to help people who are overwhelmed by debt, and to do it as a counsellor rather than an adviser selling a product.
DiplomaView qualification →Diploma of Insurance Broking
5 providersThis diploma trains you to work as an insurance broker, the person a client turns to when they need cover for a home, a business or a large operation.
DiplomaView qualification →
Degrees
Bachelor of Finance
4 providersBachelor degree3 yearsView qualification →Bachelor of Accounting and Finance
2 providersBachelor degree3 yearsExternal AuditorFinancial AccountantFinancial AnalystView qualification →Bachelor of Banking and Finance
2 providersBachelor degree3 yearsView qualification →Bachelor of Business (Economics and Finance)
2 providersBachelor degree3 yearsView qualification →Bachelor of Business (Financial Planning)
2 providersBachelor degree3 yearsView qualification →Graduate Certificate in Applied Finance
2 providersGraduate certificate0.5 yearsView qualification →
What finance study leads to
The 3 roles where a finance qualification is a recognised route in, which qualification on this page it is, and what else you need.
External Auditor
The direct route is the Bachelor of Accounting and Finance. Complete the accounting major and relevant professional subjects. Professional designations, statutory audit sign-off and tax-agent registration have further requirements; this route does not confer them.
Median salary for the role
$109,400
A year, before tax. Median for everyone in the occupation, not a graduate starting salary. Jobs and Skills Australia, ANZSCO Occupation data, February 2026.
Financial Accountant
The direct route is the Bachelor of Accounting and Finance. Complete the accounting major and relevant professional subjects. Professional designations, statutory audit sign-off and tax-agent registration have further requirements; this route does not confer them.
Median salary for the role
$104,200
A year, before tax. Median for everyone in the occupation, not a graduate starting salary. Jobs and Skills Australia, ANZSCO Occupation data, February 2026.
Financial Analyst
The direct route is the Bachelor of Accounting and Finance. Complete the accounting major and relevant professional subjects. Professional designations, statutory audit sign-off and tax-agent registration have further requirements; this route does not confer them.
Median salary for the role
$109,200
A year, before tax. Median for everyone in the occupation, not a graduate starting salary. Indicative estimate, not yet verified against official Jobs and Skills Australia / ABS data, Estimate.