Career Paths in Finance

“Why didn’t you get an MBA?” In popular culture, when we think about professionals with deep technical skills in finance or technology, we often think about an MBA. This is a reasonable question for many who serve the public in technical/professional roles such as financial or technology management. We can smile politely and explain that we chose an MPA because we love the public sector. We want our career to be a commitment to our community. We want to participate in public life. Careers built on finance and technology can be stable, can pay well, and can be an excellent way to serve the public. This article explores career opportunities in finance and technology for MPA graduates.

A Wide Range of Options

As a student in the Portland State MPA program (2005-2008), it was obvious to me that for my fellow graduates, a very wide range of career options would be available. In fact, MPA graduates range from those respected in government (David Petraeus, Director of the CIA) to those in controversial pop culture infotainment (Bill O’Reilly, Fox News TV Host).

For MPA students in the process of narrowing their career path, options worth considering include serving the public sector in finance and technology. These careers offer many benefits. The US Department of Labor reports that 40% of the top 20 occupations with the most job openings in the country involve finance or information technology. These positions are in demand, pay well, and are among the most stable opportunities available. In addition to the obvious direct benefits, jobs in finance and technology disciplines can be challenging and exciting. Financial management and information technology are pervasive, supporting all operations of an organization. Working as an IT Manager or Finance Manager in a government agency can be an exciting career track that allows full participation in the most interesting aspects of a public organization.