What Are the Best Schools for Certified Financial Planners (CFP)?

<h2 id="section---HowToChooseACertifiedFinancialPlannersCFPTradeProgram">How to Choose a Certified Financial Planners (CFP&trade;) Program</h2> <p>You should consider programs registered with the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, which offers the CFP&reg; designation through its testing program. Schools nationally ranked for their excellence in business programs at the undergraduate or graduate levels should also be given special attention. </p> <h2 id="section---WhatAreThreeTopSchoolsForCertifiedFinancialPlanners">What Are Three Top Schools for Certified Financial Planners?</h2> <h3 id="section---KansasStateUniversityInManhattanKS">Kansas State University in Manhattan, KS</h3> <p>Kansas State offers a total of four CFP Board-Registered financial planning programs. The university's School of Family Studies and Human Services sponsors the Institute of Personal Financial Planning and the Powercast Financial Counseling Center. The Institute hosts each of the CFP-eligible programs, except for the graduate certificate, which is offered through the Division of Continuing Education. These programs are offered: </p> <ul><li>Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Personal Financial Planning (PFP) </li><li>Master of Science (M.S.) in PFP </li><li>Certificate in PFP </li><li>Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in PFP </li></ul><h3 id="section---TexasTechUniversityInLubbockTX">Texas Tech University in Lubbock, TX</h3> <p>Texas Tech's Division of Personal Financial Planning offers an undergraduate major, two minors, a master's program, a Ph.D. and graduate certificates, all CFP-eligible programs. The school's Center for Financial Responsibility manages research and program development, partnering with financial industry leaders like ING, Nationwide, and The International Foundation for Retirement Education. These programs are available: </p> <ul><li>B.S. in PFP </li><li>Certificate in Charitable Financial Planning </li><li>Certificate in PFP </li><li>M.S. in PFP </li><li>M.S. in PFP/Juris Doctor </li><li>M.S. in PFP/MBA </li><li>M.S. in PFP/M.S. in Accounting </li><li>Ph.D. in PFP </li></ul><h3 id="section---UniversityOfGeorgiaInAthensGA">University of Georgia in Athens, GA</h3> <p>UGA's CFP Board-Registered financial planning bachelor's through doctoral programs are housed in the College of Family and Consumer Sciences. The Department of Housing and Consumer Economics hosts the Housing and Demographic Research Center. </p> <p>Financial planning majors meet requirements to sit for the CFP examination. You might participate in an honors program, summer travel study or the university's Legislative and Congressional Aide Program. Service learning options are encouraged. You could earn these relevant degrees: </p> <ul><li>B.S. in Financial Planning </li><li>M.S. in Financial Planning </li><li>Ph.D. in Financial Planning, Housing and Consumer Economics </li></ul><h2 id="section---TenAdditionalSchoolsWithCFPBoardRegisteredFinancePrograms">Ten Additional Schools With CFP Board-Registered Finance Programs</h2> <p /> <table border="1"><tr><th>College/University</th><th>Institution Type</th><th>Location</th><th>Estimated Undergrad In-State Tuition*</th></tr> <tr><td>Bowling Green State University</td><td>4-year, Public</td><td>Bowling Green, OH</td><td> $11,000</td></tr> <tr><td>University of Missouri</td><td>4-year, Public</td><td>Columbia, MO</td><td>$9,000</td></tr> <tr><td>Saint Joseph's University</td><td>4-year, Private</td><td>Philadelphia, PA</td><td>$44,000</td></tr> <tr><td>Stockton University</td><td>4-year, Public</td><td>Galloway, NJ</td><td>$13,000</td></tr> <tr><td>University of Alabama</td><td>4-year, Public</td><td>Tuscaloosa, AL</td><td>$10,000</td></tr> <tr><td>Purdue Global</td><td>4-year, Public</td><td>West Lafayette, IN</td><td>$9,000</td></tr> <tr><td>Louisiana State University</td><td>4-year, Public</td><td>Baton Rouge, LA</td><td>$11,000</td></tr> <tr><td>Oregon State University</td><td>4-year, Public</td><td>Corvallis, OR</td><td>$11,000</td></tr> <tr><td>Iowa State University</td><td>4-year, Public</td><td>Ames, IA</td><td>$8,000</td></tr> <tr><td>Utah State University</td><td>4-year, Public</td><td>Logan, UT</td><td>$8,000</td></tr> </table><p><i>*Source: NCES, U.S. Department of Education</i></p>