Is the University of Washington or Fordham better for finance careers?

For finance specifically, Fordham usually gives a more direct path into the industry, mainly because of location, internship access during the school year, and its alumni presence in New York finance. Being in the Bronx with easy access to Manhattan makes it much easier to intern part time, attend networking events, and build relationships with firms while still in school. If your goal is investment banking, asset management, corporate finance, or other finance roles tied closely to New York recruiting, Fordham has a real practical advantage.

Fordham tends to fit the student who wants to be aggressive about networking early and often. The Gabelli School of Business is well known within the Northeast, and students who use the city well can stack internships during the semester rather than waiting only for summers. That kind of exposure matters in finance because recruiting often starts early, and proximity helps.

University of Washington can be a very strong option too, but it makes the most sense for a different type of student. If you want a larger public university, broader campus resources, and a finance path that may connect more naturally to Seattle-based corporate finance, tech-related finance, consulting, fintech, or West Coast business roles, UW has appeal. Foster has a solid business reputation, and the Seattle market offers access to major employers, but it is not as naturally plugged into the densest traditional finance recruiting ecosystem as Fordham.

UW may be the better experience for someone who wants a bigger campus environment and is comfortable being more intentional about breaking into East Coast finance if that is the eventual goal. You can absolutely reach strong finance outcomes from UW, especially with high performance and networking, but the route is often less built around immediate proximity to Wall Street.

So for long-term finance career access overall, Fordham has the clearer edge if you mean traditional finance recruiting and internship volume. UW is more compelling for a student who wants strong business training in a major public university setting and is open to a wider mix of finance-adjacent paths, especially on the West Coast.