Ohio State vs. Boston College for finance careers: which is better for recruiting and outcomes?

Boston College has the edge for finance careers, especially if you are targeting investment banking, asset management, and East Coast front-office recruiting. Carroll is well known among finance employers, the BC alumni network is notably responsive in Boston and New York, and the school’s smaller size can make it easier to build close ties with professors, clubs, and older students who help with recruiting.

The biggest differentiator is target-level access. Boston College tends to have more direct visibility with firms hiring for banking and buy-side roles in Boston and New York, and students often benefit from a tighter pipeline through finance clubs, alumni referrals, and internships during the school year. For high-finance paths, that concentration matters because recruiting often runs through networks and repeated campus engagement.

Ohio State is very strong too, but its advantage shows up more in scale and breadth than in concentrated Wall Street access. Fisher sends students into plenty of solid outcomes, especially in corporate finance, accounting, consulting-adjacent roles, and finance jobs tied to large Midwest employers. The size of Ohio State’s alumni base is a real asset, but it can feel more diffuse, and for investment banking you may need to be more proactive in finding the right niche communities and programs.

Location and internship rhythm also matter. Boston College gives you much easier proximity to Boston firms during the semester and strong reach into New York, which helps with informational interviews, part-time internships, and alumni events. Ohio State offers excellent opportunities too, but Columbus is more advantageous for corporate and regional finance than for the densest cluster of traditional high-finance recruiting.

For outcomes, I would view Ohio State as offering a broader platform with many good finance paths, while Boston College is more advantageous for students who already know they want competitive finance recruiting and want a school with a stronger built-in reputation in that lane.