Which is better for finance: Washington University in St. Louis or Indiana University Bloomington?

The biggest practical tradeoff is that Indiana’s Kelley School offers a larger, more established undergraduate finance recruiting ecosystem, while WashU’s Olin Business School offers a smaller private-university setting with more individualized access and a broader overall campus experience.

For a student targeting investment banking, asset management, sales and trading, or other highly competitive front-office paths, Kelley gives you a clear route: perform very well early, pursue its selective finance organizations and workshops, build relationships with alumni, and recruit through established channels. That structure is valuable, but admission to Kelley’s most prestigious finance programs is competitive, so simply enrolling does not guarantee access.

WashU should not be discounted. Olin’s smaller classes, strong academics, and access to a selective student body can be attractive for corporate finance, fintech, entrepreneurship, and students who may combine business with economics, data, or another field. WashU’s financial aid can also materially change the decision: taking substantially less debt is a real advantage for any finance career.

At a similar net cost, IU Bloomington is the better choice when finance recruiting is your central priority, particularly for investment banking and other fields where a large alumni network and structured undergraduate preparation matter most. WashU becomes the more compelling option when its cost is meaningfully lower or when you value its smaller private-school experience enough to outweigh Kelley’s recruiting scale.