A degree in private equity is hard to come by. First off, few (if any) universities offer an actual degree in private equity. There are a limited number of universities and business schools that offer a degree, such as an MBA, with a focus on buyouts, mergers and acquisitions, or financial modeling. And this may be helpful, but by and large these degrees are just viewed as an MBA or by the general degree like a Master’s Degree in Finance.
And even if you do want to receive this type of training offered at one of these select institutions, you may not live near these universities. Or you might not have the money to go through a whole MBA or Master’s program. (According to one estimate, the average MBA program is $40,000!).
A common choice made by many in the PE community is to work in investment banking or as an entry level associate at a buyout firm and then work toward completing your Master’s later. An MBA is a well-regarded qualification for advancement so many PE professionals get their Master’s mid-way in their career as a way to improve their chances of scaling the company ladder toward a senior level position and even partner of the PE firm. This way the PE or investment banking professional has already made enough money to pay the often high cost of an MBA.
But if you simply do not want to the average $40K plus cost of getting an MBA but you still want to have some training you should consider enrolling in a private equity training program. Some programs are available 100% online letting you complete the program from the convenience of your home without commuting to classes or having to quit your job to attend day time training courses. You can often complete these training programs in 3-6 months and be ready to move on with your career. Of course, these programs do not offer the broad base of knowledge in business administration that an MBA does but it can be a great alternative solution for learning about private equity through a training program that exclusively targets your needs.
