How to Become a Venture Capitalist

Overview & Salaries

Recommended Degree:
The right degree for you depends on the industry and company you apply for. The main requirement to become a venture capitalist is the means to finance other companies. If you are looking to have a better understanding as to what companies to finance, then a bachelor’s degree in business or a masters degree in business administration can help you out. Learn more by clicking our “Education Required” tab up top.

Start your career path today by signing up for free information from one of our accredited colleges below that offer programs to help get you started as a venture capitalist.

How Much Do Venture Capitalist Make? 
$169,699 (average salary)

Specialization Options:
Start-up companies and medium-sized company financing. Venture capitalist can also specialize in investing in certain industries like technology and healthcare.

(all information above provided by the Salary.com page for Venture Capitalists) 

Discover the Best Places to Become a Venture Capitalist

California has the highest number of opportunities for those in the venture capitalist profession, where 1521 established and new businesses were invested in to total over $14 billion dollars. The second state experiencing the most growth for venture capitalists is Massachusetts, with 410 companies receiving funding to the tune of $3,033,719,500 in 2012 alone, and giving those interested in the venture capitalism field a reason to look for opportunities there.

A recent study from the National Venture Capital Association ranked these cities the top 10 for start-ups based on investment funding:

  • San Francisco (including Silicon Valley)
  • Boston
  • New York
  • Los Angeles
  • Washington, DC
  • San Diego
  • Chicago
  • Austin
  • Boulder/Denver
  • Seattle

Employment and Salary Information by State for Venture Capitalists

Use our interactive map below to find out which areas of the United States are currently experiencing the greatest amount of growth and job availability for graduates looking for a career related to Venture Capitalism. All data is taken from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a highly credible government agency.

Why Become a Venture Capitalist?

Venture capitalist tends to be one of the highest paying professions, but it can also be one of the riskiest. However, as the U.S. economy continues its steady climb out of recession, venture capitalists are continuing to seize opportunities to invest in new technologies and businesses. The economy keeps getting better and so does the businesses of venture capitalists. In fact, even when the economy isn’t performing well, venture capitalist can also be busy leveraging new opportunities and business innovations to make a profit.

Recommended Courses to Help You Become a Venture Capitalism

  • Managerial Accounting
  • Federal Taxes and Management Decisions
  • Accounting and Finance: Managerial Use and Analysis
  • Managerial Finance
  • Advanced Managerial Finance
  • Securities Analysis
  • Mergers and Acquisitions
  • Fundamentals of Corporate Finance
  • Financial Statement Analysis
  • Techniques of Financing Corporations
  • Financial Analysis in Visual Basic

Degree Options for Venture Capitalism Careers

Most venture capitalists have a broad business background as well as a focal discipline such as economics, finance or management. A detailed education in one of these disciplines is widely valued in the venture capital world.

Certificate
A certificate program in venture capitalism introduces students to the guiding principles of the industry such as raising capital, managing the deal process and team building.

Bachelor’s Degree
Interestingly enough, you may be just as likely to land a job in venture capitalism with an engineering or computer science degree as you would with an undergrad degree in accounting or business. That’s because there is a premium value placed on quantitative analysis, as well as diverse educational backgrounds that may help the firm achieve results.

MBA
An MBA is prepares students for upper-managerial roles in banking including: bank management  banking and commercial loan manager, and controller. These wide-ranging programs offer students in-depth study of accounting principles with a well-rounded curriculum in all areas of business.