Portugal has six masters degrees in Finance among the best in the world

Portugal’s higher education continues to stand out in international league tables with the country boasting six universities in the list of the 70 best in the world for master’s degrees in Finance.

Nova School of Business and Economics (Nova SBE), Católica Lisbon School of Business and Economics, Instituto Superior de Economia e Gestão (ISEG), the Faculty of Economics of the University of Porto (FEP), Iscte Business School, and Católica Porto Business School are all included in the Financial Times (FT) 2026 ranking.

Nova SBE remains the leader among the “made in Portugal” group, despite dropping from 6th to 8th place; Iscte Business School returns to this world championship two years later; and Católica Porto Business School registers the biggest rise among the six.
“For over a decade, Nova SBE has been a leader in Portugal, and this time it scored particularly high in the indicator that looks at the international career prospects of its graduates. “This distinction confirms that we are among the best performing business, economics and finance schools overall, combining academic excellence, international reach and projection, innovation and commitment to sustainability,” commented Dean Pedro Oliveira.

Católica Lisbon School of Business and Economics rose from 23rd position in 2025 to 19th this year. In this case, salary progression stood out. “It is an honour to see our Master’s in Finance consistently recognised as one of the best in the world in the FT ranking since 2017. The job market recognises the value and excellent preparation of our graduates, who are quickly promoted and valued, increasing their salary by more than 50% in three years, a criterion where we are even in 16th position worldwide,” emphasised Dean Filipe Santos.

ISEG – Lisbon School of Economics and Management, fell from 27th to 33rd place, also scored highest in the salary progression of its graduates, with an average increase of 75% in salaries, placing it among the best nationally and 7th globally in this indicator.

“This result confirms the consistency, quality, and international relevance of ISEG, particularly in the financial area. In an increasingly competitive ecosystem, standing out for the best salary progression among Portuguese schools shows that our Master’s in Finance creates real value for students, companies, and the economy,” said the president of ISEG, João Duque.

FEP – University of Porto, which dropped two positions, from 41st to 43rd. The Porto-based higher education institution has distinguished itself particularly in indicators that assess the relationship between academic investment and professional return and, for the second consecutive year, is 1st in Portugal and 7th in the world in the Value for Money indicator, which assesses the relationship between the cost of the program and the professional results achieved after its completion.

The director of FEP, Óscar Afonso, emphasised “academic excellence, proximity to the market, and a strong international orientation,” highlighting that “continued leadership in Value for Money is particularly relevant in a context where candidates seek training with high impact and return.”

Iscte Business School, which returned to the lists from which it had not appeared since 2023, even managed to secure a place among the top 50 (47th). “Portugal has consolidated itself as a leading European hub for finance education. Iscte Business School’s presence in the FT’s global Top 50 reinforces the international projection of this ecosystem and confirms the capacity of Portuguese schools to compete at the highest level. This performance is a source of pride for the School and for the country,” considers Dean Maria de Fátima Salgueiro.

Source: ECO/FT