In this study, we used data collected from college students at five universities in the U.S. to explore personal finance topics demanded by college students. Budgeting, cash management, the financial planning process, and investing are the four topics most frequently chosen by the surveyed students as helpful topics in financial education.

We also explored if there are differences in personal finance topics demanded by college students in terms of four sets of financial independence factors: independence level, independence motivation, funding source, and financial responsibility. The results indicate that comparatively, financial responsibility and funding source show more differences in personal finance topics demanded by college students than the other two sets of variables: independence level and independence motivation.

The findings indicate that when designing personal finance courses for college students, differences in financial independence and motivation may not be effective predictors. Students across various levels of financial independence and motivation may benefit equally from these topics, though their reasons for engaging with them may differ.

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