A study by software firm MathWorks found concern among finance professionals about the abilities of university leavers.
Financial services professionals stressed the need for graduates with a strong combination of maths and IT skills and experience of solving real-world problems.
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Some 62% believe there is a gap between the level required and the actual skills possessed by graduates which is affecting the industry, with 34% saying it has worsened over the last three years.
Just over half felt it had stayed the same.
MathWorks reported that its results support those from other international surveys, such as the 2013 edition of the programme for international student achievement from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, which found UK students were underperforming in maths and science compared to other countries.
Steve Wilcockson, industry manager of financial services at MathWorks, said: "The results made for uncomfortable reading.
"Given the extremely data-centric nature of their industry, a majority of those surveyed felt that most students were falling far short of requirements.
"Effective models have become the key to success for financial firms, as they seek to harness the wealth of data they hold, and gain a competitive advantage over their rivals.
"As such, the financial services industry seeks to recruit graduates capable of both understanding complex mathematical equations and of implementing them through code.
"Our survey has made for worrying reading, as finance experts describe current student cohorts as potentially lacking the core skills required to succeed in their industry."