URL rewrite via htaccess - .htaccess

Question

I've to change this url : http://localhost:8888/finance/schedule/?location=new_york
to http://localhost:8888/finance/schedule/location/new_york
It's a wordpress site, my htaccess code is :
RewriteRule ^schedule/location/([a-zA-Z0-9_-]+)/([a-zA-Z0-9_-]+)\$ schedule/?location=$1
But nothing seems to happen, please suggest.
The whole htaccess file code:
<IfModule mod_rewrite.c>
RewriteEngine On
RewriteBase /finance/
RewriteRule ^index\.php$ - [L]
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d
RewriteRule . /finance/index.php [L]
RewriteRule ^schedule/location/([a-zA-Z0-9_-]+)/([a-zA-Z0-9_-]+)\$ schedule/?location=$1
</IfModule>

Answer 1

This line is stopping it from ever reaching your later rule:
RewriteRule . /finance/index.php [L]
The [L] means "last," as in "this is the last rule to run if it matches."
And \$ looks for a literal $, not the end of the string.
You also have two many matching groups in your rule.
You need something like this, instead (totally untested):
<IfModule mod_rewrite.c>
RewriteEngine On
RewriteBase /finance/
RewriteRule ^index\.php$ - [L]
RewriteRule ^schedule/location/([a-zA-Z0-9_-]+?)/?$ /wp-content/themes/financeinstitute/page_schedule.php/?location=$1
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d
RewriteRule . /finance/index.php [L,QSA]
</IfModule>