 Degree as a sum of local degrees

For a continuous map $f:M\to N$ of closed connected oriented $d$-dimensional manifolds, suppose $f^{-1}(y)=\{x_1,\dots ,x_s\}$ is finite. ThenBy excision, the degree-$d$ relative homology group $H_d(M,M\setminus f^{-1}(y);\mathbb{Z})$ is the direct sum of the local groups at $x_j$. The fundamental class maps to the tuple of local orientation generators. Mapping this tuple to $H_d(N,N\setminus \{y\};\mathbb{Z})$ adds their local degrees. Naturality identifies the result with the image of $(\mathrm{deg}f)[N]$. If the fiber is empty, the same argument gives degree zero.