Is It Worth It To Go For Both CPA and CFA?

Career Opportunities & Internships
1

Hi everyone,

I was just wondering if any of you out there got both the CPA and CFA certifications, and if obtaining both helped you with your career, or if there is any benefit to getting both? I am majoring in business administration, concentrations in finance and accounting, and I am planning on taking the CPA exam after I graduate (I’m going the double concentration route to get the 150 semester units to qualify for the CPA exam in California). However, I’m interested in business finance, and I have been doing some research on the CFA exam and possible careers with it. I have heard that having only a CFA certification is valuable only if a person attends an elite business school (I’m attending a CSU* with a highly-ranked business program, and I have a 3.85 cumulative GPA), so I was considering going for both the CPA and CFA. I know that this will take a very large amount of time and effort, so I am a bit hesitant on whether to go this route.

I would really appreciate any advice I could get. Please respond if you have both and tell me if you have benefited professionally from this.

*I don’t want to say which CSU, because I’m afraid of internet stalkers and all that lol

2

Disclaimer: I don’t have both, but I have done quite a bit of research on this topic because I too had the same question.

They are both very valuable individually as you probably know and even valuable in the opposite fields. That being said the overlap in added value typically doesn’t surpass the costs (time/$$$) unless you desire to pursue public accounting and already have the CFA (or are eligible).