Finance certification guides

Pick the finance certification that fits your career

Clear, checked guides to CFA, ACCA, FRM, CPA and CMA: real 2026 costs, exam structure, study time and where each credential actually takes you.

Choose a certificationWhich one fits me?

The five certifications we cover

CFA Chartered Financial Analyst The investment industry's best-known credential, built around valuation, portfolio management and ethics. Awarding body: CFA InstituteExams: Level I, II, IIIFee per exam: $1,140 early / $1,490 standard (Level III: $1,240 / $1,590) Read the CFA guide → ACCA Association of Chartered Certified Accountants The global chartered accountancy route, recognised in around 180 countries and changing structure in 2027. Awarding body: ACCAExams: 13 (current structure)Registration: £89 one-time Read the ACCA guide → FRM Financial Risk Manager GARP's two-exam credential for market, credit and operational risk roles in banks, insurers and regulators. Awarding body: GARPExams: Part I and Part IIEnrolment fee: $400 one-time Read the FRM guide → CPA Certified Public Accountant (US) The US licence for audit, tax and public accounting, now built as three Core sections plus one Discipline. Run by: AICPA, NASBA, state boardsCore sections: AUD, FAR, REGDiscipline (pick 1): BAR, ISC or TCP Read the CPA guide → CMA Certified Management Accountant IMA's two-exam credential for FP&A, budgeting, costing and finance business partnering inside companies. Awarding body: IMAExams: Part 1 and Part 2Exam fee: $545 per part (professional) Read the CMA guide →

Which certification fits which job?

Most people compare these credentials by difficulty. A better first question is which jobs you want in five years, because each certification is built for a different part of the finance world.

If you want to work in…Best fitWhy
Equity research, portfolio management, asset managementCFAThe curriculum is investment analysis from start to finish; buy-side employers know it well.
Accounting, audit, tax or finance roles outside the USACCARecognised in around 180 countries and strong in the UK, Gulf, South Asia and Africa.
Risk management at a bank, insurer or regulatorFRMOnly two exams, and entirely about market, credit and operational risk.
Public accounting, audit or tax in the United StatesCPAThe licence US firms require to sign audit opinions.
Corporate finance, FP&A, cost and management accountingCMATwo exams focused on planning, budgeting and decision support inside companies.

What the exams cost in 2026

These are the fees paid to each awarding body for a first-time pass of every exam. Prep courses, books and retakes come on top.

CertificationExamsOfficial fees (approx.)
CFA3 levels$3,520 to $4,570 depending on registration timing
FRM2 parts$1,600 to $2,000 including the $400 enrolment fee
CMA2 partsAbout $1,685 for professional members (membership, entrance fee and both parts)
CPA4 sectionsRoughly $1,050 in section fees plus state application fees
ACCA13 examsCommonly £2,500 to £5,000 over the full qualification, depending on exemptions

Fees change every year. Each guide on this site shows the date the figures were last checked and links to the awarding body's own fee page.

Three questions to answer before you register

  1. Where will you live and work? A CPA licence carries most weight in the US, ACCA in Commonwealth and Gulf markets, while CFA and FRM travel well almost everywhere.
  2. How many study hours can you give each week? CFA candidates commonly plan around 300 hours per level. If you can only give 5 to 8 hours a week, a two-exam credential like FRM or CMA is far easier to finish.
  3. Will your employer pay? Many banks, audit firms and corporates reimburse exam fees. Ask before you pay, because some only reimburse specific credentials.

How we keep this information accurate

Every fee, exam window and requirement on FinansKariyer is checked against the awarding body's official pages: CFA Institute, GARP, IMA, NASBA/AICPA and ACCA. When a body announces a change, the affected guides are updated and re-dated. We are not affiliated with any of these organisations and we do not sell prep courses.