Choose the Right Certification
Should I pursue the FPAC, the CFA, CPA, or CMA?
With multiple finance certifications to choose from, it’s important to choose the one that will support your career trajectory and help advance you within the profession.
By earning the FPAC Credential, you demonstrate expertise and a commitment to:
- Translating corporate and business strategy into a financial plan and supporting the enactment of that plan through the planning process and resource allocation.
- Applying financial expertise to business operations and projections through modeling, scenario/sensitivity analysis, key drivers, KPIs.
- Earning the role of a trusted advisor to the business, based on credibility, partnership, and communication.
If you’re interested in a career in corporate finance, the FPAC Credential is the way to go.
See how the FPAC Credential supported practitioners below.
"Finance has typically been an accounting function, but I think over time it has become a lot more strategic. Technology has helped drive this as well. It’s not just about looking backwards. It’s about looking forward, taking those numbers and figuring out what they mean for the future. With the speed of business, you need a skillset that converges all of those things into one. This is what FP&A is moving towards and I fully believe the future leaders, including CFOs and CEOs, are going to come from the FP&A track."
"I first found Certified Management Accountant (CMA) sponsored by IMA and after studying for it for two months, I realized that the exam focused more on accounting rather than corporate financial analysis. I think people working in finance departments should consider FP&A even if they have other accounting designations. I especially appreciate that the FP&A exam includes three important aspects: theories, usage of Excel in financial analysis, and the appropriate steps to do in order to deal with various business scenarios, which FP&A professionals encounter every day. Therefore, I decided to choose FP&A over CMA as there is no other comparable designation that give me this almost-tailor-made professional training."
"I started off my career in public accounting as a CPA. Once I was in healthcare, I really started to gain an interest in understanding the operational drivers, the importance of big data and the growing role of FP&A. For me, being in healthcare feel like I’m helping to make a difference by helping support those clinical leaders and helping to make decisions that allow us to have the funding needed or get new programs open."
"I started my job search after I had finished my FP&A. I ended up at Tana Exploration as the controller and director of finance, where I ran the entire finance department. The FP&A propelled me immediately to the top of the finance chain."
For a more technical breakdown of the certifications, check-out the chart below.
FPAC | CPA/CMA | CFA |
---|---|---|
Career in corporate finance focused on FP&A | Career in public or private accounting or management accounting | Career in Investment Analysis and Portfolio Management |
Real-world application of FP&A knowledge | Focus on past fiscal performance and compliance and business analysis | Deep knowledge of investment analysis, management, and ethics |
Apply knowledge to add value to one’s own organization | Apply knowledge to one’s own firm | Apply analysis to evaluate third-party organizations |
80+ hours of self-study | 300 hours (CPA), 140 hours (CMA) per part | 900+ hours of self-study |
Pass 2 exam parts | Pass 4 exam parts (CPA), 2 exam parts (CMA) | Pass 3 exam parts |
FP&A Manager FP&A Senior Analyst FP&A Analyst Director Finance Vice President, Finance Chief Financial Officer | Management Accountant Cost Accountant Accounting Manager Senior Accountant Corporate Controller Financial Analyst Business Analyst Accounting Supervisor Chief Financial Officer | Portfolio Manager Relationship Manager Research Analyst Chief Executive Officer Consultant Corporate Financial Analyst Financial Advisor Risk Manager |
Already Hold a Financial Credential?
You may be eligible to waive Part I of the exam. In order to qualify for a waiver, candidates must hold one of the following credentials active and in good standing at the time of their application: CFA, CMA, CPA (US, Canada, Australia) or CTP.