12 Professional Certifications Required by Industry

2. Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA)

The CFA charter is widely respected in investment management and often expected for portfolio manager and equity analyst roles. The program has three sequential exam levels covering ethics, investment tools, asset valuation, and portfolio management. Candidates need a bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience to enter and typically spend 300 or more study hours per level. Many candidates complete all three levels over two to four years, depending on scheduling and study time. Costs include registration and exam fees that vary by early- or standard-registration windows; plan for several thousand dollars total. After passing the exams, charterholders must have at least four years of qualified professional work experience and apply for membership with CFA Institute to earn the charter. Charterholders also follow a code of ethics and continuing professional expectations. Next steps: review CFA Institute’s enrollment rules, set a study timeline, and consider a prep course or study groups to stay on track. Source: CFA Institute (https://www.cfainstitute.org). Suggested image and alt text: Investment analyst at computer; alt text: "Chartered Financial Analyst researching investments."