Optional · 1 of 3

Credentials that open different doors

• CPA (certified public accountant)

  The main one. Required for audit work and expected for most senior finance jobs.

• Certified Management Accountant

  Aimed at accountants working inside companies rather than at firms.

• Certified Internal Auditor

  For people who check a company's own controls from the inside.

• Certified Fraud Examiner

  Forensic work: tracing money that went missing, often alongside investigators.

• Enrolled Agent

  A federal credential from the Internal Revenue Service that lets you represent taxpayers. No degree required.