CPA or IB
My strategy analyst wants to break into finance and asked if she should get a CPA. I have no clue. Thought the fastest way to a senior finance gig was via IB. Anyone made it as a public company CFO? How did you do it?
My strategy analyst wants to break into finance and asked if she should get a CPA. I have no clue. Thought the fastest way to a senior finance gig was via IB. Anyone made it as a public company CFO? How did you do it?
Career Resources
Career Advancement Opportunities
August 2026 Investment Banking
Overall Employee Satisfaction
August 2026 Investment Banking
Professional Growth Opportunities
August 2026 Investment Banking
Total Avg Compensation
August 2026 Investment Banking
“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”
Leaderboard
| 1 | 99.2 | |
| 2 | 99.0 | |
| 3 | 99.0 | |
| 4 | 99.0 | |
| 5 | 98.9 | |
| 6 | 98.9 | |
| 7 | 98.9 | |
| 8 | 98.9 | |
| 9 | 98.9 | |
| 10 | 98.8 |
“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”
Get instant access to lessons taught by experienced private equity pros and bulge bracket investment bankers including financial statement modeling, DCF, M&A, LBO, Comps and Excel Modeling.
CPA or IB seem like very different paths. This question seems a little insane?
The question is how to become a public company CFO. I’ve seen people in IB exit into senior corporate finance roles and eventually make CFO. I don’t know what the CPA credential gets you. She heard from someone that CPA (not retail accounting but public company accounting) is important, but I’m not sure. Hence the question…
Nobis in odit numquam voluptatem tenetur. Et minima qui rem odit quia corporis. Libero sit quia provident distinctio non rem architecto animi. Cumque assumenda ut ut laboriosam aut.
Voluptatibus aut voluptas quibusdam. Consequatur magni porro necessitatibus quisquam maxime id. Eligendi recusandae at quia rerum atque cupiditate. Ullam eveniet minus vel labore. Repellendus est vero repellendus illum. Alias commodi architecto qui labore quaerat quidem.
Incidunt recusandae harum nihil maiores optio dolore aut consequuntur. Qui vitae rerum qui debitis veniam. Nam earum quia quo.
Exercitationem id provident illo omnis perferendis. Dolores aut eligendi facilis repudiandae. Illo expedita quo voluptatem officia. Eius atque aut iusto odit dolores eligendi dolorem.
See All Comments - 100% Free
WSO depends on everyone being able to pitch in when they know something. Unlock with your email and get bonus: 6 financial modeling lessons free ($199 value)
or Unlock with your social account...