MAcc and CFA vs. MSF

Hello, I currently go to a non-target school and plan to get a Masters of Accountancy combined with a BS in Economics. My plan is pretty much set, my only question is, how do I stack up against someone that completed a Masters of Finance or an MBA? Should I look to pursue the CFA in addition to my MAcc to make myself a more competitive applicant? 

2 Comments
 

CFA doesn’t matter much in banking. It’s more important that you network well over anything else, especially if your school doesn’t have a strong recruiting pipeline. People use the CFA to show that they have an interest in finance. If you got internships at middle market boutique investment banks then you’d be much further along than someone who got their CFA but had no internship experience at an IB.

A top MSF program only sets you apart if they have a strong recruiting pipeline. There are plenty of MSF programs that wouldn’t fare as well as a top accounting program. 
 

In other words, spend your time networking and landing boutique IB internships - don’t waste it on the CFA.

 

Voluptate explicabo repudiandae laborum eius voluptas. Autem quia consequatur tempore et mollitia. Incidunt laborum facilis consequatur ipsam pariatur.

Sapiente maxime atque magnam veniam delectus et ea. Quo natus sit qui harum officiis. Sint aperiam sed quasi est a. Sunt dolorem id et ut laboriosam est voluptates aliquid.

Qui libero placeat repudiandae doloribus quibusdam aut. Illo et consequatur laborum laborum consequatur. Quo velit fugit quaerat sint.

Career Advancement Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.3%
  • Guggenheim Partners 01 97.7%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Morgan Stanley 02 98.8%
  • Evercore 01 98.3%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.7%
  • Banco Santander 01 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 06 98.3%
  • JPMorgan 01 97.7%
  • Goldman Sachs 02 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (14) $434
  • Associates (44) $258
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (22) $179
  • Intern/Summer Associate (13) $156
  • 1st Year Analyst (79) $150
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (73) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
3
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
4
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
5
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
6
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
7
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
8
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
9
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
10
bolo up's picture
bolo up
98.8
success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”