Is the CFA®
mandatory for equity/fixed income research shops at BB and boutiques? I heard at Morgan Stanley ER has to go for CFA®
.
Trending Content - Job Search Advice Forum
Career Resources
WSO Free Modeling Series - Now Open Through
September 30, 2026
9 Free Financial Modeling Lessons
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.
+Bonus: Get 27 financial modeling templates in swipe file
+Bonus: Get 27 financial modeling templates in swipe file
High Finance Applications
Guaranteed
Get at least one offer GUARANTEED
- 1:1 support
- 92% success rate
- 2,000+ mentor network
- Unlimited Live bootcamps
- AI for resume + LinkedIn
- Networking automation tools
- HireVue simulation tool
- Full course library
- Private Slack community
- 20hrs of mocks
- + much more...
Progress along the CFA track is usually required or recommended. If you are in those fields the CFA is really the gold standard.
I have also heard that some places require the employees to be in some stage of the CFA as well.
No not at all. Sure it helps, just like an MBA, but once you get in you don't really need one. No one on my team has one, not even the analyst.
.
Just curious because i have a contact at Morgan Stanley and pretty much summed it up that it was required or in progress. It was actually the first thing she asked.
I am sure not all shops require it. I do think that in order to maximize your value and ability to move within the industry getting your CFA would probably be a huge benefit.
Repellendus ut earum voluptatem. Sequi illum harum numquam qui. Magni cupiditate repellat error odio magnam ea. Et voluptas quae voluptatibus culpa ullam.
Aliquid dolore praesentium voluptatem voluptatem. Voluptas quasi animi sit rem et. Ut magnam inventore eos voluptas qui qui. Minus enim incidunt quia. Delectus error deserunt blanditiis porro quia. Non natus magnam facere iste qui voluptatum et ex.
Eos expedita amet rerum tenetur aut iusto quisquam. Voluptatem non dolores inventore nostrum magni possimus. Distinctio maxime aperiam voluptates labore qui. Rerum laborum ullam explicabo praesentium qui minima.
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...