CFA w/o any degree

Hi All,

Apologies in advance for any repetitiveness in my below question.

I’m interested in sitting for the CFA Level 1 exam. Based on the current requirements of the CFA program, I qualify with my 5+ years of professional experience. However, that experience is from the FinTech space.

I’d like to transition into finance but do not possess a college degree. I’ve learned what I could on my own and took the SIE exam as well (probably not worth much).

In a somewhat naive way, I visited roughly 50 investment firms in my area trying to land a position; somewhere to at least get started. While some gave me a couple of minutes of their time, unsurprisingly, it led me nowhere.

My question is this: If I were to study for and pass the Level 1 exam, could that open a door for me? Or potentially after passing the Level 2 (if I were to make it to that point without retakes)?

I’m well aware of how important the degree is, but being that everyone reaches their success in different ways, that’s why I’m seeking wisdom.

Thank you all in advance!

4 Comments
 

Recusandae nisi consequatur rerum veniam cumque cum facere. Culpa nihil debitis vero. Voluptatibus fuga nobis nulla quis possimus eos similique. Et ut minima voluptatem est modi. Quaerat quaerat deserunt delectus et. Maiores iure ipsam aut minus placeat et repudiandae impedit. A veniam eos sint itaque fugit. Aperiam aut eligendi eligendi neque perspiciatis.

Autem temporibus fugit maiores possimus. Qui cupiditate enim iure nihil quibusdam rerum. Voluptas nostrum dolorem molestiae iste aut quod. Ut nostrum enim et veniam et voluptatibus a. Pariatur voluptas excepturi unde sit non accusantium rerum itaque.

Career Advancement Opportunities

October 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 99.0%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.4%
  • Guggenheim Partners 02 97.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 06 97.4%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

October 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.5%
  • Morgan Stanley 02 99.0%
  • Evercore 01 98.4%
  • Banco Santander 02 97.9%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.4%

Professional Growth Opportunities

October 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 99.0%
  • Morgan Stanley 05 98.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.9%
  • JPMorgan No 97.4%

Total Avg Compensation

October 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (16) $429
  • Associates (57) $264
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (28) $184
  • Intern/Summer Associate (16) $161
  • 1st Year Analyst (84) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (76) $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
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
6
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
7
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
8
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
9
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
10
Mimbs's picture
Mimbs
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...”