MBA + CPA combo: Worth it?

I have a BA in Accounting and currently work as a Sr. FP&A Analyst at a large automotive firm in Detroit. I was thinking about doing a PT MBA at uMich to advance my education while also moving me up to management. It will be fully paid for by my employer and is the 6th best program in the country, so it's pretty much a no brainer decision.
After I complete the MBA, I will have enough credits to sit for the CPA license. But will having the CPA/MBA combo be worth anything in the corporate finance field? I'm curious to know where (or in what kind of jobs) it will give me a leg up.
There's also the CMA certificate, which seems to be just as respected as the CPA and is also more applicable to the CF field in general. Would that be a better option?

Any advice? In what jobs would I have a leg up?

 
Best Response

Hey man, a few thoughts (CPA and current participant in a FT MBA program).

CPA is a far more respected and well known certification than the CMA, so I'd devote my efforts to the CPA if you're considering any certification. I personally think the CPA can be a nice check box if you're looking to move up within Corp Fin (useless for lots of other jobs) - lots of CFOs have a CPA license and the MBA should also be a nice addition to the resume.

To me, neither of these moves are drastic enough to really push you out of Corp Fin into something else; however, seems like you're happy staying within CF, so I think both of those options will help you advance up the ladder more quickly (assuming you're doing excellent work at your job the whole time). Without more information and since the program is free, it's hard for me to come up with something else your spare time would be better spent doing to advance your career (besides just maintaining your personal life).

Just my $.02 - good luck!

 

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