Your guide to the best accounting qualifications.

Whether you’re just starting out or aiming for a senior finance role, choosing the right accounting qualification can shape your entire career. With multiple local and global accountancy bodies to choose from, it’s natural to ask: which one is the best?

Understanding what each qualification offers can help you make an informed choice that aligns with your goals, interests, and career ambitions.

What is the best accounting qualification?

Let’s take a look at three well-recognised global qualifications – ACA, ACCA and CIMA – while also considering the many respected local accrediting bodies around the world, such as CA ANZ in Australia and New Zealand, ICAI in India, and ICAP in Pakistan. Local qualifications can be a good option if you’re planning to stay and work in your home country. But if you’re thinking bigger and want the freedom to work internationally, they might be a bit more limiting.

That’s why many people with local qualifications go on to study the ACCA Qualification or other global designations later on. So starting with an international qualification, like the ACCA Qualification, from the beginning could be a smart move if global career opportunities are part of your plan.

ACCA
ACA
CIMA
Local accountancy bodies

Awarding body: ACCA
Focus: A broad qualification covering financial accounting, management accounting, audit, tax, and business/strategy.
Flexibility: Student can study full or part-time, with or without a tuition provider. Exams can be taken while working in any finance role.
Typical career paths: ACCA prepares student for a wide range of accounting roles in almost every sector, across tax, audit, compliance, financial leadership and beyond.

Awarding bodies: ICAEW (England & Wales), ICAS (Scotland).
Focus: Strong emphasis on audit, assurance, taxation, and financial accounting.
Flexibility: Usually requires a training contract with an approved employer.
Typical career paths: Audit, practice, finance roles in corporates.

Awarding body: CIMA (UK), in partnership with AICPA (USA) – CGMA designation.
Focus: Management accounting, strategy, decision-making, and business performance. Less emphasis on statutory audit/tax.
Flexibility: Like ACCA, can be studied alongside work.
Typical career paths: Financial planning & analysis, management accountant, finance director, strategy consultant, CFO.

Awarding bodies: Vary by country.
Focus: Often aligned with domestic regulation, law, and tax systems, though most also include financial reporting and management accounting.
Flexibility: Varies – some are exam-heavy (e.g., ICAI India), others more modular.
Typical career paths: Public practice, tax, audit, and local corporate finance roles.

What is the highest qualification in accounting?

The highest qualification in accounting depends on your context and career goals. For professional practice and corporate finance, chartered accountant qualifications are highly respected, combining rigorous exams, practical experience, and professional development.

For those who wish to pursue academic research or teaching, a PhD in accounting represents the pinnacle of expertise.

Ultimately, the highest qualification depends on where you want your career to take you. If your ambition is to achieve the top positions in the top firms, such as the Big Four, then we firmly believe (and work hard to ensure!) the ACCA Qualification offers the broadest range of opportunities to do so.

Learn more about ACCA Qualification

Factors to consider when choosing the right accounting qualification

When choosing the right accounting qualification, it is important to consider factors such as career goals, geographic mobility, study preferences, and personal circumstances.

The ideal qualification should align with your professional ambitions, open relevant career opportunities, and offer long-term value in terms of recognition, flexibility, and progression.

Consider whether you want to work in audit, tax, corporate finance, management accounting, or strategic business roles. For example, ACA is highly valued in audit and traditional finance, CIMA is ideal for management accounting and corporate strategy, and ACCA provides flexibility for the widest range of finance roles globally.

Some qualifications, like ACCA, are widely recognised across many countries, offering international mobility, while others, such as ACA or local bodies, may have stronger recognition only within specific regions.

Consider the number of exams, the format, and the level of difficulty. Some may prefer a modular, flexible approach (ACCA, CIMA), while others are comfortable with a structured, intensive program (ACA).

Some qualifications require a training contract with an approved employer (eg ACA), while others, like ACCA or CIMA, allow you to gain experience in a wider range of workplaces.

Evaluate tuition fees, exam costs, study materials, and the typical duration to complete the qualification.

Research the preferred qualifications in your target industry or company, as some employers value certain certifications more highly than others.

Consider whether the qualification opens doors to senior leadership roles, additional certifications, or membership in global accounting bodies. For example, once you complete your ACCA exams, you can use the ACCA designation after you name and, through mutual recognition agreements, you may also become a member of local professional bodies. ACCA supports your career for the long term, offering exclusive access and discounts for postgraduate and MBA programmes, as well as certifications in specialist areas like data, sustainability, and fintech.

Workload, family commitments, and location can all play a significant role in your ability to study and complete the practical experience requirements of an accounting qualification. Demanding jobs may limit study time, while personal or family responsibilities could affect the pace of progress. Location also matters, as some qualifications require training contracts with approved employers that may only be available in certain regions, whereas others allow more flexibility to gain experience across a wider range of workplaces.