{"id":2313,"date":"2024-11-12T19:03:19","date_gmt":"2024-11-12T13:33:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thewallstreetschool.com\/blog\/?p=2313"},"modified":"2025-09-17T16:01:39","modified_gmt":"2025-09-17T10:31:39","slug":"acca-vs-cpa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thewallstreetschool.com\/blog\/acca-vs-cpa\/","title":{"rendered":"ACCA vs CPA: Difficulty Level, Salary & Other 10 Differences"},"content":{"rendered":"

ACCA or CPA: An Overview<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Job aspirants intending to make a career in accounting often look out for two prominent certifications accredited globally \u2014 the ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) and CPA (Certified Public Accountant).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

From hospitality and healthcare to retail and banking, from the Big 4 to other leading public and private firms, accountancy qualifications like ACCA and CPA offer unlimited roles and a versatile, rewarding profession. However, when deciding between the two, candidates are often baffled by the <\/span>ACCA vs CPA<\/span> debate and which one to choose.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n

Before we go on to understand ACCA vs CPA differences and decide which is better, let us take a look at what ACCA and CPA mean in the first place.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

What is ACCA?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

ACCA stands for Association of Chartered Certified Accountants. It is a globally recognised and accredited professional accounting body based in the United Kingdom.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The ACCA Course<\/a> offers comprehensive accounting knowledge from financial accounting, taxation, and management accounting to audit and business ethics.<\/strong> A candidate becomes a Chartered Certified Accountant upon completing the course.<\/span><\/p>\n

What is CPA?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

CPA stands for Certified Public Accountant. This designation is conferred to licensed accounting professionals by the Board of Accountancy for each state in the USA.<\/strong> In many countries, the Chartered Accountant (CA) designation is at par with the CPA designation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A CPA is highly proficient in various accounting tasks like generating reports which reflect perfect business dealings of companies with other organisations or individuals. CPAs are experts in tax filing and reporting for individuals and business organisations. They also know various means of maximising profitability and minimising taxes.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

ACCA vs CPA Differences<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Though both these programs are related to accounting, there are several differences between them. Let us address the <\/span>ACCA vs CPA<\/span> debate based on factors like eligibility, course structure, duration, job profile and recognition.<\/span><\/p>\n

1) Eligibility<\/strong><\/h4>\n

ACCA<\/strong>: Candidates applying for the ACCA course must clear the 10+2 examination with an aggregate of 65% in Mathematics\/Accounts and English.<\/strong> They should have a minimum of 50% in the other subjects.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

CPA<\/strong>: CPA exam prerequisites vary from one state in the USA to the other. However, the standard criteria are that the candidate should have a bachelor\u2019s or equivalent degree, preferably in accounting, finance or business administration.<\/strong> They must have completed 150 semester hours of college courses and have 1-2 years of experience under any licensed CPA.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

2. Examination Pattern<\/strong><\/h4>\n

ACCA<\/b>: There are 3 levels in the ACCA exams<\/a> \u2014 Applied Knowledge, Applied Skills and Strategic Professional with 13 papers. The Applied Knowledge level has 3 papers, the Applied Skills level has 6 papers, and the Strategic Professional level has 2 mandatory and 2 elective papers. All exams are computer-based.<\/span><\/p>\n

Please note that prior qualifications of students decide the exemptions (up to 9 papers) they can avail of in the ACCA examinations.<\/span><\/p>\n

CPA<\/b>: The CPA curriculum has 4 examinations \u2014 Business Environment and Concepts (BEC), Auditing and Attestation (AUD), Financial Accounting and Reporting (FAR) and Regulations (REG). Each exam lasts 4 hours. <\/span><\/p>\n

The sections mainly focus on US Taxation and US Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). All exams are computer-based.<\/span><\/p>\n

3) Course Duration<\/strong><\/h4>\n

ACCA<\/strong>: On an average it takes around 2 to 2.5 years to complete all the ACCA papers.<\/strong> Prior education and individual circumstances play a crucial role in determining the duration of the ACCA programme. Candidates who need to take the Foundation course take a little more time to complete the course than others.<\/span><\/p>\n