CFA^® Charter vs CFP^® Mark: Which is Right for Me?

Posted by: Kaplan Schweser
Updated: February 1, 2017

If you are considering a career in financial services, an advanced designation can help you set yourself apart from the competition. But, which career path makes more sense for you: CFA^® charter or CFP^® mark? Both designations lead to unique professional opportunities, but they have different requirements and focus on different aspects of the financial services industry.

The CFA charter is geared predominently toward investment and wealth management in corporate settings by helping individuals develop advanced knowledge of investment tools and techniques. The CFP^® mark, in contrast, trains finance professionals to work more directly with indivdual clients to help them create broader financial goals and plans for achieving them. Both paths have a lot of opportunity. It just requires you to think about what you want to do long-term.

The infographic below gives a snapshot of how to achieve each of these designations and common careers of those that hold the CFA charter and CFP^® mark.