Important Certifications for Accountants: Career Guide
In accounting, the professional qualification defines your career ceiling, and some work legally requires it. Choose based on where your clients or employer are regulated: CPA for the US, ACCA or a local chartered body for most other markets. Software certifications are quick wins for small-business work.
Below is a comparison of the credentials accountants most often consider, with prerequisites, exam formats and renewal rules, followed by live data showing how often current job descriptions actually mention each one. Exam formats, fees and renewal policies change, so confirm current details with the issuer before you pay.
Quick comparison
| Credential | Issuer | Level | Prerequisites | Renewal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Certified Public Accountant (CPA) | State boards of accountancy (US), exam by AICPA/NASBA | Licence | Education requirements (often 150 semester hours), passing the Uniform CPA Exam and qualifying experience; rules vary by state. | Continuing professional education required to maintain the licence. |
| ACCA Qualification | Association of Chartered Certified Accountants | Professional | Entry requirements vary; exemptions for relevant degrees. | Annual CPD and membership obligations. |
| Certified Management Accountant (CMA) | Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) | Professional | Bachelor's degree and relevant work experience (check IMA). | Annual continuing education. |
| Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) | Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) | Professional | Education and experience requirements (check IIA). | Continuing professional education annually. |
| QuickBooks Online ProAdvisor / Xero Advisor certification | Intuit / Xero | Entry | None; free for accounting professionals. | Annual recertification for ProAdvisor; check Xero. |
Certified Public Accountant (CPA)
Best for: Accountants working in or for US entities, especially public accounting and controllership.
Exam format: Multi-section computer-based exam: core sections plus a chosen discipline.
Prerequisites: Education requirements (often 150 semester hours), passing the Uniform CPA Exam and qualifying experience; rules vary by state.
Keeping it current: Continuing professional education required to maintain the licence.
Skip it if: You will work entirely outside the US system; choose a local qualification instead.
ACCA Qualification
Best for: An internationally recognised route, widely accepted across the UK, Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia; suits remote careers across borders.
Exam format: Series of exams plus practical experience requirement and ethics module.
Prerequisites: Entry requirements vary; exemptions for relevant degrees.
Keeping it current: Annual CPD and membership obligations.
Skip it if: You need a US licence specifically.
Certified Management Accountant (CMA)
Best for: Accountants moving into management accounting, FP&A and business partnering.
Exam format: Two-part exam on financial planning, analysis, control and decision support.
Prerequisites: Bachelor's degree and relevant work experience (check IMA).
Keeping it current: Annual continuing education.
Skip it if: You want statutory audit or public-practice roles.
Certified Internal Auditor (CIA)
Best for: Accountants moving into internal audit, risk and controls.
Exam format: Multi-part exam on internal audit practice.
Prerequisites: Education and experience requirements (check IIA).
Keeping it current: Continuing professional education annually.
Skip it if: You want to stay in reporting or tax.
QuickBooks Online ProAdvisor / Xero Advisor certification
Best for: Bookkeepers and accountants serving small businesses remotely.
Exam format: Online training and exams.
Prerequisites: None; free for accounting professionals.
Keeping it current: Annual recertification for ProAdvisor; check Xero.
Skip it if: You work in enterprise ERP environments.
Which should you take first?
Sequence credentials by what you can realistically qualify for and what your target vacancies ask for. By level, a sensible order is: Certified Public Accountant (CPA) (licence), then QuickBooks Online ProAdvisor / Xero Advisor certification (entry), then ACCA Qualification (professional), then Certified Management Accountant (CMA) (professional), then Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) (professional). You rarely need all of them; one well-chosen credential plus strong evidence usually beats several overlapping ones.
Licences are not the same as certifications
Anyone can do bookkeeping and many accounting tasks, but titles such as Certified Public Accountant or Chartered Accountant, statutory audit sign-off and some tax work are regulated. Requirements differ by country and, in the US, by state board. Check the rules where you want to practise before choosing a qualification.
JobsRemoteList inventory data
Which credentials accountant job ads actually mention
Figures below are calculated from every active accounting jobs listed on JobsRemoteList on 10 October 2026, after expired and closed vacancies were removed. They describe this catalogue, not the whole job market.
- Active listings
- 128
- of 16,061 in the catalogue
- Hiring companies
- 98
- Posted in the last 7 days
- 34
- median listing age 10 days
- Publish a salary
- 42%
- catalogue average 34%
- Open worldwide
- 5%
- 100 name specific countries
- • 42% of these listings publish a salary, above the 34% average across the whole catalogue.
- • 27% were posted in the last 7 days (catalogue average: 35%), a sign of slower hiring in this segment.
Seniority in job titles
- Mid-level / not stated77 · 60%
- Senior34 · 27%
- Lead / staff / principal12 · 9%
- Junior / entry level4 · 3%
- Head / director / VP1 · 1%
Employment type
- Full-time123 · 96%
- Contract4 · 3%
- Internship1 · 1%
Published pay (USD, annualised)
$109k – $137k
Median published range. The middle half of range midpoints falls between $78k and $145k.
Based on 53 employer-published USD ranges; estimates are excluded.
Companies hiring most
Countries named in eligibility
- United States68
- Canada7
- Netherlands6
- Italy5
- LV5
- Philippines5
Most requested skills and tools
Where these listings come from: Greenhouse (53), Ashby (36), Lever (9), plus company career pages. Every listing is re-checked at the employer's source at least every 30 days and removed once it is found closed or its published closing date passes.
Credentials named in current job descriptions
Share of the 100 most recent accounting jobs descriptions we hold that name each credential. A mention can be a requirement or a nice-to-have, so read the vacancy wording.
- CPA57 · 57%
- ACCA10 · 10%
- CMA5 · 5%
- CIA0 · 0%
- QuickBooks / Xero certification0 · 0%
Newest accountant listings
- Production Controller, Licensing - DK ProductionBertelsmann-Jobs · London
- Accounting ManagerBlackbird Health · Remote
- AccountantSpotnana · New York, United States
Build evidence alongside the exam
Credentials open doors; evidence gets offers. Pair your studying with a project you can discuss in interviews:
- Build a full set of accounts for a small business or charity from real records.
- Automate a reconciliation in Excel or your accounting software.
- Volunteer as treasurer for a club or non-profit.
- Document a month-end checklist and improve it.
A realistic study plan
- Week 1: download the official exam outline and take a diagnostic test to find weak areas.
- Weeks 2–5: study one domain at a time and apply each in a lab, exercise or work task.
- Week 6: take timed practice exams and review every wrong answer until you can explain the right one.
- Week 7: revise weak areas, then book the exam while the material is fresh.
Entry and associate exams often fit this schedule. Professional and expert credentials, and licensing exams, usually take months of preparation.
Ask your employer to pay
Many employers fund exams, courses and study time for accountants. Link the credential to your current work and a team goal, propose a timeline, and check whether you would have to repay the cost if you leave within a set period.
Red flags when choosing a provider
- Promises of guaranteed jobs or salaries.
- No clear link to the official issuer or exam outline.
- Course-completion certificates marketed as professional credentials.
- Pressure to buy expensive bundles before you have checked what employers ask for.
How to list certifications on your CV
Use the official credential name, the issuer and the date earned, plus the expiry date where one applies. Label anything in progress clearly ("expected June 2027"). In a accountant cover letter, mention a certification only when it directly supports the role; in interviews, be ready to explain how you have applied what you learned.
Related guides for accountants
- Resume examples for accountants
- Cover letter examples for accountants
- Accountant interview questions and answers
- How to become an accountant
- Current remote accountant jobs
Frequently asked questions
Which certification is most useful for accountants?
It depends on your target vacancies. In accounting, the professional qualification defines your career ceiling, and some work legally requires it. The live data above shows which credentials current job descriptions mention most.
Can a certification replace experience?
Rarely. Employers treat certifications as supporting evidence; practical results, portfolios and references carry more weight in hiring decisions.
Do these certifications expire?
Some do and some do not. Certified Public Accountant (CPA): continuing professional education required to maintain the licence. ACCA Qualification: annual CPD and membership obligations. Certified Management Accountant (CMA): annual continuing education. Certified Internal Auditor (CIA): continuing professional education annually. QuickBooks Online ProAdvisor / Xero Advisor certification: annual recertification for ProAdvisor; check Xero.