08-28-2007, 04:02 PM
<font size="3"><font color="purple">The battle of credentials
By James Goodnough, Contributor
Sunday, February 11 2007
Merits of the MBA vs. CFA.
The Master of Business Administration (MBA) or the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation? That is the question.
Which credential ultimately adds more value and helps its holder get on the fastest track to meeting his/her professional goals? There is no question that an individual with either should expect a higher salary. In fact, it would be ideal to carry both. However, time and money limit oneâs ability to pursue both the CFA and MBA, so if you had to choose only one designation, which would it be?
In essence, the CFA is a far more specialized program, aimed primarily at those either interested in or already pursuing a career in the financial industry. On the other hand, the goal of the MBA is to expose its candidates to a wide variety of business streams â marketing, finance, accounting, or organizational behaviour â and give them the options to specialize or remain a generalist.
The CFA route is designed for individuals interested in a finance career. The candidate must have four years of experience related to the aforementioned tasks, or be in the process of accruing it. This designation has another caveat emptor however Summer internships do not count.
MBA programs do not segregate candidates based on their past work experience and future work plans. However, there are a number of hurdles to jump over before entering a distinguished MBA program. Depending on which school you are interested in, you may be required to verify a certain amount of job experience (usually two years) before entering the program.
Due to fierce competition over entry into these programs, a strong supplementary application coupled with proven work experience and high GMAT scores are necessary for admission.
Now for the meat of the discussion the costs versus pay-offs. Depending on the MBA school of choice, one will likely spend anywhere between $30,000-$100, 000 over the course of one to two years. Starting salaries also vary from school to school Top US Ivy League schools have an average post-MBA salary of US $110,000 compared to the average pre-MBA salary of US $70,000. That is a 57% increase in salary upon graduation.
On a more domestic note, MBAs attending top Canadian business schools such as the Westernâs Ivey, Queenâs, Rotman, and Schulich can expect a salary increase of 56% upon the completion of their degree; the average pre-MBA salary of US $45,000 increases to approximately US $70,000 upon program completion.
The CFA works a little differently. It consists of three tests that can be written once a year, and provided you pass all three of them on the first try, you can obtain your designation in three years. However, that is a big âifâ. According to studies, one needs a minimum of 250 hours to study for all three tests. However, the pay-offs are lucrative CFA holders enjoy an average salary of $180,000; that is 54% higher than those without the designation.
Furthermore, CFA holders with ten years of experience demand 10% higher salaries than their MBA counterparts. Considering that the program occurs over the course of three years, and taking into account that the preparation material and tests cost about $7,000, the immediate returns of a CFA are higher than that of an MBA.
Salaries aside, according to Managing Directors and Associates at TD Securities and CIBC World Markets, most professionals with a finance focus will be required to pursue their CFA at some point. In fact, employers with the largest number of CFA holders include CIBC, Deutsche Bank, Fidelity Investments, Goldman Sachs, HSBC, Merrill Lynch, RBC, and UBS. For todayâs young finance professionals, a CFA is a far better investment.</font id="purple"></font id="size3">
By James Goodnough, Contributor
Sunday, February 11 2007
Merits of the MBA vs. CFA.
The Master of Business Administration (MBA) or the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation? That is the question.
Which credential ultimately adds more value and helps its holder get on the fastest track to meeting his/her professional goals? There is no question that an individual with either should expect a higher salary. In fact, it would be ideal to carry both. However, time and money limit oneâs ability to pursue both the CFA and MBA, so if you had to choose only one designation, which would it be?
In essence, the CFA is a far more specialized program, aimed primarily at those either interested in or already pursuing a career in the financial industry. On the other hand, the goal of the MBA is to expose its candidates to a wide variety of business streams â marketing, finance, accounting, or organizational behaviour â and give them the options to specialize or remain a generalist.
The CFA route is designed for individuals interested in a finance career. The candidate must have four years of experience related to the aforementioned tasks, or be in the process of accruing it. This designation has another caveat emptor however Summer internships do not count.
MBA programs do not segregate candidates based on their past work experience and future work plans. However, there are a number of hurdles to jump over before entering a distinguished MBA program. Depending on which school you are interested in, you may be required to verify a certain amount of job experience (usually two years) before entering the program.
Due to fierce competition over entry into these programs, a strong supplementary application coupled with proven work experience and high GMAT scores are necessary for admission.
Now for the meat of the discussion the costs versus pay-offs. Depending on the MBA school of choice, one will likely spend anywhere between $30,000-$100, 000 over the course of one to two years. Starting salaries also vary from school to school Top US Ivy League schools have an average post-MBA salary of US $110,000 compared to the average pre-MBA salary of US $70,000. That is a 57% increase in salary upon graduation.
On a more domestic note, MBAs attending top Canadian business schools such as the Westernâs Ivey, Queenâs, Rotman, and Schulich can expect a salary increase of 56% upon the completion of their degree; the average pre-MBA salary of US $45,000 increases to approximately US $70,000 upon program completion.
The CFA works a little differently. It consists of three tests that can be written once a year, and provided you pass all three of them on the first try, you can obtain your designation in three years. However, that is a big âifâ. According to studies, one needs a minimum of 250 hours to study for all three tests. However, the pay-offs are lucrative CFA holders enjoy an average salary of $180,000; that is 54% higher than those without the designation.
Furthermore, CFA holders with ten years of experience demand 10% higher salaries than their MBA counterparts. Considering that the program occurs over the course of three years, and taking into account that the preparation material and tests cost about $7,000, the immediate returns of a CFA are higher than that of an MBA.
Salaries aside, according to Managing Directors and Associates at TD Securities and CIBC World Markets, most professionals with a finance focus will be required to pursue their CFA at some point. In fact, employers with the largest number of CFA holders include CIBC, Deutsche Bank, Fidelity Investments, Goldman Sachs, HSBC, Merrill Lynch, RBC, and UBS. For todayâs young finance professionals, a CFA is a far better investment.</font id="purple"></font id="size3">
