Top 4 Courses After CA That Help You Achieve High Salary

Chartered Accountancy is one of the most secure and rewarding careers in today’s world. People who get there are required to clear a set of highly-challenging exams. If you’ve already started clearing your CA levels and are here to get more perspective, pat yourself on the back for all your hard work. Now that you’re set to achieve a stable job and income, you might want to study further, advance in your career, and get even better opportunities.

Let’s discuss the different career paths you can take going forward.  

Here’s what you can do once you complete your CA

1. Get a job at a CA firm

As a fresher, you can explore working in a CA firm to get hands-on experience on how everything streamlines in the practical world. You can pick up roles for taxation advisory, forensic auditing, tax auditing, financial controlling, among several others. It is a great way to learn different soft skills while implementing your existing skills to generate income for yourself.

2. Start a firm with your CA friends

If you are someone with entrepreneurial zeal, starting your practice is the best way forward. Less than 5% of CAs manage to start their firm, and you can surely be one of them. You can enter into practice with one of the following:

• Company Secretary
• Chartered Accountant
• Cost Accountant
• Architect Professional
• Chartered Engineer
• Actuary Professional
• Advocate (As per the Bar Council of India)

3. Courses After CA

Upskilling and holding credible certifications never hurt. It only gets you more opportunities that you can enjoy more along with a better pay grade. The fact that you’ve cleared CA proves that you’re capable of taking on challenges to designing a better life for yourself.

Let us check out some courses that you can pursue after CA to get better compensation for your skills: 

4. Investment Banking Courses

Investment Banking is not usually unheard of, considering its prestige and high earning potential. Investment Bankers make around 95.2% more than Chartered Accountants. However, that shouldn’t be your primary reason for switching careers from being a CA to an Investment Banker. If financial modelling and valuation, analysing global markets and high-profile transactions, is something you’re passionate about, this career might be the right one for you. Besides all the above points, if you love to work in a challenging and fast-paced environment, do not wait any further. There are several certifications in this space that you can take up online and expand your knowledge base.

Some of the top companies in this space are Goldman Sachs, Deutsche Bank, JP Morgan, among several others. They usually hire for roles like Valuation Analyst, Mergers and Acquisitions Analyst, and Operations Manager. The starting salary ranges from INR 9-10 lpa

5. Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA)

The Chartered Financial Analyst programme is your entry ticket to investment banking among several other areas of financial services. It is one of the globally recognized certifications that can help you grab a seat at some of the top MNCs like JP Morgan, HSBC, Deloitte, and others. The scope of work focuses on the valuation techniques of different asset classes like Bonds, Equity, Futures and Options, and Portfolio Management. 

To clear the examination, you have to pass 3 levels containing 10 subjects each. They cover the fundamentals of investment tools, valuing assets, portfolio management, and wealth planning. Potential job roles include Investment Banker, Research Analyst, Corporate Financial Analyst, and Auditor. The starting salary ranges from INR 8-12 lpa. If this course interests you and you wish receive the best coaching guidance, check out our Chartered Financial Analyst programme details.

A Chartered Accountant is a well-respected title in itself. Imagine yourself being a qualified accountant with specialised expertise in Law. Most businesses wouldn’t mind spending that extra money on a talent that covers you both legally and financially. An LLB requires you to clear the All India Bar Exam to become a lawyer.

Once you’ve received your law degree, you can become a Legal Analyst, Corporate Lawyer, Judicial Clerk, or Corporate Counsellor. Apart from these, there are several other interesting job roles you can apply for.

6. Financial Risk Manager (FRM)

If you are good at mathematics, love to play with data,  and want to be involved in predicting the market changes according to the current trends, you should go for an FRM specialisation. Popular job roles include Risk Manager, Investment Banker, and Auditor. MNCs like KPMG, Deloitte, E&Y, and others usually have openings for these positions. The starting salary ranges between INR 7-8 lpa.

7. Certified Public Accountant (CPA)

If you’d like to move to the US and practice as a Chartered Accountant, you must get a CPA degree issued by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. Some Indian MNCs also prefer a CPA degree for some of their finance based roles. As a CA holding a CPA degree, you will be working on tasks like Assurance Services, Forensic Accounting, Tax and Financial Planning, International Accounting, as well as Internal and External Auditing. The initial salary of a CPA ranges from INR 6-7 lpa. If this course interests you and you wish receive the best coaching guidance, check out our Certified Public Accountant programme details.

While it is good to look for opportunities that compensate you better for your time and skills, it is equally important to check whether you’re passionate about the job role and it offers you consistent growth opportunities. A high-paying job is not worth it if you’re stressed and worried about work all the time. What you should aim for is a role that you genuinely enjoy while being at peace so that you can live a quality life outside of work.

If you wish to advance your career with global accreditation, CPA might be the right option for you. The US CPA qualification is recognised worldwide and can open doors to opportunities in Europe, Asia and North America. If you are an accounting professional looking to boost your career or just curious to learn about the course, we suggest you check out our Certified Public Accountant (CPA) course to learn more.

FAQ

What is the difference between CA and CS?
A Chartered Accountant mainly focuses on accounts, taxation and finance whereas a Company Secretary is someone who focuses on corporate governance and company law and ensures compliance with the regulations. While CA and CS have some similarities, they are significantly different from each other. For example, the organizing body for CA is the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI), the organizing body for CS is the Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI). The patterns of these two programmes are also different from each other. A CA course usually takes 4-5 years to complete, and the duration of the CS course is 2-3 years. The syllabus for the two courses also differs from each other.

Can I do M.Com after completing my Chartered Accountancy?
While you can definitely pursue M.Com after CA, it shouldn’t be your first priority of additional courses to pursue since it won’t help much with your career as a CA. Instead, you can consider courses like CFA, CS or even LLB. Pursuing M.Com is a good option once you have completed your CA. It is another specialisation which you can add to your qualification and boost your CV. It will allow you to network with several like-minded individuals that’ll later help you grow in your professional life.

Can an Indian CA work outside India?
A CA from India can potentially work in certain other countries if the ICAI has signed an MOU with their governing bodies. However, if you are an Indian CA, your eligibility to work in different countries may vary based on their local laws and you may be required to earn some licences or re-qualifications.

Anant Bengani, brings expertise as a Chartered Accountant and a leading figure in finance and accounting education. He’s dedicated to empowering learners with the finest financial knowledge and skills.