• Congratulations to the Class of 2024 on your results!
    Let us know how you went here
    Got a question about your uni preferences? Ask us here

CPA or CA ? (1 Viewer)

IronMike

Member
Joined
Aug 26, 2003
Messages
95
Location
Sydney
Gender
Undisclosed
HSC
N/A
dont take my word
but according to what ive heard
CPA is what u get when u graduate with accounting major in commerce or eco degee (provided that u do all the subjects required by the CPA group)
CA is an upgrade version of CPA. After u get ur CPA, u need to gain 2 years experience in a company and then u take an major exam. if u pass this exam with satisfactory mark, u gain a CA.

hope it helps.
 

Lexicographer

Retired 13 May 2006
Joined
Aug 13, 2003
Messages
8,275
Location
Darnassus ftw
Gender
Male
HSC
2003
Not quite. CPA requires external examination. They're basically the same thing, though Chartered Accountants are a little more specialised and carry a little more prestige. They're also more expensive, though a CA friend of mine said that they're just about the same so it shouldn't matter. Just pick the one that suits your own career better.
 

Rahul

Dead Member
Joined
Dec 14, 2002
Messages
3,647
Location
shadowy shadows
CA's are very much higher than CPA's, in terms of prestige as lexi said.

but having said that, they would be combining in the future under one name. although i cannot confirm this, my dad's work's CA told him.

check out the ICAA site. http://www.icaa.org.au/index.cfm
 

Lexicographer

Retired 13 May 2006
Joined
Aug 13, 2003
Messages
8,275
Location
Darnassus ftw
Gender
Male
HSC
2003
Basically the CA organisation (can't be bothered finding out its actual name) is a LOT older. And British. :)
 

Lexicographer

Retired 13 May 2006
Joined
Aug 13, 2003
Messages
8,275
Location
Darnassus ftw
Gender
Male
HSC
2003
My mother was halfway to getting CPA accreditation, but then she junked it and got her MBA. She's more of a manager than an accountant now anyway, and there is apparently more "diversity" in Operational Risk than in traditional Accounting.
 

Minai

Alumni
Joined
Jul 7, 2002
Messages
7,458
Location
Sydney
Gender
Male
HSC
2002
Uni Grad
2006
Yeah from what I've heard myself, CA is more prestigeous and recognised in Australia, but CPA also recognised internationally, and "gets you places"?
I'm following the CA program in my undergrad degree, then I more exams after I graduate..

its interesting should they merge...maybe in time for the harmonisation of the international accounting standards (IISB) in 2006?
 

Lexicographer

Retired 13 May 2006
Joined
Aug 13, 2003
Messages
8,275
Location
Darnassus ftw
Gender
Male
HSC
2003
Hey Minai, can you tell me more about that? I'm wondering how they'll get E Asia to follow that through, especially Japan. Their accounting is nuts.
 

Minai

Alumni
Joined
Jul 7, 2002
Messages
7,458
Location
Sydney
Gender
Male
HSC
2002
Uni Grad
2006
Well I don't know much
our lecturers last year kept telling us "by the time you graduate, you'll all need to learn the new international accounting standards"

I'm pretty sure all the major economies of the world would shift to these standards, or risk being frowned upon in the business world. It's supposed to hopefully eliminate all those corporate collapses you hear about such as Enron, One.Tel, HIH etc due to shoddy accounting policy choice
 

Lexicographer

Retired 13 May 2006
Joined
Aug 13, 2003
Messages
8,275
Location
Darnassus ftw
Gender
Male
HSC
2003
Ah, nice move World Bank!

But you can't completely prevent such things. Those collapses were the direct result of fraudulent, corrupt and undeniably BAD decisions. It's ultimately up to the guys running the show whether they want to play nice or play greed.
 

marko

Member
Joined
Jul 13, 2003
Messages
71
Location
the wild west
from what i know, CA's are more recognised overseas and its what you need to get into the major accounting firms (KPMG, PWC etc)
im choosing subjects which will allow me to eventually take both exams though
 

Winston

Active Member
Joined
Aug 30, 2002
Messages
6,128
Gender
Undisclosed
HSC
2003
Yeah Chartered Accountants are recognised, my sister completes her CA course in june this year.
 

Minai

Alumni
Joined
Jul 7, 2002
Messages
7,458
Location
Sydney
Gender
Male
HSC
2002
Uni Grad
2006
Originally posted by Winston
Yeah Chartered Accountants are recognised, my sister completes her CA course in june this year.
how many years after she graduated did she have to spend on the CA course?
 

Winston

Active Member
Joined
Aug 30, 2002
Messages
6,128
Gender
Undisclosed
HSC
2003
Originally posted by Minai
how many years after she graduated did she have to spend on the CA course?
Well soon as she finished her degree, she went into KPMG, still there, and once she worked at KPMG for a few mths, she started the CA course. Let me think, when i was in yr 11 she started to work at KPMG. so yeah...

Apparently CPA is just multiple choice based exams, and CA requires a hell of a lot more study, and i can tell judging by my sisters books, it's so much i've never seen so many books in my entire life!
 

Lexicographer

Retired 13 May 2006
Joined
Aug 13, 2003
Messages
8,275
Location
Darnassus ftw
Gender
Male
HSC
2003
I disagree with the multiple choice. How are you supposed to offer internationally recognised accreditation based on what someone guessed? No, there's some significant financial analysis and study involved, though I'm not sure it's at quite the same level as CA.
 
Last edited:

Kharn

New Member
Joined
May 1, 2003
Messages
24
From what i've picked up from accountants they are pretty much the same as people with CPA's think CPA is better and CA's people think CA is better. I've heard an accounting lecturer say that CA is slightly better while my dad who is CPA said that CPA is much better. Basically it will be a pretty safe bet to go with either of them. For me i don't really care(as yet)
 

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Users: 0, Guests: 1)

Top