Best Certifications After B.Com: CA, CMA, CPA, or CFA?

Best Certifications After B.Com: CA, CMA, CPA, or CFA?

Edited By Mirza Farhan Baig | Updated on May 28, 2025 02:41 PM IST

Commerce students who have completed their Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com) have a variety of career pathways in fields like finance, accounting, and business management. The specialised certifications after B.Com will be an advantage to gain a competitive edge in a specific area of expertise. Among the most globally recognised certifications pursued after BCom are Chartered Accountant (CA), Cost and Management Accountant (CMA), Certified Public Accountant (CPA), and Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA).

Best Certifications After B.Com: CA, CMA, CPA, or CFA?
Best Certifications After B.Com: CA, CMA, CPA, or CFA?

A B.Com degree will undoubtedly offer a candidate a solid foundation. However, it is highly recommended that students pursue certifications in finance, banking, or accounting, as these will enhance the skills in demand in the job market. With a finance certification after graduation, a candidate becomes eligible for a higher salary and gains a professional mindset that is valued by recruiters more than that of their peers.

What to Do After B.Com: Top Certifications

1. Chartered Accountant (CA)

The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) offers the CA qualification. It is the most popular designation given to accountants who specialise in different areas of finance in India. Becoming a CA after B.Com involves clearing two levels of exam: CA Intermediate and CA Final. It is one of the most challenging finance certifications.

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Eligibility Criteria for CA Direct Entry Route:

  • For direct entry, graduates/ postgraduates from the commerce stream can enroll.

  • The person should have at least 55 percent marks in aggregate.

  • They must have studied accounting, mercantile laws, auditing, corporate laws, taxation both direct and indirect tax, cost and business management, etc.

  • A person who has passed the intermediate level from the Institute of Cost Accountants of India can also get direct admission to the intermediate level of CA.

  • Candidates appearing in the final year exam of graduation can also get admission on a provisional basis but their admission will be based on successfully clearing their graduation with the required percentage of marks.

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Articleship Training

After completing the CA Inter, students must enroll in the articleship training. This training provides candidates with a real-time experience. In this training course, aspirants will get to learn about the core work of a CA and gain exposure of companies.

CA Course Certification Syllabus After B.Com

Groups

Paper

Group 1

Paper 1: Advanced Accounting

Paper 2: Corporate and other Laws

Paper 3: Taxation

Group 2

Paper 4: Cost and Management Accounting

Paper 5: Auditing and Ethics

Paper 6: Financial Management & Strategic Management

CA Final Syllabus

Groups

Syllabus

Group 1

Paper 1: Financial Reporting

Paper 2: Advanced Financial Management

Paper 3: Advanced Auditing Assurance and Professional Ethics

Group 2

Paper 4: Direct Tax Laws & International Taxation

Paper 5: Indirect Tax Laws

Part 1: Goods and Service Tax
Part 2: Costumes and FTP

Paper 6: Integrated Business Solutions

(Multi-Disciplinary Case Study With Strategic Management)

Job Profiles with a CA Certification After B.Com

If a student chooses to do the CA course certification after a BCom degree, they can apply for the following roles:

  • Finance Officer

  • Senior Accountant

  • Business Analyst

  • Accountant

  • Chartered Accountant

2. Cost Management Accountant (CMA)

The Cost Management Accounting course duration is 3 to 4 years. It is highly recognised as one of the most important management accounting and financial management courses. The ICMAI CMA course will specialise candidates’ understanding of cost planning, financial planning, cost analysis, cost control, financial analysis, and decision-making.

Eligibility for CMA Intermediate After B.Com

  • The candidate must have passed the Senior Secondary School Examination (10+2) and CMA Foundation Course of the Institute of Cost Accountants of India

OR

  • Candidate should be graduate in any discipline other than Fine Arts/ Foundation (Entry Level) Part I Examination of CAT of the Institute/ Foundation (Entry Level) Part I Examination and Competency Level Part II Examination of CAT of the Institute.

OR

  • Passed Foundation of ICSI/Intermediate of ICAI along with Class 10+2

Exam syllabus for CMA after B.Com

Intermediate course

Final course

Group 1

Group 2

Group 3

Group 4

P5: Financial Accounting (FAC)


P9: Operations Management & Strategic Management

P13: Corporate Laws & Compliance

P17: Corporate Financial Reporting

P6: Laws and Ethics


P10: Cost & Management Accounting and Financial Management

P14: Strategic Financial Management

P18: Indirect Tax Laws & Practice

P7- Direct Taxation (DTX)


P11: Indirect Taxation

P15: Strategic Cost Management – Decision Making

P19: Cost and Management Audit

P8- Cost Accounting (CA)


P12: Company Accounts & Audit

P16: Direct Tax Laws and International Taxation

P20: Strategic Performance Management and Business Valuation

Job Profiles with a CMA Certification After B.Com

If a student completes the CMA course certification after a BCom degree, they can apply for the following job roles:

  • Cost Accountant

  • Budget Analyst

  • Financial Analyst

  • Chief Financial Officer

  • Cost Controller

3. Certified Public Accountant (CPA)

The CPA certification awarded by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants is a globally recognized certification. It is among the most sought-after certifications after a B.Com degree. To get a CPA certification in India, candidates are required to pass four subjects within a duration of 18 months. This certification specializes in financial reporting, auditing, taxation, and other regulatory compliance. It is considered one of the most respected certifications in the finance vertical.

Eligibility for CPA Certification

The AICPA specified eligibility criteria for different states in the US and other countries. The CPA eligibility criteria for India have been given below:

  • Applicants must have citizenship of either India, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka, or USA.

  • Candidates must be members of ICAI, ICMAI, or ICSI.

  • Candidates who have a MBA or M.Com or any other Masters degree in the field of Commerce, Accounting or Finance are also eligible to take up the exam.

  • Applicants require 120 credits to take the US CPA exams and 150 credits to get his CPA licence.

  • Usually, one year of University education in India is equal to 30 credits of US education

  • In some cases, first division graduates of a three-year degree from NAAC-A accredited universities of India are qualified to take the US CPA exams too.

CPA Certification Syllabus

Paper

Course Contents

Duration

Question Pattern

Paper-1

Financial Accounting & Reporting (FAR)

4 Hours Exam

66 MCQs (50% weightage) administered viz 2 testlets & 8 Task-based simulations (TBSs) administered viz 3 testlets (50% weightage).

Paper-2

Auditing & Attestation (AUD)

4 Hours Exam

72 MCQs (50% weightage) administered viz 2 testlets and 8 Task-Based Simulations (TBSs) administered viz 3 testlets (50% weightage).

Paper-3

Regulation (REG)

4 Hours Exam

76 MCQs (50% weightage) administered viz 2 testlets and 8 Task-Based Simulations (TBSs) administered viz 3 testlets (50% weightage).

Paper-4

Business Environment & Concepts (BEC))

4 Hours Exam

62 MCQs (50% weightage) administered viz 2 testlets, 4 Task-Based Simulations (TBSs) administered viz 2 testlets (35% weightage) and 3 Written Communication Tasks (WCs) (15% weightage)

Job Profiles with a CPA Certification After B.Com

After completing the CMA certification following a BCom degree, a candidate becomes eligible for the following designations:

  • Tax Manager

  • Chief Accountant

  • Financial Controller

  • Internal Audit Director

  • Finance Director

4. Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA)

Candidates who have just passed their B.Com graduation and are looking for a career in the investment finance field can choose the CFA programme certification. Completing all CFA levels will equip you with all the specialised knowledge related to the field of finance. It is recognised in more than 160 countries, making it absolutely ideal for students aiming for an international career, especially in investment banking, equity research, and risk analysis.

CFA Certification Eligibility Requirements

Particulars

Details

Bachelors' Degree

Graduation in any stream.

Undergraduate student

  • Must be within 23 months of graduation to be eligible for CFA Level 1

  • Must be within 11 months of graduation to appear for CFA level 2


Professional work experience

4,000 hours of qualified, professional work experience

Combination of work experience and education

Work experience and education is accrued over a duration of 36 months.


Both must be sequential and must not overlap.

CFA Level 1 Subjects and Topic-Wise Weightage Syllabus 2025

Topic

Exam weight

Ethical and Professional Standards

15-20%

Quantitative Methods

6-9%

Economics

6-9%

Financial Statement Analysis

11-14%

Corporate Issuers

6-9%

Equity Investments

11-14%

Fixed Income

11-14%

Derivatives

5–8%

Alternative Investments

7-10%

Portfolio Management

8-12%

CFA Level 2 Subjects Topic-Wise Weightage Syllabus 2025

Subjects in CFA Level 2

Weight %

Quantitative Methods

5-10%

Economics

5-10%

Financial Reporting and Analysis

10-15%

Corporate Issuers

5-10%

Equity Valuation

10-15%

Fixed Income

10-15%

Derivatives

5-10%

Alternative Investments

5-10%

Portfolio Management

10-15%

Ethical and Professional Standards

10-15%

CFA Level 3 Subject Topic-Wise Weightage Syllabus 2025

CFA Level 3 topics

Weightage

Asset Allocation

15-20%

Portfolio Construction

15-20%

Performance Measurement

5-10%

Derivatives and Risk Management

10-15%

Ethical and Professional Standards

10-15%

Pathways (Portfolio Management or Private Market or Private Wealth)

30-35%

Job Profiles with a CFA Certification After B.Com

If a student completes the CFA course certification after a BCom degree, they can apply for the following job roles:

  • Credit Analyst

  • Investment Banker

  • Portfolio Manager

  • Senior Analyst

  • Finance Manager

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