Bookkeeping vs accounting qualifications for a beginner
Deciding between bookkeeping and accounting depends on whether you want a shorter, accessible start or are targeting specific regions and career paths like external audit or finance. Choosing the wrong path can lead to regret over the difficulty and value of the qualification for your career goals.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
Found another way around this?
Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.
- 1Researching course durations and costsDid this help you?
- 2Weighing quicker bookkeeping entry against comprehensive accounting knowledgeDid this help you?
- 3Exploring local community college certificate programs versus associates or bachelors degreesDid this help you?
- 4Considering programs that qualify students for the CPA examDid this help you?
- 5getting a job at an accounting firm that pays for the Canadian CPA feesDid this help you?
- 6getting the Canadian CPA first and taking the US CPA exam laterDid this help you?
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“I’m trying to decide whether to pursue the new Canadian CPA program or the US CPA, and I’d really appreciate hearing from Canadians who have gone through either route.”source ↗
“I'm looking to do a course whilst it's offered free (under £26k) and can't decided between level 2 bookkeeping or accounting?”source ↗
“Is External audit good ? would i regret it in the future ?”source ↗
“im mainly targeting MENA so which one would be more valuable ?”source ↗
“Would you recommend me to aim for CFA And go to finance rather than Audit ?because its much longer and harder journey”source ↗
“I am seeking opinions on making a career change into accounting.”source ↗
“My local community colleges seems to think attaining an accountant certificate will be able to land me jobs in the field vs going for an associates/bachelors degree.”source ↗
“I am in the same boat but my circumstances are bit different that I am expecting to get my green card in around 4 years due to my mom sponsoring me. Don’t know if I should go through the Canadian CPA process or do the US CPA instead.”source ↗
“Im on the same boat. I find Canadian CPA so expensive with very low return.”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
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- 7Choosing between accounting and law career
- 2Public accounting vs FLDP if I want to leave for industry early?