I’ve heard a CFA called an “MBA on Steroids.” Does anyone agree with this? I know the CFA is a lot cheaper to obtain but it is also very narrow in its focus.
Search is your friend. The answer is ‘no’.
I agree CFA is better than an MBA.
My votes for MBA
Damn son, this is not a question you want to ask… In terms of pure finance knowledge you won’t learn a ton of new material in an MBA program. You will however, as you mentioned, be exposed to other business areas which all ultimately come into play in finance in some shape or form. You also get a chance to work with the concepts more through projects and case studies. MBA is more broadly marketable than CFA as well, should you decide you don’t want to work in financial services. For the record, I don’t think CFA is an MBA on steroids, but you will learn very similar finance skills. That said I would have to vote for MBA as being “better” than CFA, but that’s more because it’s easier to market, I think I like studying for CFA more than MBA though.
This is a chicken and egg question.
I don’t think an MBA is any easier but the CFA is just more finance oriented. From my friends doing their MBA thy said its pretty hard to fail a class unless you do no work. MBA requires lots of project work, networking, and pretty social. CFA you just can’t be lazy and have to sit in a room by yourself studying for a few hrs a day for a few months.
CFA>MBA MBA>CPA CFA>CPA Make sense?
Nuppal, you’re in Miami…get off the internet
They are different programs with completely different purposes.
we have discussed this. conclusion: MBA > CFA
MBA > CFA and CFA > CPA and CFA > CMT I know someone who has all the above. He is still making about $150k at 37 years of age!
CFA doesn’t have an impact of a degree, it’s not even close to an MBA, it’s nice polishing over MBA but, MBA is MBA, how ever a MBA suck greatly, even a huge waste of time but a MBA is a MBA and a CFA is just a CFA. What all matters is what gets you the job, CFA may get you an interview but MBA gets you “the job” and even a way higher paying one. That’s what world is like, it’s what it is, you’re just another brick in the wall.
MBA is only “better” than a CFA if it come from a top notch school. Anything below about 20 isn’t worth it.
I think we decided before that this MBA vs. CFA problem is flawed because you need to consider the rankings of MBA programs. Harvard >> CFA, but University of Phoenix < CFA.
CFA teaches you about investments and portfolio management. MBA teaches you about how businesses run, get customers, market, shape their organizational structure, raise money, set strategy, and get projects done. There is some finance in an MBA, but except for a few specialized programs, it’s generally not as deep as what you get with a CFA. Which is better? Well… what are you trying to accomplish?
i would actually advise people against doing the CFA if they are planning on going to business school, unless it is going to help your career before b-school. having just finished my first semester, the core classes repeat all of the material from level 1 and 2, and they were very boring and repetitive. i also think once you are doing/done an mba (from a top program at least) no one cares if you have a cfa too.
I have to disagree with cfeige. It’s best to have the MBA + CFA these days.
In plumbing and electrical work, you need to clarify since there are ambiguities here (as I cross-posted onto Dreary’s thread). Do you mean? Corrupted Flow Analyst (CFA for plumber) vs. Maintainer of Bypassed Amperes (MBA for electrical worker) Or do you mean? Charge Flux Analyst (CFA for electrical worker) vs. Modeler of Bounded Aquatics (MBA for plumber)
This is crazy! We have never had a CFA vs MBA thread and it finally shows its dirty face! Now I know about you CFA and MBA. Now I really know. Wow.