What is the hardest finance license exam?

Asked by: Nya Bins  |  Last update: April 26, 2025
Score: 4.7/5 (56 votes)

The Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) exam is known to be one of the toughest exams in the world. It is designed to test finance professionals on tools and practices within the finance and investment management disciplines.

What is the hardest finance exam?

The CFA designation is reputed to be the most difficult certification to obtain, which works to the benefit of those who succeed. The focus of the program is on investment analysis and portfolio management.

What is the hardest finance certification?

And then there's this: A certification can be difficult to earn. At the most challenging end of the spectrum, the CPA and Chartered Financial Analyst designations are among the toughest exams to pass. The difficulty of the exams and required prep time, however, varies significantly among the credentials.

What is the most difficult FINRA exam?

Known as one of the toughest FINRA licensing exams, Series 7 has a pass rate of less than 72%. You need a prep course that ensures one of those passers will be you.

What is the hardest licensure exam in the world?

Top 10 Toughest Exams in the World
  • Gaokao Exam in China.
  • IIT JEE Advanced.
  • Civil Services Exam (CSE)/UPSC.
  • All Souls Prize Fellowship Exam.
  • USMLE.
  • Master Sommelier Diploma Exam.
  • ICAI CA/ ICMAI Exams.
  • CCIE (Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert)

Which financial exams, designations, and certifications are the toughest?

39 related questions found

Is CPA harder than bar?

The CPA Exam. You've heard the horror stories: It's derailed the careers of promising professionals. It's definitely harder than the BAR exam and maybe even some medical board exams. And it's nearly impossible to pass once you're a working professional.

What is the hardest license to get?

1. The United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) The United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) takes the top spot as the most challenging exam in the US, with an average preparation time ranging from 200 to 400 hours for each of its three steps.

How many people pass the SIE on the first try?

The SIE exam pass rate is 82%. Candidates must correctly answer 53 of 75 questions to achieve a passing score of 70%. Pass the FINRA SIE on your first try with Achievable's interactive online exam preparation course.

What is the pass rate for the CFA exam?

The latest CFA pass rates are: 43% for Level 1 (Nov 2024) 39% for Level 2 (Nov 2024) 48% for Level 3 (Aug 2024)

Which is harder, Sie or Series 7?

Is Series 7 much harder than SIE? Yes, Series 7 is more difficult because it covers advanced securities and trading strategies. It requires deeper knowledge and application than the SIE's basic concepts.

What is the easiest finance license to get?

The easiest finance certification is the Financial Modeling & Valuation Analyst (FMVA) certification. There is no authoritative exam required nor does it require any educational qualifications. The FMVA is an easy resume building finance certification that looks more professional than it is.

Is CFA harder than CFP?

The CFA charter exam is considered harder than the CFP exam due to its rigorous curriculum and three-level exam series with low pass rates.

What is the most difficult job in finance?

The most (and least) stressful jobs in banking and finance
  • Most stressful job in finance : Investment Banker (M&A or capital markets professional) ...
  • Second most stressful job in finance : Trader. ...
  • Third most stressful job in finance : Risk management & Compliance.

Which is the no. 1 toughest exam in the world?

Gaokao Exam - China. The Gaokao, which means higher exam, is the abbreviation of the Nationwide Unified Examination for Admissions to General Universities and Colleges. This test is the national undergraduate admission exam for China. It is the most difficult exam in the world.

Is CFA harder than CPA?

CFA vs CPA Exam difficulty

Both are challenging and require gaining skills and knowledge in complex topics. However, the CPA Exam generally requires less studying - around 80 to 120 hours per section compared to 300 hours per section of the CFA Exam, and the CPA Exam also has a higher pass rate.

What is the hardest financial skill?

The hardest financial skill is getting the goalpost to stop moving. But it's one of the most important. If expectations rise with results there is no logic in striving for more because you'll feel the same after putting in extra effort.

Do you need 70% to pass CFA?

CFA Exam Passing Score

It is the total score that counts, so you don't have to score over 70% for each topic to pass your level 1 exam. In an extreme scenario, you may get just a few points for one of the topics and you may still pass the exam if you excel in another topic.

Is CFA level 2 harder than 1?

#1 – CFA Level 2 is more difficult than Level 1

So you have passed Level 1​, and some of you might have found it fairly easy.

Is passing CFA level 1 a big deal?

Is passing CFA® Level 1 a big deal? Absolutely, passing the CFA® Level 1 Exam is a significant achievement. It demonstrates that you have a strong grasp of essential financial concepts and ethical standards, which are fundamental to the investment profession.

Can you take the Series 7 if you fail the SIE?

To become a registered representative, you must pass both the SIE and the Series 7 exam. The order in which you pass the exams does not matter as long as you pass both exams. This is the same for the SIE and all other representative-level exams.

What is the easiest FINRA exam?

As a result, the Series 66 exam is considered by most to be an easier test. Like the Series 65 exam, it qualifies the individual to act as an IAR and fulfills the requirements for state registration. There are exam fees for these exams that must be paid before taking them.

Why are there 10 extra questions on the SIE?

There are 75 scored and 10 unscored questions. The 10 unscored questions are randomly distributed, so test takers do not know which questions are not scored. The unscored questions are being tried out by FINRA. Are the questions put into any order?

What is the toughest finance exam in the world?

Chartered Financial Analyst - CFA

CFA, also known as Chartered Financial Analyst, is also known to be one of the hardest exams in the world. It is a way of testing the financial knowledge of the aspiring finance professionals. It was reported that in 2023, 16,959 students sat for the level 1 exam.

Which is the toughest exam in the USA?

What Are the Toughest Exams in the US?
  • American Mensa Admission Test. The American Mensa Admission Test is designed to be tough. ...
  • California Bar Exam. One of the requirements to practice law in California is passing the California Bar Exam administered by the State Bar of California. ...
  • Chartered Financial Analyst Exams.

Which is harder, CPA or MCAT?

The CPA exam is widely regarded as the most challenging professional examination for a few reasons. Its length, number of topics, and technical details covered typically rank it harder than the BAR and MCAT.