ACCA VS CPA - Difficulty (2024)

January 23, 2015 at 3:38 pm #223551

mahoysam

Participant

Topics: 37
Replies: 140

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I wonder if there is anyone here who sat both ACCA and CPA US exams and can let us know which one they found more challenging or difficult.

I work in an audit firm, so I know a lot of people who are doing CPA and others who are doing ACCA – There was this argument going on as to which is better, or more difficult and makes you more technical. The CPA people point was that the pass percentage you have to obtain is 75% while in ACCA it is 50% and that obviously makes ACCA easier. Yet, ACCAs responded that ACCA exams’ require written answers unlike CPA which is MCQs and therefore obtaining 50% is still quite challenging.

A lot of points were made – Personally, I don’t care much about such arguments, I am quite satisfied that I chose ACCA, the qualification is very nice, specially that it offers things other accounting qualifications don’t, like having papers in various subjects (management accounting, financial management, business analysis etc), so I am very happy with my choice, but just curious. I don’t believe that CPA is more difficult – ACCA pass rate is usually lower than 50%, so less than half the people attempting the exam are failing, if it is a very easy qualification, what is the reason behind this pass rate!

What are your thoughts?

Regards

January 23, 2015 at 4:38 pm #223559

Gabriel

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Topics: 135
Replies: 591

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CPA in my country has 18 papers, while ACCA has 14 papers. So maybe ACCA is less tough than CPA

January 23, 2015 at 4:48 pm #223560

mahoysam

Participant

Topics: 37
Replies: 140

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No, I am specifically talking about CPA US which is only four parts.

January 24, 2015 at 6:52 am #223597

Rusgazeboz

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Topics: 3
Replies: 94

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I live in US and would also be intrigued. I have met a couple CPAs who did not seem as knowledgeable as ACCAs. I have looked at CPA question papers and they don’t seem too bad esp FAR and AUD they seem to be set at F levels.

February 3, 2015 at 9:49 pm #225096

Corina Carney

Member

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Replies: 2

I am studying for my first CPA exam (FAR). I can tell that it is a different set-up, I cannot say it is harder or easier. I am a little bit confused, because I did not expect that the definitions and rules to be so different. I found ACCA study materials easier to “digest”, especially for students that English is the second language. Let me know if there is someone else studying for the US CPA.

March 10, 2015 at 8:34 am #231875

$@M

Participant

Topics: 1
Replies: 5

Can someone who has done both of these shed some light?
I am actually considering CPA whilst i’m stuck with acca.

Appreciate it much!

April 10, 2015 at 1:10 am #240705

Cujo

Member

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Replies: 2

Mahoysam, I’m a US CPA & CMA. I can tell you from experience that CPA is much easier than ACCA. After passing the CPA, I still have to pass F7 and 5 other P level papers to become an ACCA member. By looking at the breadth of materials and the required time to complete for both the ACCA and CPA, I can assure you that ACCA is superior to CPA everywhere OUTSIDE the USA.
I also think that the knowledge you obtain by sitting for ACCA exams is more relevant to you if you live outside the USA. Why would you really want to study US tax law when you know you won’t be working in the US in the future?

Cujo

July 3, 2015 at 7:58 pm #259441

mahoysam

Participant

Topics: 37
Replies: 140

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CUJO, nice to hear from someone who’s done both so can actually compare. I thought so too, yet some people doing CPA are acting arrogant trying to imply that ACCA is easy because the pass is 50%.

After you do CPA, you don’t get an exemption for F7?

July 15, 2016 at 3:36 pm #325980

ahmednawazacca

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Topics: 0
Replies: 1