For decades, FP&A teams have played a critical role in every business. They’ve built reports, managed costs, and raised revenue since finance departments first began, but demands have shifted in recent years.
The classic FP&A professional’s role is evolving in every organization. Now, companies rely on these teams to be the center of business operations, make strategic decisions, and elevate analytical capabilities. Everyone from analysts to finance leaders is refining their skill sets and strengthening what they offer, and FP&A certifications and courses are a great way to do so.
Although FP&A teams tie directly to how a business operates, 64% of C-level executives say FP&A roles are the toughest to fill. In fact, 57% of CFOs prioritize AI/ML skills when hiring, while 41% seek analytics and data storytelling capabilities.
In that same survey, executives also highlighted the most important and frequent tasks for FP&A employees. These include: FP&A teams spend only 35% of their time on high-value activities like insight generation, while 45% is consumed by data validation and collection.
Use basic spreadsheet functions
Validate data and assess its quality and consistency
Use advanced spreadsheet functions
Gather information for data analysis through research
Receive, analyze, integrate, and consolidate assumptions and data from business units
Prepare reports and/or make presentations. Financial professionals with designations earn 51% more than non-certified peers, rising to 69% for those with multiple certifications
This list isn’t exhaustive and highlights tasks FP&A teams have done for decades. However, with new FP&A software, advanced tools, and more detailed data demands, the methods for completing these tasks have changed entirely.
Whether you're developing hard or soft skills, an FP&A certification or courses can transform your career.
What is FP&A certification?
There are many types of FP&A certifications, and each one targets different business areas and functions. For instance, you might choose the classic CFA program or an investment-specific certification if it aligns more with your role.
When you pursue an FP&A certification, you'll typically take a course and complete a final exam. If you pass and meet all requirements, you'll earn your new credential and become even more marketable.
Is an FP&A Certification Worth It?
FP&A certifications can significantly boost your career trajectory and help you stand out in a competitive job market. They often deliver a strong ROI through higher earning potential, enhanced authority in finance discussions, and advanced analytical skills that let you better impact company strategy.
You’ll also sharpen both hard and soft skills, from financial modeling to cross-functional communication, which are vital for finance professionals. Ultimately, FP&A certifications can open doors to leadership opportunities because you'll learn how to drive key business decisions and guide strategic planning efforts.
How do I get an FP&A certification?
Most FP&A certifications aren't easy, but they're accessible. After reviewing the list below, pick the FP&A certification you're interested in. Then, register for the associated course, complete the materials, and take the exam. Each certification has different requirements, but they'll clearly outline how you can complete them.
You can choose an in-person FP&A course or sign up for online, self-paced learning modules. A professional certification won't hold your career back, so the real question is which one will advance your career, match your experience, and give you the credentials you need.
Who Should Pursue an FP&A Certification?
If you're looking to take on a strategic role in finance or want to enhance your decision-making capabilities, an FP&A certification is a smart move. Analyzing data, building forecasts, and influencing leadership decisions all become easier when you've got the right credentials.
This path suits early-career analysts who want to refine their technical skills, mid-level professionals aiming for leadership positions, and seasoned finance experts who need to keep pace with shifting industry demands. By aligning your certification choice with your professional goals, you'll gain the specialized knowledge and credibility needed to set yourself apart.
The value of certifications and courses
Organizations that invest in FP&A certifications and courses see multiple benefits, like increased employee retention and a higher overall skill level in corporate finance. As teams learn to navigate today's technologies, FP&A can offer more robust capabilities to business partners. When employees feel invested in, they're more likely to stay with your organization and give back.
Individually, these opportunities introduce new challenges, provide advanced credentials, and can lead to better roles in the future. If you're ready to shake up your FP&A career path, a professional certification can be the boost you need.
Best certifications and courses for corporate FP&A professionals
1. CFA Institute: Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Program
For over 190,000 finance professionals, the CFA Program has built a foundation in advanced investment analysis and real-world portfolio management. If you’re ready to build a career in wealth management, investment banking, commercial banking, consulting, or FP&A leadership, this program can help pave your way. Similar to how accountants pursue their CPA, this course is the finance equivalent. This three-part certification is usually pursued by people with backgrounds in accounting, finance, economics, or business, making it the perfect opportunity for FP&A analysts.
Time Commitment: A minimum of 300 study hours is recommended to pass each level of the certification. It generally takes multiple years to complete all 3 levels.
Type of Learning: Self-taught learning is common, though there are many classes to help you prepare for the exams if you seek them out.
Course Highlights: As one of the most renowned FP&A certifications in the world, the CFA Program is constantly updating its teachings based on current events in the world of finance. It partners with active professionals to design, update, and refine course content.
Skills Covered: All the fundamentals of financial analysis are part of this exam, but with each exam level, the content gets more complex. After passing all three levels, finance professionals will be prepared to tackle intricate investment challenges and navigate changing financial markets with ease.
Cost: $350 enrollment fee and $1,200 per exam.
Student Review:
“The CFA charter has been an invaluable asset in my career. The CFA Program helped me improve my analytical abilities. The CFA designation also helped me win the trust and recognition of both colleagues and clients.”
– CFA Charterholder.
2. Certificate of Corporate Finance from NYIF
Analysis professionals can commit to the self-paced online modules to boost their knowledge of foundational corporate finance events such as the Sarbanes Oxley Act and learn how to understand and analyze critical corporate finance metrics and KPIs. Business valuation, financial leverage, and interest rates are all widely-utilized skills gained in this FP&A certification.
Time Commitment: 60 hours.
Type of Learning: Online, Self-paced.
Course Highlights: Structured with its students in mind, this course follows a logical flow, making it easy to build on the learnings from each module as you move through the coursework.
Skills Covered: Business valuation, capital markets, portfolio management, time value of money, financial analysis, strategic planning, and more.
Cost: $1,545.
Student Review:
“Such an amazing course. Really go into detail on valuation, etc. with the little time you have. Definitely recommend for anyone looking to change career paths into M&A or finance with little background!”
– Nick A.
Learn more about the Certificate of Corporate Finance from NYIF
3. LinkedIn Learning: Corporate Finance Foundations
Understanding corporate finance and the impact it has on the rest of the business is important for executives, mid-level managers, and individual accountants alike. This course is a fantastic introduction to corporate finance, diving into its operations and how it serves as the strategic decision-making center of any organization. If you are looking to make the jump from your current role into corporate finance, this is a starting point that will help prepare you for your next jump.
Time Commitment: 2 hours.
Type of Learning: Online, video instruction.
Course Highlights: The course instructors spend 2 hours building the foundation for corporate finance, helping learners connect the dots between the function and the organization overall. Students will learn how to manage business investments, risk, and cash flow, solidifying their ability to contribute to the finance organization in new ways.
Skills Covered: Financial decision-making, short-term and long-term financing, cash flow, equity, debt financing, capital asset pricing model, and the benefits of diversification.
Cost: LinkedIn course memberships are $19.99/month when billed annually.
Student Review:
“Articulate and easy delivery of very important concepts. Impressive instructors.”
– Amina B.
Learn more about the LinkedIn course "Corporate Finance Foundations"
4. Financial Modeling & Valuation Analyst (FMVA) certification by Corporate Finance Institute (CFI)
Prior to taking the final exam, the course modules are split into three sections: prep courses, core courses, and elective courses. You can choose from 8 prep courses if you need to brush up on the basics such as Excel fundamentals o management accounting fundamentals. In the next section, you will complete 13 core courses ranging from operational modeling to scenario and sensitivity analysis in Excel. Lastly, a minimum of 3 3 electives will round out the learnings and prepare you for the final exam.
Time Commitment: For most learners, this FP&A certification takes 4-6 months to complete.
Type of Learning: Online, self-paced, video instruction.
Course Highlights: The elective courses make this FP&A course unique; you can tailor the course materials to topics you’re interested in. Learn about solar financial modeling or Power Pivot – it’s up to you!
Skills Covered: Business valuation, financial modeling, accounting principles, DCF valuation analysis, dashboards, and data visualization.
Cost: $497/year for self-study students.
Student Review:
“After 200 hours I was amazed. This course has taught me to create, visualize and present clear, flexible, and structured financial models. It teaches you critical hard skills that are necessary to efficiently build financial models from scratch.”
– Kobe W.
Explore more about the Financial Modeling & Valuation Analyst (FMVA) certification
5. Certified Corporate Financial Planning and Analysis Professional (FPAC)
As FP&A shifts from a back-office function to a central, strategic decision-making function, the FPAC credential will help elevate employees’ capabilities, allowing them to become trusted business advisors and financial thought leaders in an organization. Digital transformation will not be unsuccessful without the buy-in and support of FP&A professionals; the FPAC strengthens adaptability, willingness to learn, and leadership capabilities. With an application process and professional requirements to complete this certification, it’s one of the most respected and competitive FP&A certifications available.
Time Commitment: Preparation time and study commitments vary, but at least 100 hours overall is recommended.
Type of Learning: Self-paced.
Course Highlights: The certification exams cover detailed FP&A knowledge components, testing everything from FP&A project management to data mining, data visualization, macros, and more.
Skills Covered: Building and refining financial models, ratio analysis, NPV, investment and sensitivity analysis, rolling forecasts, zero-based budgets, and many other relevant FP&A topics.
Cost: $1,520 for each exam part.
Student Review:
“My career took off when I earned the FPAC – I moved into a controller and director of finance position. There’s no other certification like it.”
– Jake B.
6. Financial Planning and Analysis Modeling Certification (FPAMC) from Wall Street Prep
As a job-focused certification program, Wall Street Prep’s FPAMC connects the dots between finance theories and on-the-job best practices. FP&A professionals will learn how to forecast detailed operating models, create short- and long-term projection models, and curate interesting, interactive data visualizations. To prepare individual contributors for leadership roles, this professional certification explores how to use advanced corporate finance principles to influence and change business strategy.
Time Commitment: Average completion for the coursework and exam is 30 hours.
Type of Learning: Self-paced, online modules.
Course Highlights: Module 7 focuses on building dashboards and presenting business insights, helping transform accounting professionals and FP&A analysts into strategic business partners.
Skills Covered: The FP&A profession, budgeting, forecasting, data visualization, data presentation, corporate finance, market research, and project management.
Cost: $499.
Student Review:
“We use WSP’s FP&A program because it’s the only cohesive training we’ve seen that connects the dots of accounting, technical finance and corporate strategy and gets to the heart of the FP&A function.”
– Anon, VP of Finance.
7. Certified Financial Planner (CFP) by CFP Board of Standards
In order to meet the rigorous certification requirements of the CFP Board of Standards, you’ll need to take a comprehensive financial planning exam and have at least 6,000 hours of professional financial planning experience. The experience requirement can be met before or after taking the exam, but with the heightened requirements, this certification stands out, setting you apart from other finance professionals. Whether you’re looking to make a career shift or go for a big promotion, this certification will set you up for success.
Time Commitment: Variable based on experience.
Type of Learning: Self-paced with online and in-person options available.
Course Highlights: The CFP certification has been around for 50 years, offering a wide network of certified professionals for you to connect with and learn from.
Skills Covered: Financial planning, risk management and insurance planning, investment planning, tax planning, estate planning, and retirement planning.
Cost: $655.
Student Review:
“CFP® certification is a worthwhile journey. You’ll have the chance to work with people from your community with diverse backgrounds and education. Helping people is the best part of the work.”
– Lauryn W.
8. FP&A Bootcamp by Christian Wattig
Finding a mentor can be hard and watching educational videos on your own makes it difficult to remember detailed concepts and financial principles, but with Christian Wattig’s FP&A Bootcamp, you’ll be working through live classes with an FP&A expert. Not only will you have access to professional training regarding financial presentations, sophisticated reporting, business partnering, and more, but this course offers free downloadable cheat sheets and helpful materials that you can refer back to for as long as you need.
Time Commitment: 4-5 hours per week for two weeks.
Type of Learning: Online, instructor-led.
Course Highlights: Live online classes make this course stand apart from the rest. You won’t need to guide yourself through challenging materials or navigate topics without help.
Skills Covered: Visualizations, financial presentations, business partnering, financial modeling, and planning and forecasting.
Cost: $1,200.
Student Review:
“I recommend this to everyone who is interested in understanding FP&A. I’m transitioning to an FP&A role and this course helped me get a jumpstart to prepare myself with the skills required to succeed.”
– Joey J.
9. Leading with Finance from Harvard Business School (HBS) Online
Throughout the 6 modules and 40 hours of this online course, you’ll start with the basics and move toward advanced FP&A topics. If you’re struggling to understand the difference between finance and accounting but someday want to be able to lead capital allocation discussions, then this course is for you. The course uses real-world case studies to understand complex FP&A topics, making it incredibly engaging and applicable to your career.
Time Commitment: 35 – 40 hours.
Type of Learning: The course is online and uses a syllabus to set the pace.
Course Highlights: Leading FP&A initiatives requires the ability to understand the bigger picture, and in this course, you’ll learn about why every competency matters, how it applies more broadly to the organization, and how you can think about it differently.
Skills Covered: Financial analysis, finance vs. accounting, capital markets, creating value, valuation, and capital allocation.
Cost: $1,750.
Student Review:
“I now feel that I have a broad overview of finance and can approach topics with a strong, integrated framework instead of approaching them in isolation.”
– Emer M.
Discover more about the Harvard course "Leading with Finance"
10. The London School of Economics and Political Science Online MBA Essentials
Stepping outside strict FP&A, this course helps prepare leaders for new challenges by focusing on three pillars of business leadership: the strategic environment, the financial toolkit, and the human element. Holistic and well-rounded, professionals who are ready to step into strategic partnership positions can use the learnings provided here to link the FP&A function with the rest of the organization.
Time Commitment: 8-12 hours per week for 10 weeks.
Type of Learning: Online, self-paced.
Course Highlights: Students will be able to work with peers and learning facilitators on a weekly basis through small group discussions.
Explore more about The London School of Economics and Political Science Online MBA Essentials
Skills Covered: Economics for managers, corporate strategy, financial accounting, management accounting, analyzing financial statements, and organizational culture.
Cost: £3,200.
Student Review:
“This course surpassed my expectations in terms of the content, online delivery and time required to complete the modules. The website used for the course is well designed and easy to navigate and the format of the modules and structured and straight-forward in its execution.”
– Jeremy H.
11. Certificate in Financial Modeling and Valuation [eLearning] by Ernst & Young
Financial modeling is becoming more complex, innovative, and impactful for businesses around the globe; being able to understand the impact of different variables and business decisions on finance outcomes is key to success. EY Virtual Academy’s certificate in financial modeling equips learners with the ability to apply financial models to business valuation in many settings including selling a business, settling a business separation, determining tax obligations, and more.
Time Commitment: 36 – 40 hours.
Type of Learning: Online video learning modules.
Course Highlights: At the end of the course, students will be challenged with a case study to apply the teachings of the course. They will be able to directly see and understand how the learned skills add value in real business scenarios.
Skills Covered: Structuring and designing models, tax calculation, financial statement integration, building macros, valuation approaches, and outcome presentations.
Cost: $250.
Student Review: Not available.
12. Best Practice FP&A by Ron Monteiro and Paul Barnhurst
Split into four sessions, this course covers the technical skills needed to succeed in FP&A as well as some of the soft skills that will boost your impact in any organization. The sessions are: FP&A Overview & Analytics That Drive Insights, Best Practices in Budgeting and Forecasting, Management Reporting & Data Visualization, and Business Partnering, Storytelling, & Influencing.
Time Commitment: 12 – 15 hours.
Type of Learning: Online, instructor-led sessions.
Course Highlights: One of the only FP&A courses that offers interactions with real experts, this course includes a 30-minute consultation with Ron or Paul after course completion.
Skills Covered: Storytelling, influencing, budgeting, and report preparation.
Cost: $500.
Student Review:
“Amazing course! All 4 sessions added tremendous value to my role and team. They were all very relevant to not just F&PA, but any Finance role. The visualizations really allowed me to understand how to display and share my story in a more understandable way (not just within finance). You both provided incredible tips, resources and examples that catered to everyone.”
– Jennifer C.
Register to the course Best Practice FP&A by Ron Monteiro and Paul Barnhurst
13. Power Query for Finance and Accounting Professionals by Khaled Chowdhury and Paul Barnhurst
Power Query is Microsoft’s data preparation engine. It is an accessible tool that many FP&A teams underutilize because it’s always intuitive to learn. In this 4-hour course, professionals will dive right into the details of Power Query, learn how to apply it in their own roles, and walk away with the technical skills to be successful. Many finance and accounting tasks can be made easier with Power Query, a tool most organizations already have access to.
Time Commitment: 4 hours.
Type of Learning: Online, instructor-led sessions.
Course Highlights: Working with real Excel files, the tool will be less theory and more of a hands-on approach so the content is applicable to all students.
Skills Covered: Power query introduction, pivot data, merge tables, grouped calculations, and nested headers.
Cost: $999.
Student Review: No reviews are available.
Learn more about the Power Query for Finance and Accounting Professionals certificate
14. Financial Storytelling and Presentations by Soufyan Hamid, Ron Monteiro, and Paul Barnhurst
No matter how good your data insights are, they won’t be helpful business tools unless you can clearly communicate and articulate your findings. Not many people think about “storytelling” and “finance” in the same sentence, but in order for organizations to increase profitability and decrease costs enough, FP&A professionals need to be able to tell a story with data. This course will equip you with the skills to shape your story, communicate it with your colleagues, and present it to larger audiences.
Time Commitment: To Be Announced.
Type of Learning: Online, instructor-led sessions.
Course Highlights: Breakouts and practical work is included in the course, giving students the chance to put the teachings to practice before applying them at work.
Skills Covered: Creating your message with data, aligning visuals to support your story, getting ready to present, and delivering your presentation will all be covered in this course.
Cost: To Be Announced.
Student Review: Because this course is a new offering, no reviews are available.
Read more about the course Financial Storytelling and Presentations
Choosing the Right FP&A Certification for Your Career
When you choose an FP&A course or certification, start by mapping out your career path. Depending on your focus area, some courses may fit better than others. It's a personal decision that takes research and introspection, but once you've got the right skills for your niche, you'll be unstoppable.
These courses can cost a lot, but many organizations budget for learning and development. If you can collaborate with your manager or HR to cover expenses, you've cleared the toughest hurdle.
If you're still unsure which course best fits your goals, ask experienced professionals for recommendations. Managers, mentors, and peers can offer insights and share their own experiences. Now go learn!
Key Takeaways for FP&A Certification
FP&A certifications offer immense value for anyone wanting to expand their finance career. They can enhance your technical skills, keep you updated on industry trends, and boost your credibility among peers and executives.
Whether you're a seasoned finance leader or just starting your FP&A journey, the right certification will align with your ambitions. Carefully consider your career goals, explore your organization's professional development budget, and select the option that sets you up for long-term success.
