All: As noted by some contributor here, CPA and CFA lead to different career. CPA is pure accounting. CFA while is for financial analysts that lead to careers in banking/finance fields. The course content hence is very very different. I have done Level I and II of CFA and will be doing III next year. It is a lot of work. It's not difficult. It is just the volume of course that intimidates you. I lost count of hours that I had to put in studying for Level I and II. It's just way too many. Studying the notes rather than prescribed texts may be a short cut but I am comfortable only with the text books. To get your CFA designation, you have to pass three exams and demonstrate that you have necessary work experience. I have not done CPA myself but I have friends who have done it. Comparing the difficulty level between the two, CPA will not even come close to that of CFA. Also the commitment of time is overwhelming too. Three years is a bit too much. More info. on CFA at www.cfainstitute.org.