No, you cannot call yourself a CFA or use the initials "CFA" after your name after passing only Level I. You must pass all three levels, meet work experience requirements (4,000 hours over 36 months), and become a member of the CFA Institute to use the designation.
If you are currently a candidate in the CFA Program:
(For example: “Completed Level I in 2020.”) You may use the term “candidate” only if you are actively registered for a particular exam.
For example, once you have earned your CFA Level I and are preparing for the Level II exam, you should state, "Earned CFA Level I; CFA Level II Candidate (Exam Date: Dec. 2023)." You may not use the CFA letters after your name until you have passed all three exams and have earned official CFA Charterholder status.
Once your CFA® charter has been officially awarded, you are authorized to use the CFA® designation after your name and to refer to yourself as a CFA® charterholder. This recognition represents your achievement of one of the highest distinctions in the investment profession.
Listing CFA Level One in the education section of the resume
Write "Chartered Financial Analyst." Include a hyphen and "Passed Level 1" next to it with the year you earned the qualification.
Yes, you can get a job once you clear CFA Level 1, as it shows your strong financial reporting, quantitative, corporate finance, and income-based skills to employers.
Yes, the answer to Is CFA easy for CA students is that many CA students find CFA easier. It is due to the rigidity of the CA exams, as it is considered the toughest of all the accounting and finance exams to crack.
No. Your results do not expire.
The CFA Level 1 passing score is not fixed every year, but it usually stays between 65% and 70%. CFA Institute does not publish an official cut-off, but this range is considered the minimum benchmark to pass.
A CFA Can Improve Your Salary
And on top of that, CFA candidates experience pay increases after passing each subsequent level, earning an average of 29% more after they pass Level I of the CFA exam and 34% more after passing the Level II exam. So, if you were wondering, “Is CFA Level 1 worth it?” It certainly is.
The Charter Financial Analyst (CFA) Level 1 Exam is recognised worldwide as a qualification specifically for finance and investment management. It is the entry point to the prestigious CFA charter. This charter is widely considered the golden benchmark in the finance industry worldwide.
Neither the CFA nor the MBA is universally "better"; their value depends on your career goals, with the CFA offering deep investment expertise for roles like portfolio management and the MBA providing broad business skills for leadership and strategy, often through strong networking. The CFA is ideal for specialized finance careers (research, asset management) and is globally recognized for technical depth, while an MBA offers flexibility across industries (consulting, general management) and often higher senior leadership representation, with top school prestige being crucial.
Since 2014, the historical CFA pass rates for: Level 1 ranges from 22%-49%, with a 12-year average of 41%; Level 2 ranges from 29%-59%, with a 12-year average of 45%; Level 3 ranges from 39%-56%, with a 11-year average of 50%.
Three months can be enough time, but typically it takes a candidate at least six months to prepare for the CFA Level 2 exam.
CFA Exams Pass Rates
The CFA exams are perhaps the most challenging exams out there. They are often referred to as “bar none” the toughest exams—even harder than medical school or law school exams—with pass rates that hover around 50% and were much lower during the recent pandemic.
Will AI replace CFA professionals in finance jobs? No. While AI optimises efficiency, it does not replace intelligent decision-making, client engagement, or ethics oversight performed by CFAs.
Average Age of CFA Candidates
Although many candidates are in their late twenties or early thirties, the Program has a wide age range. Many begin at 35, 40, or even 50. Some of the most thoughtful, determined candidates are the ones who start later. Experience is not a burden.
CFA Level I Pass Rate Stays at 43% for November Test
Candidates who put off taking the test have a smaller likelihood of success. Those who took the Level I exam in November with at least one deferral saw a 29% pass rate, compared with 49% for first-time candidates, the CFA Institute said.
In-Depth Breakdown of the Most Difficult CFA Level 1 Topics & How to Tackle Them
Due to the vast material covered on the exams, the CFA® Institute suggests that candidates begin to prepare for each Level at least six months in advance, and recommends approximately 300 study hours per exam.