CA Career opportunities - Pay scale, fees and more - Know it all!

Is CA the right course for me?

Most people have a preconception that only students who have studied commerce in their 11th and 12th can pursue the CA course. But the truth is that both students, whether they are from science or commerce background can do well in a course such as CA. They may need some additional classes to get the basics right.

What would a course as such cost me?

Unlike other professional courses like medicine or engineering, you can study CA courses at a nominal price, including the study material and exam fees. On an average, while studying under a well-reputed institute a student will have to shell out less than 2 lakhs for the whole course.

What are the job opportunities for a CA?

Once a student has completed the CA course, he/she has to get a membership from the ICAI to start practising as a chartered accountant. CA’s are one of the most sought after professionals in the nation. Since they undergo rigorous training, this makes them masters of the domain. The growth of CA’s has increased in the following 3-4 years by 10% to 15%.

CA’s can work in the following areas

• Banks - Both public and private
• Public Limited Companies 
• Auditing Firms
• Finance companies, Mutual funds, Portfolio management firms, Investment companies, Stock Broking Firms
• Legal firms, Legal houses, Patent firms, Attorneys, Trademark and Copyright registers.

What are the roles they could look into?

The roles that a CA can foray into are numerous. A CA can start their career with auditing activities, which is the basic area of the CA. After getting enough exposure then they could pursue their career in other areas. Their job titles can vary from an investment consultant to a fund manager. They could also work as a project manager or with consultant services.

What is the expected salary for a CA?

On average, a CA Inter passed candidate can earn between 7,500 to 15,000 depending on the CA firm where they are interning. Payments will be higher if they have other degrees such as MCom.

A CA final could get a salary between 20,000 to 40,000 depending on the firm.

A full-fledged CA fresher can expect a salary for 50,000 to 75,000 and the scale keeps increasing with their experience. 

The demand and supply for CA’s have always been an issue which is why they will be the least affected even in a recession-hit scenario.

What are the positives or negatives of being a CA?

Positives

• High career growth
• Good remuneration
• Commands status and respect in society
• Job security
• The option of starting your own firm or to work in a corporate structure
• Low study cost
• Earn while you learn, during your articleship
• Be the most specialist professional in your domain, no hassles of post-graduation.

Negatives

• Requires hard work and determination.
• Have to get updated with the latest in the field so as to remain relevant.