Anyone interested in finance should seriously consider a career in financial planning and analysis (FP&A). This is an incredibly lucrative accounting career to do You net a six figure income Within a few years, and may even lead to a C-suite position with enough time.
Of course, there will be a lot of competition in such an interesting career path, so earning a related certification is a great way to set yourself apart from other candidates. Whether you go for FMVA, AFM, or CFA, choosing a certification is the easy part—the hard part is passing the exam.
Fortunately, there are ways you can make it easier on yourself:
There are plenty of great ones Financial Modeling Course Online that will help you achieve the certifications you need to succeed. Each of them brings something valuable to the table and will ensure that you pass your exam as quickly as possible.
Read on to see who offers the best financial modeling courses and get started today!
1. Institute of Corporate Finance FMVA training
The Institute of Corporate Finance offers a self-paced program for them Financial Modeling and Valuation Analyst (FMVA) program. It focuses heavily on self-study materials, so it’s an ideal resource for earning financial modeling certification at your own pace.
Course Description
CFI offers a series of courses to prepare aspiring finance professionals for work as an FMVA. To get started, you must complete 9 preparatory courses to learn financial modeling and review business fundamentals. Next is a choice of 3 optional courses that will help you specialize in a specific area such as business valuation or investment analysis. All you need to do is pass the FMVA final exam and earn your certification.
There are 2 purchase options to choose from when starting this program 1St Basic self-study program for $479. It gives you access to everything you need to earn your certification Alternatively, you can purchase the $847 Full Immersion Plan, which adds a wide range of bonus content to your course.
Features of Institute of Corporate Finance
- 29 FMVA courses
- 2 years access
- Financial model and template library
- Quizzes, assignments and tests
- Additional case studies
Advantages – Disadvantages
- Taught by industry experts: Each teacher, including CFI, has over a decade of experience in finance and capital markets. Also, each of them has years of practice as a teacher. Thanks to this, they can easily experience them while creating lessons.One stop shop: One of the most convenient features of Wiley’s AFM certification program is that you can take the exam at the end of it. This means you no longer have to spend a lot of time and money to earn your pricing analyst certification—it’s all in one platinum package.
- Offline Materials: All aspects of this course can be downloaded and completed offline. This is a great option for anyone with slow internet or interested in learning on the go. I know I’ve always wanted something to do during my commute and this would help immensely.
- No live content: A lot of people respond well to live classes when preparing for a certification. Unfortunately, CFI does not offer any at this time. Instead, they focused on improving their self-study courses to make learning easier and more efficient.
Last row: CFI offers an affordable and easy-to-understand way to pass the FMVA exam Since they are the ones who took the test, it would be wise to use their study materials!
2. New York Institute of Finance FMVA Study Guide
NYIF offers a large catalog of certification programs covering various aspects of financial modeling and valuation. These primarily take the form of live programs that run over several weeks and break each topic into smaller modules. You can take these courses online or in person, but they also offer a virtual classroom experience that is essentially a compromise between the two formats.
As mentioned earlier, this course can be taken either online as a self-paced study course or through virtual/physical classroom sessions. Keep in mind that these courses are far from cheap — the entry-level Corporate Finance and Valuation Methods Professional Certificate is over $3,000 and the Advanced Online Professional Certificate in Valuation is $1,800.
NYIF features
- Virtual and physical classroom courses
- Online courses with separate learning modules
- Reasoning based test
- Realistic financial models and case studies
- 35-43 continuing professional education (CPE) credits
Last row: This is an excellent course for anyone looking to start or advance their career in financial analysis and modeling. However, there are more affordable options that can provide similar benefits for your CV.
3. Wharton Online FMVA Preparation Course
Wharton Online offers a series of 5 financial modeling courses designed to teach you financial modeling skills. This is done through spreadsheet models, modeling techniques, company valuations, forecasts and more. Each course takes approximately 3-4 hours to complete and focuses on one main concept. This structure ensures that you won’t be overwhelmed with information while studying, and it means you can finish your studies in just a few weeks!
Course access costs $79 per month. Everything is self-paced, so you can work at a faster pace if you’re trying to save money. However, this price is low enough that it’s not too much of a financial burden to take your time.
Horton Online Features
- 5 specialized courses
- Self moving materials
- practice test
- Study Guide/Course Readings
- Dozens of video lectures
Last row: Wharton is a good option if you’re trying to save some time and money while earning your financial modeling certification. however, CFI offers more content and better coaching, so it’s a good idea to consider their courses first.
4. Coursera FMVA Study Guide
Coursera’s online courses are self-paced and video-based, much like Wharton’s. However, one thing that sets them apart is the hands-on projects included in each course. At the end of each financial modeling course, you’ll be asked to apply what you’ve learned in a capstone project before you earn your certificate of completion. That way, Coursera can guarantee that you’ve learned everything you need to before moving on.
Many of Coursera’s courses are free, but they don’t come with a certificate of completion. Paid versions of each course cost about $30, but that price can increase depending on the length of the course you’re enrolling in. Thanks to that, it’s easily the most affordable option on this list.
Coursera features
- Video lectures
- Course completion certificate
- Hands on project
- practice test
- Free course content
Last row: Coursera offers a wide range of courses at a very low cost. i want Recommend only if you need some extra help to pass another certification program offered by CFI or NYIF.
5. Adventis
Adventis is an FMVA online study course, however, they only focus on self-study materials. This course mainly consists of video lectures and unlimited practice tests.
Each video is short and sweet so you won’t burn out after each lesson. Also, it forces the instructors to make the lesson simple and easy to understand. Additionally, each test mimics the real thing as closely as possible in both format and time frame. This is done so that you can develop test-taking skills and become comfortable with the test.
Adventis offers courses for both levels 1 and 2 of the FMC. Each course costs $245, but they often sell for under $200. This makes them cheaper than other courses on this list, but they are still a bit more expensive than Coursera.
Adventis features
- Unlimited testing
- 35 video lessons
- Access period of 2 years
- Technical interview preparation
- 100% online
Last row: If you are only interested in online self-study materials, choose Adventis. Students who want to learn from live instruction should opt for CFI.
6. Wiley FMVA Review Course
Wiley is able to blend live course content with offline materials to provide the best educational course for AFM certification.
Course Description
Wiley’s AFM course partners with the Financial Modeling Institute (FMI), one of the most respected accreditors for financial modeling professionals. Their training program consists of 8 hours of live courses that teach you everything you need to know. These live lessons are taught by an experienced professional with insight into the field and you can follow up with additional questions for an additional 2 hours of personal coaching.
In addition to live instruction, students have access to a 12-hour marquee course that allows them to reinforce what they have learned through self-study. In addition, students can test their knowledge through a 2-hour test preparation session that is similar to the actual FMI exam. At the end of the course, you’ll receive a ticket to take the AFM exam—meaning you’ll walk away from this course fully certified!
There are 3 different FMI study courses offered by Wiley The most affordable required package comes with only self-study courses and test preparation sessions and costs under $300. Paying another $300 will get you access to a 12-hour live online training course as part of their Pro package. However, we recommend signing up for the Platinum Package to get private coaching and AFM exam tickets—it’s the best deal and will offer the easiest path to certification.
Wiley features efficient learning
- Expert mentoring
- 12 hours of engaging live instruction
- 2 hours of coaching/office hours
- 8 hour online self-study course
- AFM test ticket
Advantages – Disadvantages
- Live Office Hours: Wiley’s partnership with the Financial Modeling Institute is much more than offering an online course with an exam at the end. If you have any financial modeling concepts, contact your instructor during office hours and you can get personalized help.
- One stop shop: One of the most convenient features of Wiley’s AFM certification program is that you can take the exam at the end of it. This means you no longer have to spend time and money to earn your pricing analyst certification—it’s all in one platinum package.
- Return Policy: While Wiley hasn’t always been consistent about its return policy, the good news is that this course can be returned within ten days of purchase. You’re unlikely to ask for a refund after you start this course, but it’s comforting to know that you have options in the worst-case scenario.
Last row: I personally recommend Wiley’s Platinum Course; Office hours and exam tickets alone make it worth your time and money.
FMVA Training Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the best finance certification?
Answer: Becoming a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) is the best career move for anyone interested in finance. However, earning a Financial Modeling and Valuation Analyst (FMVA) certification from CFI is also a good career path.
Q: How long does it take to earn a financial modeling certification?
Answer: It usually takes about 6 months to complete the required course load and pass the exam. However, this time may vary based on individual study requirements and the specific certificate program you choose.
