CPA
Also called: Certified Public Accountant, ACA, ACCA, chartered accountant
The CPA is the US accounting licence, requiring exams, education credits and experience, with ACA and ACCA the equivalents elsewhere. Unlike most finance credentials it is a legal licence rather than a designation: only a CPA can sign an audit opinion. It's the standard route into audit, corporate accounting and controllership, and the most common credential among CFOs.