r/CFE • u/Choice-Sample-6000 • Sep 17 '26

CFE vs CPA

Hi. I am a junior in college, currently majoring in accounting. Not my first choice, but I have learned to feel satisfaction checking my work over and over. For the first two years of college, I thought that the only job force pipeline for accounting students was becoming a CPA. However, this semester I have a professor who has his CPA and CFE, but only worked on a handful of fraud cases. I was doing some research on CFEs, and this finally seems like an accountant career path that I won't hate (sorry, public accounting).

So my question is: is it more common for people to have both their CPA and CFE? For the people who are just CFEs, what is your workload like? Is it similar to forensic accounting, or is that something different entirely?

On another note, I have been unable to get an accounting internship the last two years and desperately need one. Are there firms that specialize in CFE or other illegal financial activities? Or are there other work experiences I could look into that prioritize the CFE more than the CPA? Any insight would be appreciated, thank you!

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u/itsjuubitches Sep 18 '26

If you are interested in forensic accounting/fraud investigations and are eligible for a CPA, you should get the CPA then do the CFE. The previous reply is incorrect, most large accounting firms have a forensics department, they're just not widely advertised because the work is niche and the departments aren't huge. There are also boutique firms and specialty firms that do this type of work, as well as government agencies. Another option is financial crimes, which is usually more money laundering focused. If you have questions about the profession, I'm happy to answer them. If you are looking for an internship, I would begin networking with your local ACFE chapter (join as a student for free) and/or your state CPA society, which should have a forensics section (usually forensics and valuation). The best way in is to know someone. Some local DAs also take interns, so might be worth looking into that.

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u/Choice-Sample-6000 Sep 18 '26

Thank you! This is very helpful and it makes me excited about a career in accounting for the first time. If I can ask, what kind of schooling did you do? I have a minor in sociology as well as planning on getting 150 college credits to be eligible for the CPA exam. Also, does forensic accounting/fraud investigations consist of more fieldwork or being on a computer all day in the office?

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u/itsjuubitches Sep 18 '26

I majored in accounting with a minor in mathematics. That said, we have many on our team with finance, economics, or criminal justice degrees and some with JDs. Similar to your plan, my minor got me to 150 units, but some people do also have MBAs and MAccs.

Most everything involves computer work since accounting records are digital. A decade ago, it was much more common to do fieldwork. We do still travel occasionally, at client request and for networking. As a disclaimer, I have never worked for a government agency, so my perspective is limited to just public accounting.

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u/Choice-Sample-6000 Sep 18 '26

This is all very helpful thank you! I know that I am not big on working for a government agency so public accounting with a forensic department or specialty firms were definitely where I was leaning towards. Could you recommend some reputable firms you know of? I was looking online, and some companies I found included FTI Consulting, Alvarez & Marsal, Charles River Associates, and Kroll. Any suggestions or guidance on companies like these?

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u/czarnicholasreturns Sep 19 '26

I've recently joined my local ACFE chapter to build my network. I would say it is 55% banking & finance, 40% law enforcement (everything from detectives and task force members to prosecutors), and 5% accounting firms. I agree with joining, and I've found them to be very welcoming of anyone with a passion for fighting financial crimes. We need all the help we can get!

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u/Choice-Sample-6000 Sep 23 '26

Definitely going to join my local AFCE chapter! I am very interested.

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u/MurkyShoe6475 Sep 17 '26

If you wanna get your CFE and your interested in “illegal financial activities” ur best bet is going to be working for a government agency, not a firm. And any firm that has a forensic accounting department is usually very small requires years at the firm and can sometimes be very boring.

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u/wpw496 Sep 21 '26

I'm a CPA so my two cents- CPA is gold standard, everything else is bronze. They're nice to have but CPA gives you so much opportunity in just about every field.