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Plan your future

Your future. Your choices.

Explore different routes into the career you want. Compare qualifications, costs, time and possible earnings — so you can make an informed choice.

Not sure yet? Explore interests

Example pathway

Example pathway: three routes into one roleUniversity, apprenticeship and work plus study are three different routes that can each lead to the same example role, a qualified accountant. Timings and costs differ by route.UniversityDegree, then professional examsApprenticeshipPaid job with funded trainingWork + StudyTrainee job and part-time examsExample roleAccountant
Illustration only. Not every employer accepts every route.

Where are you now?

There is more than one way to get there.

Pick the stage closest to yours to see routes that could suit you. No sign-up, and we never ask for your age.

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Choose a stage to see routes that could suit you. You can change it any time.

Career library

Explore by career

We publish a career only when its routes, fees and salary evidence have been checked against official sources. The others are on our research list.

Filter careers

What you enjoy

To a recognised qualification

On at least one route

Paid work alongside training

To practise or use a title

Filters describe typical routes, not rules. Requirements vary by employer.

Every published career

All careers, A to Z

Worked example

One destination. Different routes.

Three ways people become accountants, with the steps, time, published fees and income evidence for each. Not every employer accepts every route, and requirements vary.

A degree may offer benefits beyond professional exam exemptions; compare opportunities, not just fees.

Compare accounting pathways

Route C

University + professional qualification

Steps
  1. Study for a degree in accounting, finance or another subject
  2. Check which professional exams you could be exempt from
  3. Join a graduate scheme or trainee role
  4. Pass the remaining professional exams
To start
Universities set their own entry requirements, which vary by course
Time
About 6 years or more
Direct costs (published fees)
At least £32,308 to £34,822plus fees we could not verify
Paid up front by you
At least £2,938 to £5,452
Income
Usually after graduating, although many students work part-time or take a paid placement year.Management accountant: £30,000 to £60,000 (England, National Careers Service guide)
Trade-offs
Graduate schemes are competitive. University can bring broader academic learning, graduate schemes, networks and time to decide.
View full journey

Route B

School leaver apprenticeship

Steps
  1. Apply for an accounting apprenticeship job, such as Level 3 Assistant accountant
  2. Work and train; your employer and the government pay for the training
  3. Complete the apprenticeship and its end-point assessment
  4. You could move on to a Level 4 Professional accounting technician apprenticeship
To start
You apply for an apprenticeship job; each employer sets its own entry requirements
Time
15 to 33 months to technician level
Direct costs (published fees)
Up to £24,000 of training (funding band maximum), paid for you
Paid up front by you
£0 — training and assessment are funded
Income
From day one — apprentices are employees and are paid a wage.Management accountant: £30,000 to £60,000 (England, National Careers Service guide)
Trade-offs
Apprenticeship vacancies are competitive and not available in every area. You study fewer subjects than at university and balance work with assessments.
View full journey

Route A

Entry role + professional training

Steps
  1. Finish A-levels or an equivalent Level 3 qualification
  2. Apply for a trainee accountant or finance assistant job
  3. Register as a student with ACCA or CIMA
  4. Pass the exams in stages while you work
To start
A-levels or another Level 3 qualification are often asked for, but each employer sets its own requirements
Time
3 years or more
Direct costs (published fees)
At least £2,938 to £5,452plus fees we could not verify
Paid up front by you
At least £2,938 to £5,452
Income
From your first trainee job, usually straight after sixth form or college.Management accountant: £30,000 to £60,000 (England, National Careers Service guide)
Trade-offs
Trainee roles with study support are competitive, and availability varies by region. Not every employer pays exam fees or gives study leave.
View full journey

Facts have sources. Missing information is labelled.

How figures are calculated

  • Fees come from the official body, regulator or government page, with the date we checked it. Where a fee could not be verified we say “Check current fee” and link to the official page instead of guessing.
  • Salaries are published guide ranges — mainly National Careers Service job profiles (England) and the Office for National Statistics’ Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) as a UK reference. They are ranges for an occupation, not forecasts of your pay in a given year.
  • The calculator adds up fees in whole pence, separates fees charged, funded amounts, cash you pay and student loan balances, and shows which figures are official, modelled or your own assumptions.
  • Unknowns stay unknown. A missing figure is shown as “Not enough data”, never as £0, and is never ranked lower in a comparison.

These are illustrations, not promises, and not financial advice. Read our source methodology.

Questions people ask

Do I have to go to university?

No single route suits everyone. For the careers here you could also start through an apprenticeship or a job with part-time study. Some careers, such as solicitor, need a degree or an equivalent level 6 qualification, which a solicitor apprenticeship can provide.

Are the costs and salaries guaranteed?

No. Fees come from official sources with the date we checked them, salaries are published guide ranges rather than promises, and the calculator shows illustrations based on assumptions you can change.

Do I need an account?

No. You can explore everything without signing up, and we never ask for your age or date of birth.

Why do some careers say Coming soon?

We only publish a career once its routes, fees and salary evidence have been checked against official sources. Until then it stays on our research list.