CFA Books

• You get a complimentary digital copy of the CFA Curriculum when you register for the CFA exam but purchasing a print copy can help with active learning.
• The CFA Curriculum material can be dense and hard to understand.
• Alternative CFA books summarize the CFA Curriculum information into easier-to-digest lessons.
• UWorld CFA books are similar in cost to the print version of the CFA Curriculum.
• UWorld CFA books are highly readable and easy to understand so you stay motivated and don’t get bogged down.
• Extra features come with CFA books like a LOS tracker, practice questions and mock exams, test-taking tips, case studies with in-depth explanations, and more!

When you register for each level of the CFA exam, you automatically get access to a digital version of the CFA Curriculum for that exam. However, if this is going to be your main study text, you’ll want to purchase the print version so you can take notes within the text, highlight key information, and even work through examples right in the book.

Pros

The CFA Curriculum books are thorough and detailed, so they are a high-quality and comprehensive resource for everything you could possibly see on the CFA exam.

Cons

Many candidates report having difficulty getting through the CFA Curriculum books because the material is dense and presented in a strictly academic format. This can make the information hard to digest, leading to discouragement, lack of motivation, and burnout.

Alternative CFA study book options are available from CFA test prep providers that present the CFA Curriculum material in a more condensed and easy-to-understand format.

Pros

Most alternative CFA books prioritize readability and comprehension. So, if you’re looking for a faster, more digestible way to study the CFA material, an alternative to the CFA Curriculum is the way to go.

Cons

Alternative CFA books are typically more expensive than purchasing the print version of the CFA Curriculum. But some are more expensive than others, and as we’ll discuss next, UWorld CFA has CFA book options comparable to the cost of the CFA Curriculum print version.

UWorld CFA prep books summarize the entire CFA Curriculum and cover every LOS in a third as many pages as the CFA Institute Curriculum. It comes in a set of 5 books that are color-coded by concept.

Pros

Readability and digestibility! UWorld CFA books stand above the rest because they cover a vast amount of information as succinctly as possible without missing any important concepts. UWorld CFA books are also user-friendly with a focus on digestibility. And last but not least, UWorld CFA books are comparable in price to the CFAI Curriculum print books.

If you want to get through the CFA material as quickly as possible without getting bogged down by dense and hard-to-understand explanations, UWorld CFA books are for you!

Cons

The only downside to the UWorld CFA prep books is that you don’t get access to the resources available in the full UWorld CFA prep course like live online virtual classes, pre-recorded video lectures, adaptive review, and predictive scoring. These extra features help ensure you master the information, so you pass the first time and don’t have to retake the exam.

So, if you don’t have a finance background or want a more well-rounded CFA review solution, look into a full UWorld CFA prep course.

The Level I CFA Exam requires candidates to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of all 10 CFA exam topics; quantitative analysis, economics, ethical and professional standards, corporate finance, financial reporting and analysis, fixed income, equities, alternative investments, derivatives, and portfolio management.

It’s critical that you establish a strong foundation of knowledge for this first exam, so choose CFA exam books that are thorough but easy to understand.

CFA Level I Curriculum

The Level I Official CFA Curriculum is 3,712 pages of comprehensive detail covering all 10 CFA exam topics.

With the Level I CFA Curriculum, you get:

• 6 volumes covering all 10 CFA topic areas organized by Learning Outcome Statement (LOS)
• Sample questions and practice tests
• Expert instruction and commentary
• Case studies with in-depth explanations

Alternative CFA Level I Prep Books

Alternative CFA Level I prep books are condensed study guides that summarize the 10 content areas covered in the Level I Official CFA Curriculum.

With most alternative Level I CFA exam books, you get:

• Condensed review of all 10 CFA topic areas
• Practice questions and practice quizzes
• Question examples and explanations

UWorld CFA Level I Prep Books

UWorld’s CFA Level I prep book is 1,300+ pages of succinct study material with easy-to-digest information about all 10 CFA exam topics. It was designed with extra tools to help you understand the material and pass the CFA exam!

With UWorld CFA Level I prep books, you get:

• 5 volumes covering all 10 CFA topic areas
• Condensed, easy-to-understand summary of the full Level I CFA Program Curriculum
• Color-coded concepts for easy, organized studying
• Learning Outcome Statements tracker so you know you’ve fully covered each LOS
• Practice questions and mock exams
• Expert advice on test-taking strategies, time management, and more
• Case studies with in-depth explanations
• Financial statements and explanatory graphs

Learn more about CFA Level I books in our article about The Best Level I Books to Help You Pass the CFA Exam.

Level II of the CFA Exam will test your ability to apply and analyze the 10 CFA exam topic areas. The CFA prep books you choose for Level II will also prepare you to answer vignette-supported multiple-choice questions.

CFA Level II Curriculum

The Level II Official CFA Curriculum covers information from all 10 CFA exam topics needed to reach an intermediate skill level on your journey to becoming a Chartered Financial Analyst.

With the Level II CFA Curriculum, you get:

• 6 volumes covering all 10 CFA topic areas organized by Learning Outcome Statement (LOS)
• Sample questions and practice tests
• Expert instruction and commentary
• Case studies with in-depth explanations

Alternative CFA Level II Prep Books

Alternative CFA Level II prep books summarize the Level II Official CFA Curriculum into shorter, more manageable reading sections.

With most alternative Level II CFA exam books, you get:

• Summary of all 10 CFA topic areas
• Manageable lesson sizes
• Practice questions and practice quizzes
• Question examples and explanations

UWorld CFA Level II Prep Books

UWorld’s CFA Level II prep book is 1,200+ pages of easy-to-understand material designed to fully prepare you for the Level II CFA exam.

With UWorld CFA Level II prep books, you get:

• 5 volumes covering all 10 CFA topic areas
• Condensed, easy-to-understand summary of the full Level II CFA Program Curriculum
• Color-coded concepts for easy, organized studying
• Learning Outcome Statements tracker to help you gain confidence with all essential subject matter
• Practice questions and mock exams
• Expert test-taking advice and other helpful tips
• Case studies with in-depth explanations
• Figures and diagrams to illustrate content

Learn more about CFA Level II books in our article about The Best Level II Books to Help You Pass the CFA Exam.

The Level III of the CFA Exam will test your ability to make good judgment calls and analyze, synthesize, and evaluate the different concepts. The CFA prep books you choose for Level III will prepare you to answer open-ended question formats.

CFA Level III Curriculum

The Level III Official CFA Curriculum covers information from 7 of the 10 CFA exam topic areas.

With the Level III CFA Curriculum, you get:

• 6 volumes covering 7 CFA topic areas organized by Learning Outcome Statement (LOS)
• Sample questions and practice tests
• Expert instruction and commentary
• Case studies with in-depth explanations

Alternative CFA Level III Prep Books

Similar to alternative CFA books for Levels 1 and 2, alternative Level III prep books simplify the CFA Curriculum into smaller, easier-to-understand lessons.

With most alternative Level III CFA exam books, you get:

• Summary of 7 of the 10 CFA topic areas
• Shorter lessons
• Practice questions and practice quizzes
• Question examples and explanations

UWorld CFA Level III Prep Books

UWorld’s CFA Level III prep books provide the same user-friendly, comprehensive overview of the CFA exam topics to help you understand the material, retain it, and earn a passing score.

With UWorld CFA Level III prep books, you get:

• 5 volumes covering the 7 CFA topic areas tested on the Level III exam
• Condensed, easy-to-understand summary of the full Level III CFA Program Curriculum
• Color-coded concepts for easy, organized studying
• Learning Outcome Statements tracker to help you review any LOSs until you feel confident in your understanding
• Practice questions and mock exams
• Test-taking advice from experts and other helpful tips
• Case studies with in-depth explanations
• Figures and diagrams to illustrate important content

Learn more about CFA Level II books in our article about The Best Level II Books to Help You Pass the CFA Exam.

The Official CFA Curriculum print edition and UWorld CFA books are priced similarly at $250 and $235 respectively. Alternative CFA books cost more, typically selling for over $300.

With the CFA Curriculum and UWorld being priced similarly, it makes the most sense to study with the easy-to-understand UWorld materials and supplement your studies with your free digital copy of the CFA Curriculum (if needed).

Best CFA Prep Books Cost

As you start your CFA exam study journey, you have three options, stick with your digital CFA Curriculum, buy the print version of the CFA Curriculum or an alternative CFA prep book, or invest in a full CFA exam prep course.

Everyone needs a CFA book and sticking with the digital CFA Curriculum isn’t ideal as you won’t be able to actively learn by taking notes in the book, highlighting information, or working through examples in the book. And the CFA Curriculum does present a challenge in that it’s dense and often hard to understand.

If you study with UWorld CFA books, the CFA Curriculum material is presented in a condensed format that is easy to understand and you get access to practice questions, practice exams, test-taking tips, and more.

But on the other hand, when you study with a full CFA exam prep course like UWorld CFA, you get CFA course books, an exam planner, video lectures, live online virtual classes, adaptive review, bite-sized lessons, flashcards, and a Score Predictor to estimate how well you’ll do on the exam.

If you truly want to maximize your study time and avoid getting stuck or burnt out, a UWorld CFA review course is the way to go. You don’t want to spend all that time studying to fail and have to retake the exam, so study with a UWorld CFA course and pass the first time!