List of professional designations in the United States

Many professional designations in the United States take the form of post-nominal letters. Professional societies or educational institutes usually award certifications. Obtaining a certificate is voluntary in some fields, but in others, certification from a government-accredited agency may be legally required to perform specific jobs or tasks.

Organizations in the United States involved in setting standards for certification include the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the Institute for Credentialing Excellence (ICE). Many certification organizations are members of the Association of Test Publishers (ATP).

Accounting and finance Name Post-nominal AgencyCertificate in Investment Performance Measurement CIPM CFA InstituteChartered Financial Analyst CFACertified Futures and Options Analyst CFOA International Council for Derivative TradingChartered Financial Intelligence Architect CFIAChartered Business Valuator CBV CBV InstituteChartered Market Technician CMT Market Technicians AssociationChartered Alternative Investment Analyst CAIA Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst AssociationChartered Management Consultant ChMC Chartered Institute of Management ConsultantsChartered Global Management Accountant CGMA American Institute of CPAs and Chartered Institute of Management AccountantsCertified Accounts Payable SpecialistCAPSThe Institute of Financial Operations LeadershipCertified Accounts Payable PractitionerCAPPCertified Public AccountantCPAAmerican Institute of CPAs and Chartered Institute of Management AccountantsCertified Financial Education InstructorCFEINational Financial Educators Council Certified Internal Control SpecialistCICSInternal Control InstituteCertified Internal Control ProfessionalCICPInternal Control InstituteCertified Financial Planner CFP Certified Financial Planner Board of StandardsCertified Divorce Financial Analyst CDFA Institute for Divorce Financial AnalystsCertified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist CAMS Association of Certified Anti-Money Laundering SpecialistsCertified Financial Consultant CFC Institute of Financial ConsultantsCertified Credit Union Financial Counselor CCUFCCredit Union National AssociationChartered Life Underwriter CLU American College of Financial ServicesCertified Fraud Examiner CFE Association of Certified Fraud ExaminersCertified Internal Auditor CIA Institute of Internal AuditorsCertification in Risk Management Assurance CRMACertified Government Auditing ProfessionalCGAPCertified Payroll Professional CPP American Payroll AssociationFundamental Payroll Certification FPCCertified California Municipal Treasurer CCMT California Municipal Treasurers AssociationCertified Government Financial Manager CGFM Association of Government AccountantsCertified Government Finance Officer CGFO Government Finance Officers Association of TexasCertified Management Accountant CMA Institute of Management AccountantsCertified MBA™MBA+™MBA Board of StandardsMBA ExecutiveMBAe™MBA Board of StandardsCertified Municipal Finance Officer CMFO Tennessee Comptroller of the TreasuryCertified Public Finance Administrator CPFA Association of Public Treasurers of the United States and CanadaCertified Public Finance Officer CPFO Government Finance Officers AssociationChartered Property Casualty Underwriter CPCU American Institute For Chartered Property Casualty UnderwritersCertified Defense Financial Manager CDFM Society of Defense Financial ManagementCommunication Management ProfessionalCMPGlobal Communication Certification CouncilRegistered Tax Return PreparerRTRPInternal Revenue ServiceEnrolled Agent EAFraternal Insurance Counselor FellowFICFNational Association of Fraternal Insurance CounselorsFraternal Insurance Counselor FICCertified Corporate FP&A ProfessionalFP&AAssociation for Financial ProfessionalsISSP SustainabilityCertified Treasury Professional CTPCertified Trust and Financial Advisor CTFA American Bankers AssociationCertified Turnaround Professional CTP Turnaround Management AssociationRegistered Financial Planner RFP Registered Financial Planners InstituteFinancial Risk Manager FRM Global Association of Risk ProfessionalsProfessional Risk Manager PRM Professional Risk Managers' International AssociationStrategic Communication Management ProfessionalSCMPGlobal Communication Certification CouncilLicensed Public Accountant LPA State Board of AccountancyAccredited Business Accountant/Advisor ABA Accreditation Council for Accountancy and TaxationInvestment Adviser Certified Compliance ProfessionalIACCPInvestment Adviser Association and National Regulatory Services

Actuarial Name Post-nominal AgencyAssociate of the Society of Actuaries ASA Society of ActuariesFellow of the Society of Actuaries FSA Society of ActuariesChartered Enterprise Risk Analyst CERA Society of ActuariesAssociate of the Casualty Actuarial Society ACAS Casualty Actuarial SocietyFellow of the Casualty Actuarial Society FCAS Casualty Actuarial SocietyMember of the American Academy of Actuaries MAAA American Academy of ActuariesAssociate of the Conference of Consulting Actuaries ACA Conference of Consulting ActuariesFellow of the Conference of Consulting Actuaries FCA Conference of Consulting ActuariesEnrolled Actuary EAc Joint Board for the Enrollment of Actuaries

Architecture, interior design, landscape architecture, and planning

Name Post-nominal AgencyRegistered Architect RA state licensing boardProfessional Landscape Architect PLA state licensing boardProfessional Planner PP state licensing board (NJ)Registered Interior Designer RID state licensing boardNational Council of Architectural Registration Boards Certified NCARB National Council of Architectural Registration BoardsNational Council for Interior Design Qualification Certified NCIDQ National Council for Interior Design QualificationAssociation of Licensed Architects Member ALA Association of Licensed ArchitectsAssociation of Licensed Architects Fellow FALA Association of Licensed ArchitectsAmerican College of Healthcare Architects ACHA American College of Healthcare ArchitectsAmerican College of Healthcare Architects Fellow FACHA American College of Healthcare ArchitectsAmerican Institute of Architects MemberAIAAmerican Institute of ArchitectsAmerican Institute of Architects Fellow FAIA American Institute of ArchitectsAmerican Society of Interior Designers Member ASID American Society of Interior DesignersAmerican Society of Interior Designers Fellow FASID American Society of Interior DesignersCouncil of Educators in Landscape Architecture Member CELA Council of Educators in Landscape ArchitectureCouncil of Educators in Landscape Architecture Fellow FCELA Council of Educators in Landscape ArchitectureAmerican Society of Landscape Architects Member ASLA American Society of Landscape ArchitectsAmerican Society of Landscape Architects Fellow FASLA American Society of Landscape ArchitectsAmerican Institute of Certified Planners Member AICP American Institute of Certified PlannersAmerican Institute of Certified Planners Fellow FAICP American Institute of Certified PlannersLeadership in Energy and Environmental Design Accredited Professional LEED AP U.S. Green Building CouncilLeadership in Energy and Environmental Design Green Associate LEED GA U.S. Green Building CouncilConstruction Specification Institute Member CSI Construction Specifications InstituteConstruction Document Technologist CDT Construction Specifications InstituteCertified Construction Contract Administrator CCCA Construction Specifications InstituteCertified Construction Specifier CCS Construction Specifications InstituteCertified Construction Product Representative CCPR Construction Specifications Institute

Association, credentialing, and not-for-profit management Name Post-nominalCertified Association Executive CAEAdvanced Certification Administrator ACABasic Certification Administrator BCACertified Fundraising Executive CFREAdvanced Certified Nonprofit Professional ACNPCertified Nonprofit Professional CNP

Broadcast engineering Name Post-nominalCertified Radio Operator CROCertified Television Operator CTOCertified Broadcast Networking Technologist CBNTCertified Broadcast Technologist CBTCertified Audio Engineer CEACertified Broadcast Television Engineer CBTECertified Broadcast Networking Engineer CBNECertified Senior Broadcast Radio Engineer CSRECertified Senior Broadcast Television Engineer CSTECertified Professional Broadcast Engineer CPBECertified 8-VSB Specialist 8-VSBCertified AM Directional Specialist AMDCertified Digital Radio Broadcast Specialist DRBCertified Senior Broadcast Engineer CSBECertified Radio and Television Broadcast Engineer CBRTECertified Senior Radio and Television Broadcast Engineer CSRTE

Communications +NamePost-nominalAgencyAccredited Business CommunicatorABCInternational Association of Business CommunicatorsAccreditation in Public Relations APR Public Relations Society of AmericaAccreditation in Public Relations and Military Communication APR+MCertified Cooperative CommunicatorCCCNational Rural Electric Cooperative AssociationCertified Speaking ProfessionalCSPNational Speakers AssociationCommunication Management ProfessionalCMP Global Communication Certification CouncilStrategic Communication Management ProfessionalSCMP

Contract management Name Post-nominal Agency LevelsCertified Commercial Contract Manager CCCM National Contract Management Association N/AContract and Commercial Management Certification CCM International Association for Contract and Commercial Management Associate, Practitioner, and ExpertCertified Federal Contract Manager CFCM National Contract Management Association N/ACertified Professional Contract Manager CPCM National Contract Management Association N/ADefense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act Contracting Certification DAWIA Contracting Certification Defense Acquisition University I, II, and IIIFederal Acquisition Certification in Contracting FAC-C Federal Acquisition Institute I, II, and IIIIndustry Certification in Contract Management - Defense ICCM-D National Contract Management Association I, II, and IIIIndustry Certification in Contract Management - Federal ICCM-F National Contract Management Association I, II, and III

Economics Name Post-nominalMember of the International Association for Energy Economics IAEEMember of the Global Association of Economics Education GAEEAPA style: GAEE. (n.d.) Acronym Finder. (2019). Retrieved June 9, 2019 from https://www.acronymfinder.com/Global-Association-of-Economics-Education-(GAEE).html

Emergency management and public safety