CA costs ₹2–3 lakh and takes 5+ years to complete, while CPA costs ₹3.5-4 lakh and can be cleared in under 18 months. CAs earn ₹8-15 LPA in India, CPAs can earn ₹12-15 LPA here and ₹66-75 lakh abroad. With global mobility and faster ROI, CPA is emerging as a strong alternative to CA.