CTP Certification

CTPs may aspire to work for the U.S. Treasury.

The Certified Treasury Professional (CTP) is a certification to given to professionals who pass a test demonstrating their knowledge and skills in related to "corporate liquidity, capital and risk management," according to the Association for Financial Professionals (AFP). Individuals who receive the certification often have better job prospects as employers search for CTPs.

Certification Process

Becoming a CTP involves a four-step registration process. The first is to request the Candidate Information Bulletin provided by the AFP. Once you receive the bulletin, review its information, and then use the provided resources to study for the exam. As of April 2010, the CTP exam requires the review of the second edition of the "Essentials of Treasury Management" and the "AFP Learning System-Treasury." The last step is to submit the application for the CTP and take the test.

Test

To receive the CTP certification, you must pass a 170 multiple-choice question test. The test to covers topics that are of optimal cash positioning, and the employment of working capital strategies, according to the AFP. The test also covers the necessary by those working in treasury. Some of the topics include the maintenance of corporate liquidity, the management building of cost effective relationships, the execution fiduciary responsibilities and the delineation of appropriate ethical behaviors.

Fees

The fees for the CTP certification vary based on your AFP membership status and the deadline in which you apply. If you are a member, the CTP application fee is $186 whether you are applying by the standard or final deadline. If you are not a member, the application fee is $186 plus $395, which covers AFB membership. The examination fee is $410 for all people applying by the standard deadline and it is $510 for all people applying by the final deadline.

Re-certification

Your CTP requires re certification. To do so, you must complete 36 continuing education credits every three years. As of April 2010, all of the credits must be earned June 30 of the year in which your certification expires. The fee for re-certification is $85 for AFP members applying by the standard and it is $200 for non AFP members applying by the standard deadline. If you don't complete your continuing education credits and apply for re-certification your CTP can be revoked by the AFP.

Salary Potential

Once you've attained your CTP, there are various job positions in which you can work. According to PayScale.com, some of the highest-paid CTPs work as treasury directors and top corporate treasures. They both have median salaries around $131,000 as of April 2010. Those working as assistant treasures have a median salary of $98,800 and those working as treasure managers have a median salary of $77,200. Lastly, treasury analysts have a median salary of $52,000.

References

• PayScale: Salary Survey for Certification: Certified Treasury Professional
• Association for Financial Professionals: What is the CTP?
• Association for Financial Professionals: How to Register for the CTP Examination
• Association for Financial Professionals: CTP Recertification Reporting Guidelines