Preparing for a US certification exam? Whether you’re pursuing a CPA, CFA, PMP, AWS, CISSP, or real estate license, having the right study materials, courses, and mock exams is essential.
This guide compiles the best resources for various US certification exams, covering:
✅ Top-rated exam prep books
✅ Online courses & study platforms
✅ Practice tests & mock exams
Let’s dive into the best study resources for each field!
1. Accounting & Finance Certifications (CPA, CFA, FRM, CFP)
📌 CPA (Certified Public Accountant)
✔ Best Books:
📘 Wiley CPA Exam Review – Comprehensive, updated yearly
📘 Becker CPA Review – Industry standard, includes practice questions
✔ Best Online Courses:
🎓 Becker CPA Review – Gold standard for CPA exam prep
🎓 Roger CPA Review – Engaging video lectures
✔ Mock Exams:
📝 Wiley CPA Test Bank (2,000+ practice questions)
📝 Gleim CPA Review
📌 CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst)
✔ Best Books:
📘 Kaplan Schweser CFA Study Notes – Most popular CFA prep books
📘 CFA Institute Curriculum – Official CFA learning materials
✔ Best Online Courses:
🎓 Kaplan Schweser CFA – Top-rated CFA prep provider
🎓 Wiley CFA Review – Good for structured study plans
✔ Mock Exams:
📝 CFA Institute Practice Questions
📝 FinQuiz CFA Mock Exams
📌 FRM (Financial Risk Manager)
✔ Best Books:
📘 GARP Official FRM Books – Official materials from GARP
📘 Schweser FRM Study Package – Highly recommended for FRM exam
✔ Best Online Courses:
🎓 Bionic Turtle – Great for in-depth risk analysis
🎓 Wiley FRM Review – Comprehensive FRM prep
✔ Mock Exams:
📝 Schweser FRM Practice Tests
📝 AnalystPrep FRM Question Bank
📌 CFP (Certified Financial Planner)
✔ Best Books:
📘 CFP Board Exam Review – Covers all CFP topics
📘 Dalton Education CFP Exam Prep – Well-structured CFP materials
✔ Best Online Courses:
🎓 Zahn Associates CFP Review – Highly rated CFP course
🎓 Kaplan CFP Exam Prep – Trusted by CFP candidates
✔ Mock Exams:
📝 Dalton CFP Mock Exams
📝 Kaplan CFP QBank
2. Project Management & IT Certifications (PMP, CISSP, AWS, Google Cloud)
📌 PMP (Project Management Professional)
✔ Best Books:
📘 PMBOK Guide (Project Management Body of Knowledge) – Official PMP reference
📘 Rita Mulcahy’s PMP Exam Prep – Highly recommended by PMP candidates
✔ Best Online Courses:
🎓 PMI Authorized PMP Exam Prep Course – Official PMI training
🎓 Udemy PMP Exam Prep – Budget-friendly & effective
✔ Mock Exams:
📝 PrepCast PMP Exam Simulator
📝 PMTraining PMP Mock Tests
📌 CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional)
✔ Best Books:
📘 (ISC)² Official CISSP Study Guide – Most recommended CISSP book
📘 CISSP All-in-One Exam Guide by Shon Harris – In-depth coverage
✔ Best Online Courses:
🎓 Cybrary CISSP Training – Free & structured learning path
🎓 Pluralsight CISSP Course – Video-based learning
✔ Mock Exams:
📝 Boson CISSP Practice Exams
📝 Kaplan CISSP QBank
📌 AWS (Amazon Web Services) Certifications
✔ Best Books:
📘 AWS Certified Solutions Architect Study Guide – Covers all key AWS services
📘 AWS Certified Developer Official Study Guide – For AWS developer exam
✔ Best Online Courses:
🎓 A Cloud Guru – Best for AWS beginners
🎓 Udemy AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Highly rated
✔ Mock Exams:
📝 Whizlabs AWS Practice Exams
📝 Tutorials Dojo AWS Exam Simulations
📌 Google Cloud Certifications (GCP)
✔ Best Books:
📘 Official Google Cloud Certified Study Guide – Covers all GCP concepts
✔ Best Online Courses:
🎓 Coursera Google Cloud Training – Taught by Google experts
🎓 Linux Academy GCP Certification Course – Hands-on cloud labs
✔ Mock Exams:
📝 Google Cloud Practice Questions (on Google’s official site)
📝 Udemy Google Cloud Exam Simulator
3. Healthcare Certifications (NCLEX-RN, USMLE, MCAT)
📌 NCLEX-RN (Registered Nurse Licensing Exam)
✔ Best Books:
📘 Saunders Comprehensive NCLEX-RN Review – #1 NCLEX book
📘 Kaplan NCLEX-RN Prep Plus – Includes practice tests
✔ Best Online Courses:
🎓 UWorld NCLEX Prep – Best for high-quality practice questions
🎓 Kaplan NCLEX Review – Great for in-depth explanations
✔ Mock Exams:
📝 NCLEX-RN QBank (UWorld & Kaplan)
📝 NCSBN Official NCLEX Practice Exam
📌 USMLE (United States Medical Licensing Exam)
✔ Best Books:
📘 First Aid for the USMLE Step 1 – Essential for Step 1
📘 Step-Up to Medicine – Great for Step 2 CK
✔ Best Online Courses:
🎓 UWorld USMLE Prep – Highly recommended by medical students
🎓 Kaplan USMLE Review – Structured learning
✔ Mock Exams:
📝 NBME Self-Assessments
📝 UWorld USMLE Practice Tests
4. Real Estate Certifications (Real Estate Agent & Broker License)
✔ Best Books:
📘 Modern Real Estate Practice – Covers real estate principles
📘 Barron’s Real Estate Licensing Exams – Includes practice tests
✔ Best Online Courses:
🎓 Kaplan Real Estate Education – Best for real estate licensing
🎓 The CE Shop – Affordable & comprehensive
✔ Mock Exams:
📝 PSI Real Estate Exam Prep
📝 Real Estate Exam Scholar
No matter what certification exam you’re preparing for, having the right study materials is the key to success.
📌 Which resource should you choose?
- Books – Best for in-depth understanding
- Online Courses – Great for interactive learning
- Mock Exams – Essential for real test simulation
Start studying today with the best books, online courses, and practice exams for your certification! 🚀