The amount of time it takes to acquire a degree varies from country to country. In the US, this entails a four-year bachelor’s degree in accountancy. You can also go the extra mile with a master’s degree if you really want to stand out. If you’re interested in learning how to get the CPA in California, first be sure you meet the education and experience requirements listed above. In order to sit for the CPA Exam in California, you must meet a set of education requirements. First, you need to have a bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited college or university.

To meet the 150 hour requirement, many students continue their studies at the Master’s level or complete an extended five-year bachelor’s program. Your path will largely be determined by your state’s regulations. Every accountant follows a different path, but for many, the process takes about six years. This includes four years to earn a bachelor’s in accounting and another two years to complete a master’s program or gain enough work experience to qualify for an accounting certification. You’ll need to keep up on your accounting knowledge in order to maintain your licensure.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects employment for accountants and auditors to grow by 7 percent from 2020 to 2030, which is as fast as the average for all occupations  [5]. Let us know what type of degree you’re looking into, and we’ll find a list of the best programs to get you there. Featured or trusted partner programs and all school search, finder, or match results are for schools that compensate us. This compensation does not influence our school rankings, resource guides, or other editorially-independent information published on this site.

When a person or company hires someone to handle it, they want to feel confident that their new financial guru is the real deal. Certified Public Accountants (CPAs) have the experience, education, and ethical fortitude to meet that expectation. Internships provide hands-on practice in a real accounting environment. They can also be a valuable source of professional connections, and some students receive job offers at the companies where they intern. The BLS projects a 6% job growth for accountants and auditors between 2021 and 2031.

• Note that you must obtain passing scores on all four individual sections of the exam to qualify for CPA certification.
• “The perception of long hours and high stress in certain accounting roles may deter candidates who prioritize a healthy work/life balance,” Smith said.
• These variances can include residency or experience requirements, requirements for semester hours in accounting and more.

You know your personal path on how to become a CPA, and it’s likely been covered in many of your college classes. If you’re curious about how to become a CPA without a degree in accounting, know that it’s possible – but will take a bit longer than if you had your accounting degree. Let’s take a look at some of the different paths you can take to become a CPA.

#2 – Accounting Clerk

Your benefits and paycheck will be steady, and you’ll be able to depend on the firm for any issues that you have with clients. The networking that you did while getting ready to sit for your CPA exam can serve you well as you begin to explore careers in public accounting in your area. If you’re studying for your CPA exam, you want to know the pass rate, as well as how likely it is that you’ll pass the exam on your first try. The pass rate of the CPA exam varies slightly, but it typically hovers around 50%.

Accountants use these abilities—plus knowledge gained through college-level accounting programs—to provide financial services to businesses and individuals. After you pass the CPA exam, your state may have other requirements you need to pass before you can get your CPA license. These can include background checks, work requirements, and additional paperwork to fill out. As mentioned in step 2, it’s important to gain relevant work experience, even when you’re still in school. Internships or part-time jobs in accounting will be a huge boost to your resume, as many companies can be reluctant to hire a full-time employee with no relevant work experience.

Practice Exams and Study Resources

The time commitment for these credentials varies, but most require candidates to have at least six months of professional CPA experience. Many employers value the specialized skills demonstrated by these certificates. Certified public accountant (CPAs) typically earn above-average salaries and enjoy strong demand in the job market. As such, CPAs have the flexibility to seek out advanced roles that match their preferences.

How Do You Qualify for CPA Certification?

Candidates must first pass a challenging four-section test known as the Uniform CPA Examination. Accounting.com is committed to delivering content that is objective and actionable. To that end, we have built a network of industry professionals across higher education to review our content and ensure we are providing the most helpful information to our readers. Nicholas Valentini, CFO at Sax LLP, said that prospective accountants look for more than just a solid salary. Such efforts would transform AI from a perceived threat to job stability into a source of job satisfaction. Accounting clerks provide vital support to accounting departments through tasks such as invoice processing, data entry, record keeping, basic financial analysis, and more.

Strong Job Outlook

At some schools, the accounting programs are five years so that you’ll complete all your CPA requirements without having to enroll in an additional program. Other schools have programs where you can earn both a bachelor’s and master’s in accounting in five years. These often cost more and are more intensive because you’re fitting two degrees into five years, but by the end you’ll have a graduate degree in accounting. Having a master’s in accounting isn’t required to become a CPA, but it can make it easier for you to get a job and increase your salary. The hardest part for these candidates to get certified is their accounting education. Most Econ and Finance majors don’t take many accounting classes in college.

A big part of how to become a public accountant is meeting the time requirements set by your state. In most areas, it takes seven years before you can fulfill all the requirements of becoming a public accountant. Would-be accountants turn to other lines of work rather than meet the requirement of 150 college credit hours for obtaining a certified public accounting license, the accountants said. Each aspiring accountant follows their own career path, but most qualify to start working in entry-level accounting roles after earning a four-year bachelor’s degree.

Featured Schools

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics salary and labor market information for Accountants and Auditors is based on national data, not school-specific information. To understand how CPA exam scoring works, it’s important to understand how it doesn’t work. First, exam scores are not percentages (a 75 doesn’t mean you got 75% of questions right). Secondly, they’re not raw scores, either (a 75 also doesn’t mean you answered 75 questions correctly).

If you have graduated, begin the process of taking the CPA Exam by narrowing down your list of state board options. For example, most states nowadays are fine with general accounting work from private industries, government, and even academic teaching positions. xero a1 bow sight Therefore, a non-public accounting career plan shouldn’t be an issue when choosing a CPA state board of accountancy. To do so, you can enhance your undergraduate degree with a master’s in accounting or an MBA with a concentration in accounting.