CPA Exam Requirements
CPA Exam requirements vary depending on the state in which you plan to take the exam. The actual exam will be the same no matter where you take it, but each state sets its own requirements that must be satisfied in order to sit for it.
No matter which state you live in, the CPA Exam requirements generally involve an education requirement. Most states now require 150 hours of college credit, with a certain number of accounting and general business credits, in order to obtain a CPA license. You may or may not be required to have earned a college degree. Depending on your state, you may be able to sit for the CPA Exam before you have completed all of the required credit hours, though there may be a limit on how time much after the exam you have to finish taking your courses.
Your state’s Board of Accountancy will have information on your state’s specific CPA Exam Requirements. If you are currently in college, your accounting department should also be to advise you about you about the education requirements for taking the CPA Exam. You will need to get specifics on how to submit your application to take the CPA Exam. You will of course have to pay a fee to sit for the exam.
It will take an investment of time and money on your part to meet the CPA exam requirements. After you put out all that effort, you will want to increase the likelihood of passing the exam the first time. A CPA exam review course can help you focus your study efforts on the concepts you will need to master in order to pass the test. Being familiar with the test format and questions will help you feel more comfortable on exam day, which should improve your chances of performing well on the exam.
Once you pass the Uniform CPA Examination, your state may require that you meet additional qualifications to earn your CPA certification. Your state may require that you gain a few years of professional experience working for a CPA, such as in a public accounting firm. Some states require that you pass an ethics exam. In addition, once you have earned your CPA certification, you will have to earn Continuing Professional Education (CPE) credit, which can be obtained either through attending classes or home study.
Even though it takes a lot of work just to meet the CPA exam requirements, not to mention actually pass the exam, there is a payoff in the end. The average CPA salary is higher than that of an accountant who hasn’t earned the certification. Certified Public Accountants are projected to be in high demand in the years to come, which can lead to job security not found in other professions.
Meeting the CPA exam requirements is the first step toward becoming a Certified Public Accountant. This will put you on your way to a secure, high paying and fulfilling career.
For further reading, click on the articles that follow:
How To Become A CPA
Becoming An Accountant
CPA Exam Requirements
CPA Exam Review Courses
CPA Salary