CPA Certification Degrees and Programs

To become a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), you must pass a comprehensive exam and fulfill educational requirements, such as CPA classes. CPAs are recognized for their extensive knowledge on financial planning and tax laws, and therefore often carry jobs with high levels of responsibility and pay. To be a successful CPA, you should be highly competent in the following: mathematics, analytical skills, verbal and written communication and integrity.

Important Things To Know About Certified Public Accounting

Becoming a CPA allows you to file reports with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC); this could open doors to senior level accounting jobs for large corporations and/or accounting firms. But many hoops must be cleared to enter the world of certified public accounting:

• You must pass the four-part CPA examination created by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA).
• Nearly all states require CPAs to hold at least bachelors' degrees.
• 46 states require CPA candidates to complete 150 semester hours of college coursework, which equals 30 hours beyond the usual bachelor's degree.

Once you become a CPA, you might choose to focus in a particular field of accounting, such as:

• Management accounting
• Professional accounting
• International accounting
• Financial accounting
• Forensic accounting

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), 2009 median salary for all accountants and auditors was $60,340, with the top 10 percent earning more than $104,450. Although no degree can guarantee a salary, CPAs most often earn more than non-CPA accountants. The BLS anticipates a 22 percent growth in jobs for accountants/auditors, reflecting 279,400 additional jobs.