What is needed to become a CPA? Is it hard?

Question

I want to become a cpa (certified public accountant) i was just wondering is it hard? How long is the schooling and what are some good schools for accounting in the united states. what do they make per year? any additional information is greatly apprieciated. Thanks sooooooooooooooooo much.
Brit

Answer 1

Where on God's Earth can you only make $30k with a CPA license? In Houston you can't even get one for less than $60k!

Okay, anyway, this is the AICPA website, they will tell you everything you ever wanted to know about how to become a CPA in your state (some variation on that). Generally, however, you need a college degree in SOMETHING with lots & lots of accounting & other business courses. You need to have good moral character (no felonies, etc.) & you have to pass a test. The test is a big, long, hairy mess that you used to have to take over 2 days all at once. Now, you get to take it one section at a time at a computer in a testing center (Thomson Prometric) near you. BTW, I NEVER in a million years thought I would be an accountant, but it has been the best decision of my life.

Best wishes!

Answer 2

To get your CPA really depends on the state you live in. Here in Oregon, you need to get your BS in Accounting or Finance (or something similar). Work under an Active CPA for X amount of time doing X amount of things. Study and take a test, which has four parts. Sometimes you can get your CPA by having a CPA firm monitoring your work and approving you to take the exam, if you don't work under an Active CPA.

Then you have to keep up your license by taking something like 80 hours class or studying each year. It's a big commitment.

As far as pay, it all depends on what you plan to do with it after. Are you just doing taxes for families with it, or are you climbing a corporate ladder and managing departments.

Answer 3

Ignore the first answer and listen to the other two.

A CPA requires a degree (it does NOT have to be accounting...but that really helps), work under a CPAs supervision for X amount of time (2 years in Texas), take a test (this test is famously hard...they pass rate is under 10%) and pay your dues.

After passing, you will take continuing ed hours every year (I think its 40).

Salary wise...a CPA starts about 60's maybe higher.

The best school for accounting, at least the MPA, is McCombs in Austin.

Answer 4

CPA is a great career and is a steady and dependable income. You have to have the right personality and attention to detail to become a CPA however. Accounting isn't just math, it's also law, and organization, and quality control, and sales. It is a challenging career, and you have to recertify every couple of years. College is required, and it's not cheap. Try going to a community college to get some of the requirements taken care of at their discounted tuition rates. A starting CPA can expect to make $30,000 in a medium urban city, more in a larger city.

Answer 5

the user-friendly requirement is you would be able to desire to have majored in accounting as an undergrad or have achieved equivalent bigger-point accounting coursework (purely taking problem-loose accounting won't decrease it). maximum states additionally require one to have one hundred fifty credit in entire of submit-secondary artwork. it somewhat is equivalent to a bachelors (one hundred twenty) plus masters (30) regardless of the reality which you prefer not unavoidably get a masters. on an identical time as you may sit down for the assessments without the one hundred fifty credit, you is extremely not granted status until you do finished the one hundred fifty.

Answer 6

College is not required, they take 15 years of expirence to sit for exam too