5 Typical Educational Paths to Becoming a CPA – Master of Accounting Degrees

Becoming a CPA (Certified Public Accountant) is a lofty goal for anyone interested in an accounting career. Being able to put “CPA” behind your name gives you an instant credibility in the accounting industry, as well as opportunities for advancement and increased pay. There are several educational paths to becoming a CPA, and they all involve higher education. Following are 5 typical educational paths to becoming a CPA.

Traditional Undergraduate Degree in Accounting

The vast majority of people who sit for the CPA exam have a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting. This is generally a 4-5 year program that provides a solid background in business as well as a specialization in accounting. Business classes include both macro- and microeconomics, marketing, statistics, finance, and business management. Accounting classes will include intro to accounting, intermediate accounting, and advanced accounting classes as well as business law, tax, audit, and ethics all related to the field of accounting. Most states require 150 college credit hours before they are allowed to sit for the CPA exam.

Undergraduate Degree in Business with a Master’s in Accounting

Some people choose to get an undergraduate degree in business and then go on to get an advanced degree such as an MBA with an emphasis in Accounting. This path works well for some people who started out with a business degree and then decided to go on to specialize in accounting.

Undergraduate Degree in Business with Additional Accounting Courses

Some people have been successful obtaining a CPA license by starting out with a bachelor’s degree in some type of business such as finance, and then taking additional accounting classes. As long as you complete 150 total credit hours and take the required accounting classes, this could work. While the basic educational requirements for sitting for the CPA exam differ from state to state, each state is getting stricter about a minimum of 150 credit hours of higher education and a certain number of those hours must be in accounting.

Undergraduate Degree With a Minor in Accounting

Depending on the state, you may be able to sit for the CPA exam with a major in some type of business and a minor in accounting. In many states, a minor in accounting will not provide enough accounting hours. The only way to sit for the CPA exam with a minor in accounting is to pick a state that has fewer accounting hours required.

Undergraduate Degree Online

As long as you can get your bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, it doesn’t matter whether the classes were taken in person on campus or online. However, it can be difficult to get all the advanced accounting classes you need online. Most colleges and universities offer the basics in account online, but as the classes get more advanced the options for online courses get smaller.

Summary

Regardless of your educational path to sitting for the CPA exam, they all start with a minimum of a bachelor’s degree. Just because you have a bachelor’s degree and have taken all the required accounting courses, it doesn’t mean you will automatically pass the CPA exam. Everyone has to study extremely hard to pass this exam. Many people take the exam more than once, and many people are never able to pass the exam at all. While you can still practice accounting without a CPA license, being able to put “CPA” behind your name tells the business world that you are one of the best.