CPA Certification and the CPA Exam

According to professional staffing and consulting firm Robert Half International (RHI), “The certified public accountant (CPA) designation remains the most in-demand accreditation for a variety of positions. As expected of such a valuable credential, CPA certification is hardly a piece of cake. It first requires 150 credit hours of college credit, which generally involves an accounting bachelor degree plus some graduate course work, often either via an MAcc or an MBA with an accounting focus. Once you have completed this prerequisite, you will be eligible to take the CPA exam.

The test is comprised of four sections, taken over the course of two days, though testers can choose not to take all of the sections at once. You don't, in fact, have to pass every section at the same time—candidates have up to 18 months to pass the entire exam. Each section itself is comprised of "testlets" (groups of multiple-choice questions) and simulations (mini-case studies), and the exam is now always taken on a computer at specifically designated testing centers. The CPA exam is administered in January, February, April, May, July, August, October, and November. Find MAcc programs to help prepare for the exam.

CPAs often go into public accounting, though many CPAs are also management accountants, forensic accountants, government accountants and personal financial advisors. While there are a number of accounting jobs that do not require CPA certification, it is indisputable that being CPA certified will only bolster your career.

RHI reports, after all, that having CPA certification can often boost a base salary by up to 10 percent. CPAs are highly respected within the business world and frequently go on to have their own companies or become CFOs or even CEOs of major corporations, racking up substantial salaries way into (and over) six digits.

_{*The attestation portion refers to the collecting and communicating of audit, legal and other information.
Sources: American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, 2010; National Association of State Boards of Accountancy; PayScale.com, 2010}