18 Best Accounting Certifications for Upskilling in 2025

CalCPA, an organization for California CPAs, offers an accounting-focused job board. CPA organizations in other states may offer similar opportunities to source local careers. In addition to completing a program of study in accounting, and acquiring professional work experience in public accounting, a CPA candidate also must sit for and pass the Uniform CPA Examination.

According to Payscale, as of April 2024, noncertified accountants make an average salary of $57,430, while CPAs earn $76,960 annually — nearly $20,000 higher than noncertified accountants. However, prospective CPAs should consider the additional time and cost constraints related to obtaining licensure. CPA candidates must hold a bachelor’s degree and complete a number of accounting and business courses. Accounting program enrollees can pursue concentrations like auditing, international tax, or forensic accounting to specialize their knowledge and work in specific subfields.

How does becoming a CPA improve career opportunities?

The CPA designation is widely respected beyond the United States, allowing professionals to work in global finance, multinational corporations, and international accounting firms. If you’re interested in becoming a CPA, the first step is to begin your education. Because CPAs are the most in-demand accountants and are needed in every industry, they represent one of the most stable and recession-proof vocations with high earning potential. Auditors issue an opinion on whether financial statements fairly present an entity’s financial position. Their education and training often make CPAs a better choice to handle other tasks that accountants can also do, such as preparing tax returns and offering tax planning advice. In 2017, the AICPA merged with the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) to form the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants (AICPA & CIMA).

A CPA license isn’t required to work in corporate accounting or for private companies. However, public accountants⁠—individuals working for firms such as Deloitte or Ernst & Young that provide accounting and tax-related services to businesses—must hold CPA designations. Public accountants can work for individuals, companies, nonprofits, or the government. They may specialize in areas like taxation, financial reporting, consulting, auditing, and forensic accounting. They frequently work overtime during busy times of year, including tax season.

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Coursera’s editorial team is comprised of highly experienced professional editors, writers, and fact… As a modern accountant, you’ll also need new technical skills like programming in Python and what is a cpa what does a certified public accountant do R, statistical analysis, data mining, and regression. You’ll also represent clients before the IRS to help them resolve their tax problems.

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They evaluate market trends, economic indicators, and financial statements to provide recommendations for investment strategies. Whether working for law enforcement agencies, legal teams, or corporations, CPAs specializing in forensic accounting bring a meticulous approach to uncovering the truth behind the numbers. This involves staying updated with the ever-evolving tax codes, understanding nuances of international taxation for multinational corporations, and identifying potential tax credits or deductions. Beyond the routine of financial statement auditing, CPAs are often tasked with reviewing internal financial controls, performing agreed-upon procedures, and delivering compilations of financial data.

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• I love working with not-for-profit clients for that very reason — I feel like I’m really contributing to their mission by helping them have good financial information on which to make smart business decisions.
• Some states require CPA candidates to pass an ethics exam to demonstrate their understanding of professional responsibility.
• The auditing and assurance area is responsible for performing audits or assurance engagements and issuing opinions because of their work.
• The first step is having the completion of educational requirements verified by the State Board of Accountancy and then formally applying once approved.
• The state requirements to become a CPA technically vary from state to state, though most have very similar and consistent rules in place.
• The CPA designation is granted by individual state boards, not the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA).
• Mark J. Kohler, senior partner at KKOS Lawyers and co-founder of Directed IRA, has over 25 years of experience helping entrepreneurs achieve financial freedom.

The IRS only allows CPAs, attorneys, enrolled agents, enrolled retirement plan agents, and enrolled actuaries to represent clients directly. Renamed several times over the years, the organization has been known as the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) since 1957. Even though most people use CPA certification and CPA license interchangably, there isn’t a recognized CPA certification. Because it’s regulated by the state, you’re working toward your CPA license not certification. Accounting is also a great second career for more experienced people looking to make a change. As a CPA, I find it can, at times, be challenging to manage various competing projects and deadlines.

Candidates are required to complete 150 hours of education and have no fewer than two years of public accounting experience. To receive the CPA designation, a candidate also must pass the Uniform CPA Exam. Shaun Conrad is a Certified Public Accountant and CPA exam expert with a passion for teaching.

CPAs specializing in taxation help their clients prepare and file tax returns, reduce their tax burden, and avoid making mistakes that could lead to costly penalties. All CPAs need some knowledge of tax law, but specializing in taxation means this will be the focus of your work. For those with an entrepreneurial mindset, a CPA license provides the foundation to start your own accounting practice. Professionals with a CPA designation are often eligible for bonuses, promotions, and leadership roles that come with additional financial rewards. We offer an unprecedented level of quality for a fixed monthly fee, allowing companies to focus on growing their revenue while we handle all the daily, monthly, and annual financial work.

• Prospective licensees often need to work for 1-2 years in jobs that use accounting, attest, compilation, consulting, financial advisory, management advisory, and tax skills.
• For those considering a career in accounting, becoming a CPA is one of the most rewarding paths to professional success.
• Some states also require CPA candidates to go through a background check, including a check of criminal records, before granting a license.
• A CPA has a much broader skill set and can provide financial advisory services beyond tax preparation.
• Obtaining the CPA designation requires a bachelor’s degree, typically with a major in business administration, finance, or accounting.
• Individuals with the CPA designation can also move into executive positions such as controller or chief financial officer (CFO).

Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA) – Best for global management accounting

Unlike general accountants, CPAs have met rigorous education, exam, and experience requirements, allowing them to perform specialized financial tasks and represent clients before government agencies. CPAs use their public accounting and financial knowledge to help clients save money and avoid breaking the law. They help prepare tax returns, analyze financial documents, and provide financial advice. However, an accounting master’s degree can help students meet the CPA education requirement of 150 credits since most bachelor’s programs only require 120 credits. Many CPAs who specialize in taxation start as general accountants and develop tax expertise over time. However, if your education includes a significant amount of taxation coursework, you may be able to go straight into this specialized position.

A public accountant is an individual who performs accounting-related work on behalf of external clients, often for regulatory purposes. More important than your grades in school or how many hours you spend at a desk is whether this type of work interests you. If you don’t mind desk work, managing others, or thinking creatively about money and taxes, then becoming a CPA might be the right career choice for you. Also, most states limit non-CPA ownership of CPA firms to 49 percent; although a few states (New York and Delaware are notable examples) require that CPA firms be 100 percent CPA-owned.