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How many years of school should I attend to be an accountant?

I want to be the best.
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Aman’s Answer

So generally in order to become an accountant students attend school for 5 years because you need 150 credits in order to sit for your Certified Public Account (CPA) exam. You need 120 credits to graduate college and on average students are supposed to take 15 credits a semester. So you can see how 150 credits sums up to about an extra year. Many schools have programs where in those 5 years you can also graduate with a masters in accounting, as well as earn your bachelors at the same time.

That's always one route and usually the most typical. I did it slightly different. I graduated accounting in 4 years and took some summer classes in order to reach my 150 credit hours. This saved me one year of college however I did not get my masters in accounting.

It's really up to you how you decide you want to complete the the 150 credit hours, but my biggest advice if you want to be the best is to get as much experience as you can with internships and networking. Nothing better than practical knowledge in the industry.

Best of luck
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Carolyn’s Answer

Hi Jordyn,


I agree with everything the others have said. When you get further into your college education, typically in your junior year, I would also check the state specific requirements for obtaining a CPA license in the state which you believe you will start your career. Typically the requirements tend to be fairly uniform, and accounting major curriculums will ensure that you meet them. However, a few states have very specific course requirements that you may need to ensure you take as a portion of the 150 hours.

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Anne’s Answer

Hi Jordyn,

I went through a non-traditional route. Normally you need 150 credits to sit for the CPA exam, which most schools have a 5-year program (4 years Bachelors and 1 year Masters). I did my undergraduate in Economics (4 years) and decided afterwards to pursue accounting. So I went back to school to obtain my MBA (2 years) in Accounting.
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Lisa’s Answer

To add to what Aman said, some schools have CPA review programs that allow you to obtain credit towards the 150 hours. This way, you are able to study for the exam and gain hours towards the test at the same time. I also took somewhat of a different route and was able to graduate in four years with the 150 hours due to bringing in credits from AP courses I took in high school.

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Danielle’s Answer

Hi Jordyn,

I love your commitment to excellence! My advice would be to look for a school that is well respected for its accounting department. You will want to get enough credits to sit for the CPA as part of your degree (CPA requirements vary by state). Some schools offer an undergrad/masters combination program that will allow you to achieve both in less than time than pursuing separately.

Best wishes in your journey!
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