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Best way to earn 150 credits to take the CPA Exam?

I'm currently a sophomore at Rutgers Business School majoring in accounting and want to know what would be the best way to earn those credits. Should I double major, get my masters, minor in a few things, or do something else entirely? I'm planning on doing auditing for the big 4, but I'm open to advice on other accounting career paths as well. #accounting #cpa #cpaexam #career-counseling

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Tom’s Answer

Hi Joshua,

Most of my colleagues got to the 150 credit requirement by taking a "5th year" to get a Masters in Accounting. From what I hear, the biggest benefit for going for the Master's of Accounting is that these programs are setup to help your perform well on the CPA exam. Most of the courses offered in the Masters programs are tailored around what is tested on all four parts of the CPA Exam.

That being said, a Masters program is typically very expensive and is not always necessary. I did not go for my Masters of Accounting - instead I took these FEMA courses to obtain the needed credits once I graduated from college to get to the 150. The FEMA courses are insanely cheap - I believe they were about $88 per credit when I took them. If you Google FEMA Independent Courses, you will find a variety of courses that are accredited through Frederick Community College in Maryland. I would recommend this option instead of going for the Masters if you are looking to not spend a great deal of money.

At the end of the day, it comes down to preference. Both options have their benefits so it's up for you to ultimately decide what's best for yourself.
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Adriana’s Answer

Hi Joshua,

It sounds like you already have a goal of becoming a CPA and starting your career with the Big Four. With that in mind, I would recommend earning the 150 hours via a Bachelor's degree in accounting and a Master's degree in accounting as well. While each state's course requirements for CPA licensure are not exactly the same and vary, the overall theme is roughly the same. Most states stipulate a certain number of credits in accounting courses, and usually the number of accounting course credits you earn in a Bachelor's degree is not enough. For example, Florida requires 36 credits of accounting courses. My university's Bachelor's degree had only 24 credits of accounting coursework. Therefore, continuing with a Master's degree in accounting made sense.

After completing your Bachelor's degree in accounting (120 credits), you still have 30 credits more to go. Why earn these credits taking random courses for a minor when you could instead take a 30-credit program and earn a whole Master's degree at the end of it? This post-graduate degree is much more recognized in practice than a college minor (which to be honest, no one cares about minors in the real world).

I did both my Bachelor's degree and Master's degree in accounting. I passed 2 sections of the CPA Exam in the 8-month period between completing my Bachelor's degree and starting my Master's degree. The other 2 sections I passed while in the Master's program. I highly, highly recommend passing the CPA Exam *before* you begin working full-time for a firm. It is difficult to study and work at a Big Four firm at the same time. I've seen countless colleagues of mine push studying to the wayside because they are too busy with work. They miss out on the $5,000 bonus our Big Four firm offers for passing the CPA Exam within 1 year of beginning employment. And...the longer they are out of the school/academic mindset, the harder it is to study! I scheduled my exam sections to coincide with the courses I was taking - I found this to help since my brain was already used to being tested on the same concepts.

Best of luck! Feel free to comment on my response if you have any more questions.
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Joe’s Answer

I believe some of the best ways to achieve 150 credit hours to sit for the CPA are:

After four years of undergrad, enroll in a MBA/MSA graduate program to reach 150. This path introduces you to more complex accounting topics in addition to new areas of technology and big data.

OR

During your undergrad, ensure you take 18 credit hours every semester to reach a total of around 144. Then all you have to take is between 2-4 summer classes during your undergrad to reach 150.


I have friends in accounting who are successfully pursuing the second option. My sister enrolled in a MSA program to reach her 150 and although it costed her more money, it was an effective way to learn more about nuanced accounting topics and build up productive credit hours to reach 150.

Joe recommends the following next steps:

Count your credit hours to date, see how much you have left.
See if you can take 18 credit hours for what semesters you have left, and the classes are ones you are interested taking.
Assuming you take 18 credit hours for all remaining semesters, see how far your undergrad credit total falls short of 150. Of what remains, see if you can bridge the gap with summer classes at a local community college. Ensure they can transfer.
If you can't enroll in more than 15 credit hours a semester at your university or you fall short regardless, start researching MBA/MSA programs at different universities.
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Mikayla’s Answer

Hi Joshua,

This really is a matter of opinion, and I think the answer is it depends. However, if you can get a graduate assistantship, I would advise going into a graduate program. This way, the school will pay for most of your graduate degree and you can save money. Also, you'll probably have the opportunity to take more advanced accounting classes which may help you with CPA exams.
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Hadar’s Answer

Hello!

I think the key to getting the 150 units necessary for the CPA exam is also to consider what classes (such as GEs or elective courses) can count towards your specific requirements and to be strategic about it. When I was in my junior year at college, I began taking online classes at a community college in my area. I did one every quarter (so three during the school year) and then took a couple of classes over the summer while doing an internship. Online classes worked for me as they were flexible and you could complete the material on your own time, which worked better with my school schedule.

Best of luck to you!
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Yunqing (Meredith)’s Answer

I took a Accounting master. It is not necessary to take another major.
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Denera’s Answer

When I was in undergrad, I could not decide if I wanted to attend grad school or not so I decided to take the extra courses during undergrad. I took extra business courses and decided to minor in education. I desire to teach accounting in the future and those education courses allowed me to think outside of business and focus on ways that I can help my colleagues/students learn and form more people and public speaking skills.

No need to have a double major if that's not something you desire.

Denera recommends the following next steps:

Find an interest outside of the business department (i.e. education, psychology, math, technology, etc.)
If nothing outside of the business department interest you then minor in finance or marketing. Any business focus that has peeked your interest.
If you decide not to take on a minor, you can take any course to your liking to reach the 150 credits. For instance, I took a CPR course for credit.
Once you make your decision on the suggested options above then commit to your decision but, do not let any minor or miscellaneous courses interfere with your major courses if Accounting is your desired major. (Note: A few of my classmates did not graduate on time assuming a class was given every semester. They decided to take a class that was not mandatory, which interfered with their goal.)
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Emilio’s Answer

Hey there!!

I found myself in a similar situation. I think it really depends on what kind of experience you are looking for. During my undergraduate studies I realized I was going to graduate a semester early and began looking into adding a minor or doing a masters program. Coming from a smaller school I wanted to have an experience at a larger school so I think that's what ultimately pushed me into doing a masters program. This decision gave me flexibility because I did not have take extra courses allowing me to do internships while in school.

Emilio recommends the following next steps:

Research grad programs around you and see if that's something you would be interested in
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Aimee’s Answer

If your undergraduate degree does not cover the 150 hours I would suggest looking into graduate degree programs. You could do something like a masters in taxation that would help you while you study and sit for the exam. You also tend to get paid more at an entry level position if you have a masters degree.
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Michelle’s Answer

Hi Joshua,

From my personal experience, I believe getting a Master's degree to obtain the 150 credit hours is good way to meet the requirements of the CPA. I sat for the CPA while I still completing my Master's degree and many of the concepts I learned from class was applicable to the CPA exam. I give credit to my passes to some of those Master's classes. I highly recommend doing CPA and schooling at the same time to knock out two birds with one stone.
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Matthew’s Answer

Hi Joshua,

This is a great question, and as you can see by the responses thus far, there are many paths available to get the credits needed to sit for the exam or become certified. I wanted to share the path I took as it was a bit unconventional, and I don't believe it's been covered completely in the responses already provided.

I finished my undergraduate degree having earned 139 credits from the university. Although only 120 credits were required to graduate with a bachelor's degree in business administration from my university, I was able to pick up an extra 19 credits between taking additional courses and from the advanced placement classes I took in high school. In addition to the advanced placement classes, I also took two college courses through my high school for an additional 6 credits that I was able to use against the requirements for a total of 145. At this point, I only needed 6 additional accounting-specific credits to make the requirements for certification. My accounting professor recommended Louisiana State University's online course options. At the time, these courses were easily accessible and relatively affordable. Since I entered the industry, I've encountered many fellow accountants who have also taken online accounting courses through LSU. After completing an online governmental accounting class and an online forensic accounting class, I finally met all credit requirements for sitting/certification.

I've been a public accountant my whole career and I'd say it's about a 60/40 split with the majority of professionals I've encountered earning a master's degree to reach the credit requirements to sit for the exam or for certification. While education provides a great background to apply throughout your career, a lot of what I do on a day-to-day basis was taught to me on the job, so I never felt I was at a disadvantage to those people who opted for a higher degree. I know every high school has different offerings, but I wanted to share my experience in case it's at all helpful. I actually forgot about the college courses I took in high school until a fellow accountant told me that she was utilizing similar credits she earned in high school against her requirement! Regardless, if you can get close to the 150 after completing your undergraduate degree, LSU Online could be a cheaper option to supplement any remaining accounting credits you might need instead of a master's degree.
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Lauren’s Answer

I am a recent college graduating and started my career as an audit associate. I did a 5 year program for a masters, which I loved especially if you do plan on going into audit and pursuing your CPA, the masters classes significantly helped me in that aspect.
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Vic’s Answer

Hi!

I have seen people do different things:
- enroll in an accounting masters program with a lighter workload to get credits and to study/sit for the CPA while in school (studying becomes difficult while working full time)
- take community college courses during undergrad
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Richard C.’s Answer

Great Question - For me, I always tried to earn my 150 credits by taking classes that were offered in the business school that seemed interesting to me outside of accounting. In the end, I took 6 economics classes and earned a minor in economics along with my MBA in accounting. Not only did this keep my classwork fresh & interesting, but it gives me a unique perspective everyday in the field as a big 4 auditor.

Best of Luck!
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Matthew’s Answer

Hi Joshua,

I think the best way to get the 150 hours is going to graduate school and getting a masters degree, but it will depend on your current situation and how many hours you have going into school. Getting a Master's degree will help you learn more about your major and what your job will be doing. It will also depend on your school and what the administors push students to do.

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Minaz’s Answer

Hi Joshua! I did my undergrad in India with accounting and finance as my majors. That, along with my MBA in Finance from PSU got me the 150 credits I needed for the CPA exam.

Good luck!
Thank you comment icon Hi Joshua, I would ultimately say, majoring in only accounting is just fine. With just a single major, you will have plenty of time to explore other areas that potentially would interest you. Being well-rounded is a great attribute of any employee. If you are looking for a good pairing with accounting, finance is a good option for a minor. In order to take the CPA exams, you are required to have 150 credit hours. So after your 120 credit hours in your undergraduate career, you can then really begin to focus on accounting by getting a Master Degree if you desire. The Masters Degree would be attractive to employers, while also helping you reach that 150 hours. I hope this helps, best of luck! Haley Haley Schrock
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Adrian’s Answer

Online courses: Online courses can be a convenient way to earn additional credits, especially if you are already working full-time. Many reputable universities offer online courses that can be taken at your own pace.

It's important to check with your state board of accountancy to make sure that the courses you take meet the specific requirements for CPA licensure in your state. Additionally, many states have specific requirements related to the distribution of credits (e.g. a certain number of accounting or business courses), so make sure you understand these requirements before selecting courses or a degree program.
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Rose’s Answer

Great question! For me, taking 150 credit hours was the best option. I would not recommend this route if you are walking into college with no high school credits. If this is the case, then do not overwhelm yourself in credits per semester and go for your masters. If you have enough credits to take a manageable number of hours each semester (and reach 150), then I would recommend going for it.

I have really loved taking extra undergrad courses in topics that were unrelated to accounting and just expanding my knowledge about the world. In addition, it gave me plenty of time to pick up a minor in business analytics. I would highly recommend this minor if you are interested in statistics, data visualization, statistical coding languages, and/or data mining. I even found that during interviews firms were more interested in hearing about the courses that made me stand out from the peers more than the required classes all accounting majors must take. Lastly, I was looking into doing a masters program instead of a fourth year in undergrad. All the masters programs I looked into were significantly more expensive than a fourth year in undergrad. Avoiding that extra cost was a huge bonus for me. Overall, I would recommend the 150 credit hour option.
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Molly’s Answer

Hi Joshua,

Congratulations on how far you have come at Rutgers. I also went to Rutgers Business School for my Undergraduate Degree in Accounting and my Masters in Tax Accounting. I currently am a Tax Senior at PwC. If you are unaware, Rutgers offers a 1 year program in Financial Accounting to obtain a Masters Degree (This makes it 5 years to obtain a Double Bachelors, Major and Minor, or Master's Degree). Therefore, I don't think the timing should be a deciding factor for you. I do use the knowledge from my Master's Degree in my day to day work. In the long run I think the knowledge scale does level out at Big 4 Accounting firms (and I would assume that is the same at other firms). I do think having a Master's Degree will give you a head start in your first few years at an accounting firm.

On a side note: I would print off the CPA requirements for NY/NJ and ensure you take all the classes needed to sit for the CPA exam. When I went to Rutgers there was one class I needed to additionally take (that was not required) to meet the requirements.

I am available if you would like to discuss further.

Best of Luck in your Future!

Molly

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Courtney’s Answer

Hi Joshua!


I completed my undergrad in Accounting in four years without a master's program or any double major. For me, I wanted to focus strictly on accounting and really dive into the topics/concepts on the major rather than dividing some of my time in other areas (Finance, Operations, etc.), as I knew these were not industries I planned to go into after college. To fill in the 150 credits, I took some additional accounting/business courses that were not required of my major (second level cost accounting, intermediate macroeconomics, etc.). That being said, I suggest taking some time to really think about what you want to do with your accounting career and which courses/majors would benefit you. Do you see yourself going into a more finance-focused role perhaps later in life? Then maybe a double degree or major in finance would suit you best. I have a colleague that double majored in Accounting and Economics as she eventually wanted to go into a more economic-focused position and believed that economics was a strong supplement for her overall accounting and business acumen. If you have the time and availability in your schedule, though, I would also consider taking some courses un-related to accounting or finance. Maybe look into taking additional science or art courses, or even social studies or history. Aside from being more of a mental break in your schedule, you never know when the content of these courses will help you at some point in your auditing career. Just keep in mind the required CPA courses for your state and make sure you are on track for eligibility.


Wishing you the best!

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Samantha’s Answer

Hi Joshua! Congratulations on your progress in college so far. I majored in Accounting and now have a job auditing within the Big 4. Although I got my 150 credits within 4 years of undergrad by majoring in Accounting and minoring in Economics, most of my peers got to 150 by taking an extra year to get a Masters in Accounting. The biggest benefit to these Master's programs is that they are tailored around the same subjects that are tested during the CPA exam. Therefore, it is common to take sections of the CPA exam during the year or the summer after you are enrolled in a Masters program.

Other options you mention might be preferable based on your desired career path. For example, if you would like to start in audit but you think that you might want to move into finance in the future, it might be more beneficial to choose a double major. However, keep in mind that finance courses likely will not prepare you for the CPA exam, so you will probably have to take a CPA exam review course.

Best of luck as you move forward with this decision!
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Jennifer’s Answer

Hi!

My name is Jennifer and I believe that in Massachusetts you do not need to have 150 credits in order to take the CPA exam. When I graduated from undergrad I had a little over 120 credits and I was able to sit for the CPA exam although I would not be able to get the certificate without the 150 credits. The quickest way to achieve 150 credits is to begin taking grad courses as soon as you graduate from undergrad. I took summer classes and interned at the same time and also doubled up on classes after the internship in order to complete my 150. I was able to achieve it within a year. Using the link below, you can see the credit requirements for each state and when you would be able to sit for the exam. I hope this was helpful!

https://www.efficientlearning.com/cpa/resources/state-requirements/

Jennifer recommends the following next steps:

Find out your state requirements
Plan out how you will obtain your 150
Get your 150 :)
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Alex’s Answer

I currently am an audit intern with PwC and am in the process of completing my 150 credits. I would say a lot of what you want to do depends on you and your goals. I started off in computer science and ended up switching to accounting. This led to me to have a lot of extra credits once I graduated with my bachelors. I now have decided that it makes the most sense to just finish my remaining credits with community college credits rather that paying for a 50k masters degree from a big school. As for a lot of my friends, they have chosen the masters route after college and it has worked out very well for them, since they are able to study for the CPA as well as get their remaining credits. Double majoring is also a cool option and could provide you a leg up in different industries. The big thing I was told by a lot of firms is that they just really care about the 150 credits and CPA long term.
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Yujia’s Answer

Hi Josh- 1. take summer/online courses. as long as those courses are accepted by your school and will show up on your transcript, that should be fine. 2. Go to a master program. Most of the accounting master program will be help you satisfy that requirement. Thanks!
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Su’s Answer

Hey Joshua,

The isn't necessarily a best way to earn 150 credits. You could double major, get a master in accounting, MBA, or just take extra classes to fill in the requirements. My advice would be to check https://www.ais-cpa.com/cpa-exam-requirements/ for the CPA requirements, as there states have different criteria for sitting for the exams and eventually getting certified.

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Nicole’s Answer

Hi Joshua! I think that there are many different ways to get your 150 credits and there isn't really a "right" way to do it. Contrary to what some of the others did, I majored in Accounting and I minored in Business Analytics and also in Information Systems. I am an IT Auditor so my minor in Information Systems has been beneficial, but I think that an Information Systems minor could help anyone going into a business field since computers are everywhere and having a basic understanding of computer systems could be useful with any career.


Getting a Masters may help you more when taking the CPA exam, but passing the CPA exam can be done as long as you actually study and learn the material. I would recommend that you take classes that you would enjoy taking (whether that be other accounting courses, other business courses, or non-related courses). This is a time of your life where you have so many different types of classes that you could take, so I would recommend taking anything that you are interested in!

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Emily’s Answer

Hi Joshua. I completed my bachelors in accounting, a minor and a certificate to complete my 150 credits in four years. I fully-loaded my schedule and took a few summer courses. Ultimately, it should depend on your interests and your own judgement. I knew that I could handle a full schedule, but you have to know your own limits. It's okay to take a year or more of grad school if you need or want the extra time. Additionally, remember that there are a specific number of hours you have to take for certain topics and usually schools/your state CPA board outline this for you. However, the outline leaves room to tailor some of the credits to your interests. It might be helpful to take classes that relate to the type of work (industry you would like to audit, etc.) you would like to do in the future.
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Matthew’s Answer

I personally received my masters degree in accounting in order to get my 150 credits. My university offered a "summer-and-summer program" where I was able to do half of the masters program in the summer immediately following graduation, work for the firm for 9 months and then come back the following summer and complete the masters program. I really enjoyed the opportunity to network within the university with my fellow classmates and the professors after having some exposure to the accounting profession. However, this option may not be the right one for everyone - you should consider how important it is that you start to work full-time and how comfortable you feel taking on the additional classwork during your undergraduate tenure at the university.

Matthew recommends the following next steps:

Consider the pro's and con's of receiving the full credit during your undergraduate tenure vs. in a post-graduate setting.
Talk to your professor's after you have considered the pro's and con's of each option for additional advice.
Research post-graduate accounting programs that may be of interest to you and see if what is offered out there is attractive to you.
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Sarah’s Answer

Hi Joshua!

I recently graduated from college last May and started working at a Big 4 firm in July. I got both an undergraduate degree in Accounting and a Master's in Accounting to reach the 150 hour requirement. While every Master's program is different, I enjoyed mine because the format was very different and more challenging than my undergraduate classes. It was much more focused on real world situations, such as presenting client projects to guests we had come in from various companies.

I also know many people who were interested in topics other than accounting or started college with a different major that chose to get a double major or a minor. If you're planning on working for a Big 4 firm, most of them will provide a CPA exam review course for you so you wouldn't be at a disadvantage if you decided to take classes other than accounting.

Good luck moving forward!
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Christina’s Answer

Great question! I acquired 150 credits in four years during my undergraduate education. In order to do so, I overloaded on classes during the semester to increase the number of credits I took during a semester. Additionally, you can see if your school offers credits for your summer internship. Best of luck!
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Corey’s Answer

Hi Joshua,


I graduated a couple years ago with a BBA and a Masters in Accounting. I chose that route based on the way the program was set up. While I could have taken classes over the summer or online to get the necessary accounting and total credits for the CPA exam, I chose to go through a Masters program.


One reason I enjoyed my masters program is because I was able to take other business classes besides accounting ones with MBAs without going through the MBA program. I felt that I was able to continue to grow my business and accounting knowledge while networking with accounting firms and my classmates who all had their eyes on different accounting firms.


Good luck with whatever route you decide to take!
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Brandon’s Answer

For me it was doing a masters degree as I found this to be more marketable on a resume and for me if I was taking additional courses already why not get an extra degree out of it. However if you are close enough to 150 credits after you graduate with your undergrad then I would just suggest taking those few additional courses to get there as it would be more cost effective.
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Jason’s Answer

Hi Joshua,


There are many different ways to get the 150 credits needed to obtain a CPA license. I attended a five year program where I graduated with the 150 credits at the end of five years. Many schools will offer a one year masters of accounting program where you will earn the final credits needed to get the license.


It is important to note that the requirements to take the exam are different than to obtain a license. In New York you are eligible to take the exam after earning 120 credits, this way I was able to starting taking the exam before I graduated with 150 credits. Some states (such as Pennsylvania where I attended school) will require you have earned a degree before you can sit for the exam but New York doesn't require this. Be sure to research the specific requirements for sitting and earning the license in the state you plan to work in.

Jason recommends the following next steps:

This link shows the requirements in New York: https://www.nysscpa.org/professional-resources/becoming-a-cpa-in-new-york#sthash.yNhxcI64.dpbs
This link shows the requirements in Pennslyvania: https://www.accountingedu.org/pennsylvania-cpa.html
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Zach’s Answer

Hi Joshua,

Getting a masters degree to obtain 150 hours is the typical path. However, you can take 18 credits a semester and classes over the summer and still graduate with 150 credits in 4 years. Lastly, if you don't prefer either of those two options, you can take community college classes after you graduate to get to 150 credits. A CPA is typically not a requirement for the first couple of years at most firms, which gives you time to reach 150 credits as well as pass the CPA exam.
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Christine’s Answer

Hi Joshua-

Great question! The college I attended allowed me to take an extra class each semester (6 classes opposed to 5) without any incremental tuition costs. So I started doing that to begin my journey to 150 credits. I then signed up for classes over the summer at the local city college back home. These credits were luckily cheaper than they were at the college I was attending during the year. And then I took online classes both while in college and after college while working. By doing this, I was able to get to 150 without having to get a Master's degree (take a 5th year of college). This was a very affordable way to get to my goal!
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Ryan’s Answer

I believe the best way to obtain the 150 credit requirement for the CPA exam would be to try to do it by taking extra classes during your undergrad. This could be done by double majoring or minoring if you have other interest than accounting. I would recommend talking with your counselor or advisor about how to do this.
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Taylor’s Answer

Hi Joshua! There are multiple ways to earn the 150 credits to sit for the CPA exam. I believe the best way will vary depending on each person and their situation.

Personally, I received my masters degree in accounting to fulfill the 150 credit requirement. I sat for 2 parts of the exam while completing my masters degree and 2 parts the summer after graduation. I found a lot of the knowledge from my masters classes to be applicable to the CPA exam. Additionally I was provided a schedule for when to take each part of the CPA exam to best align with the information in my classes, which I found very helpful.

Best of luck!
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Noah’s Answer

Try to see if there are any easy summer classes/programs that offer transfer credit near you at home!
Sometimes professors offer extra credits for being a TA, notetaker, etc (depending on your school)
Be sure to ask around to your friends, teachers, and alumni to see if they know of any school-specific or program-specific activities that can help you reach 150!
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James’s Answer

Hi Joshua,

In my experience, taking course overloads or summer courses during your first two years of college can be a very cost effective solution. Credits can be earned at local community colleges where the cost will be relatively low compared to being on campus. I ended up graduating early and then doing an accelerate masters program and was able to get my 150 credits as well as a masters in accounting in 4 years and 3 months.

Hope this helps!
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Alexandra’s Answer

Hi! I was in the same boat as you a few years ago. I graduated with accounting for both my undergraduate and my masters. I decided to stay at my school and do a one year accelerated masters program to complete the 150 credits (so 5 years of schooling total). This was the best decision I have ever made as I was able to use that time to study for the CPA exam. I would say that my biggest piece of advice would be to try and get the CPA done before starting work (if you plan to stay in accounting). There are so many opportunities with the accounting major and it would be a great building block for any type of business related career. Best of luck!
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