How Long Does It Take to Become a CPA?

Quick Answer

Becoming a licensed Certified Public Accountant (CPA) takes 5–7 years from the start of your college education. The three main requirements are education (150 semester hours), passing the four-part CPA exam, and gaining supervised work experience. Most states require all three before granting your license.

Timeline Breakdown

Step	Duration	Details
Bachelor's degree	4 years	Accounting or related business major
Additional coursework (to reach 150 hours)	0–1 year	Master's degree or extra undergrad courses
CPA exam preparation	3–6 months	Self-study or review course
CPA exam (4 sections)	6–18 months	Must pass all four within a rolling window
Supervised work experience	1–2 years	Varies by state (some allow concurrent with exam)

The 150-Hour Requirement

Nearly every state requires 150 semester credit hours of education to become a CPA — 30 more than a standard bachelor's degree. You can meet this requirement through:

• A master's degree in accounting or business (most common path)
• A 5-year combined bachelor's/master's program offered by many universities
• Additional undergraduate courses beyond your bachelor's degree
• Community college credits in some states

Some states allow you to sit for the CPA exam at 120 hours but require 150 hours before issuing the license.

The CPA Exam

The Uniform CPA Examination consists of four sections:

Section	Content	Exam Length
AUD (Auditing and Attestation)	Audit procedures, ethics, reporting	4 hours
FAR (Financial Accounting and Reporting)	GAAP, government and nonprofit accounting	4 hours
REG (Regulation)	Tax law, business law, ethics	4 hours
TCP (Tax Compliance and Planning)	Tax compliance across entity types	4 hours

You must score 75 or higher on each section. Most candidates take 12–18 months to pass all four sections, though highly motivated candidates have done it in as few as 3–6 months. You must pass all sections within an 18-month rolling window — if you take too long, earlier passed sections expire.

First-time pass rates per section hover around 45–55%, so many candidates need to retake at least one section.

Work Experience Requirements

Most states require 1–2 years of supervised accounting experience under a licensed CPA. This can include work in:

• Public accounting firms (audit, tax, advisory)
• Corporate accounting departments
• Government accounting agencies
• Nonprofit organizations

Some states allow you to accumulate experience hours while studying for and taking the CPA exam, which can shorten the overall timeline.

Costs to Become a CPA

Expense	Typical Cost
Bachelor's degree (4 years)	$40,000–$160,000
Additional coursework or master's	$10,000–$60,000
CPA review course	$1,500–$3,500
CPA exam fees (4 sections)	$800–$1,200
License application fee	$50–$200
Total (beyond tuition)	$2,350–$4,900

Tips to Get Your CPA Faster

• Enroll in a 5-year bachelor's/master's program to reach 150 hours efficiently
• Start the CPA exam before graduating if your state allows sitting at 120 credit hours
• Use a structured review course — Becker, Roger, Surgent, and Gleim are popular choices with 80%+ pass rates for prepared candidates
• Study full-time if possible — candidates who study 20+ hours per week pass sections faster
• Take your hardest section first to maximize your rolling window for retakes
• Work at a firm that supports CPA candidates — many offer paid study time and exam fee reimbursement

Is It Worth It?

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, CPAs earn a median salary of approximately $79,000, with senior CPAs and partners at large firms earning well into six figures. The CPA credential also opens doors to controller, CFO, and advisory roles that non-CPAs cannot access.