Education

The Pathway and Benefits to Earning A CPA Degree

March 27, 2021

Do you know the CPA degree benefits? If you are looking at a rewarding career as a CPA know that you must have a strong background in math and finances to help manage larger-than-typical assets. You will find an experienced and seasoned CPA working for larger companies and private individual citizens who have substantial wealth to help manage money in an ever-changing world of finances. Every state across America is host to a large group of degreed CPAs such as found in this Austin CPA.

Know that as a CPA it is within your expertise to solve your clients’ financial problems before these problems materialize. You will be a form of an accountant. However, your knowledge and expertise will go beyond the training and expertise of an accountant. Anyone who is excellent with numbers and can organize finances can call themselves an accountant and not have a CPA degree. Not all accountants earned a CPA degree or certification. Only once you go to school and earn your CPA degree can you become this professional in the world of finance. Your CPA degree designates you as a seasoned CPA through experience, licensing, and ongoing education. A CPA degree opens many more doors of opportunity, bonuses, job perks, and a higher salary.

The Duties of a Degreed CPA

You may think you know what a CPA does, but when you find out the true facts you are pretty off target. Corporations and even private citizens hire a CPA for the following duties.

Tax Preparation
Preparation of financial statements
Help clients with financial planning
Perform internal auditing
Help businesses increase profits.
Explore the client’s financial problems to understand what is wrong with current accounting, also known as forensic accounting.
Must have a strict code of ethics adhering to compliance
Works as a business advisor
Can be called upon to make critical business decisions
Works as a consultant for various business entities but not limited to financial and banking institutions, nonprofit organizations, government branches, private individuals, large corporations, and small businesses.
Must advise in all aspects of strategic and financial arenas
Fraud auditing
Searches and reports to appropriate entities any found and substantiated criminal activities
Must have strong computer and security skills to design advanced digital systems
Attuned to international accounting in international trade and regulations
A focus on environmental issues assuring compliance

Expect the Following for a CPA Career

Complete a higher education in the field of accounting
Gain professional work experience
Must have at least 150 semester hours of higher education before taking the required exam for licensing.
Sit for and pass the four sections of an exam known as the Uniform CPA Examination, a difficult test to pass developed by the American Institute of CPAs. This test records just under 50 percent of students passing the exam in its entirety. Must have the basic knowledge to pass this exam and expect its cost to be $1,000 or more.
Study and review the degree program such as found in Franklin’s Accounting Curriculum which is simply an example course of what is needed to obtain your CPA degree. There are many other reputable and award-winning universities offering the same type of program, although costs may fluctuate.
Expect to pay up to $3,000 or more for self-study courses.
Possible financial aid if you are a veteran
Learn competencies that prepare you for an ever-changing career
Learn academic theory and real-world problems and solutions

Each state performs its individualized licensing for Boards of Accountancy. The CPA must obtain their license from the state they reside in before calling themselves a CPA and finding work in this rewarding career. This CPA knows that as a CPA holding this degree, you can find many CPA doors of opportunity open to you such as in the following jobs.