cpa exam cost

This is a non-refundable, one-time fee that you will pay directly to the state board. CPA Exam cost can be broken down into the fees you’ll pay to sit for the examinations plus the expenses of preparing for it. The additional cost of preparing for the CPA Exam will depend on your choice of CPA review course plus extra expenses based on your study commitment. Let’s look together at what you should budget for your total CPA Exam cost, including ways you can save. Passing the CPA Exam requires you to invest time, effort, and money. The amount of time and effort you’ll have to put in depends on your educational background and where you are in your career. When it comes to the CPA Exam cost, the major inputs are the fees you pay to your state board, NASBA, and Prometric; your CPA Exam review course; and any additional services you may need.

cpa exam cost

Up to four semester hours, or the equivalent in quarter hours, of graduate income tax courses completed in law schools may count toward the semester hour requirement of Paragraph of this Rule. Currently, the average pass rate for any given section of the exam is about 50%, which is a great indicator of the exam’s difficulty. Review Courses have been preparing accounting professionals to pass the exam for years.

Save $1,150 Off Becker CPA Pro+

Your selection will be electronically transmitted to NASBA by the CBA. Once NASBA receives your section fees you will have a period of nine months to sit for your selected sections or the section fees will be forfeited. Therefore, when making your sections selection, you should consider choosing the number of sections that you anticipate sitting for within this nine month period. Once you pay NASBA for your selected sections, you may not add or remove examination sections.

You should consider requesting an appeal only if you want to review your incorrect responses because you believe that there is a question or simulation problem that you would like to challenge. Prometric’s ProScheduler is the best way to schedule an Examination appointment . Using the scheduler provides you 24-hour access to scheduling and avoids any “on hold” waiting time, and you instantly receive a detailed confirmation of your appointment (on-screen and via email). Additionally, be ready to identify the dates, times, and locations where you want to take each section. If you do schedule more than one section on the same day, please be aware that the online appointment system does not warn you of overlapping appointment times. It is your responsibility to ensure you have not scheduled overlapping times and have allowed enough time between sections for the check-in process.

Save $300 Off Blueprint LSAT Live Courses

Housekeeping, ordering dinner out, and additional childcare could cost you hundreds more every month. Most of the state boards charge a registration fee when you schedule an exam. Some states are as low as $50 per while other states that want to make a buck off of you charge upwards of $500 per year. You will have to pay this fee for eternity in order to maintain your license and practice public accounting.

  • After becoming a fully licensed CPA, you will need to complete a certain number of continuing education hours per year to maintain your license.
  • While you might not need an accounting specific degree, most states require you to have completed at least 150 credit hours of education (usually a Bachelor’s Degree is around 120 credit hours).
  • You simply need to contact NASBA within 48 hours of the missed exam, and they will allow you to reapply for a new notice to schedule.
  • A CPA exam is a 14-hour computer-based test, which accountants have to undergo to become a Certified Public Accountant.
  • As with so many good things in life, the CPA certification is not free.
  • If you will be taking the CPA Exam in Guam or an international location such as one of the nine testing sites in Europe, you will need to pay an additional fee when you register.

After you have successfully completed all four sections of the CPA exam and you have completed the AICPA ethics exam, you will need to pay your CPA licensing fees to your state board. You will also have to pay a registration fee when you sign up for a section depending on your state. These costs are typically arranged in a tiered fashion allowing you to save money by signing up for multiple sections at one time. Even before you pay any actual CPA exam fees, you should purchase a CPA review course. It is possible to study for the exam without one, but it’s way more difficult and you are way more likely to fail multiple times without a real study guide. Testing windows are the time reserved for the CPA exam testing. Essentially, these are four periods of time during the year during which applicants can schedule their tests to be taken.

Note that many employers will help cover the costs of becoming certified. Even if yours won’t, this is an investment that will pay for itself many times https://www.bookstime.com/ over throughout your career. The Elite-Unlimited course provides UNLIMITED continuing access to your course materials until you pass the CPA Exam!

As long as you reschedule at least a month in advance, you won’t pay a rescheduling fee, nor will you sit for the exam unprepared and fail. If you wait and panic at the last moment, you may be at risk of forfeiting the fees you’ve already paid. The exception may be when you’ve paid fees to your state board and are found ineligible when you first apply, in which case you might receive a partial refund. You will NOT receive a refund if you are later found ineligible because of misconduct, a change in requirements, or other factors.

Fees

The CPA Exam fees definitely come to more than the CIA exam fees, the CMA exam fees, and the EA exam fees. One of the only other accounting certifications to put up similar costs is the CFA exam. But the many benefits of the CPA, such as the CPA salary, will more than compensate you for your financial investment, so you shouldn’t let the CPA Exam price deter your dreams of becoming a CPA. Also, candidates testing at international locations may have higher examination fees, depending on the jurisdiction. Only 5 state boards don’t let NASBA determine their examination fees, and for some, this considerate move saves candidates money. For others, it’s an opportunity to jack up the prices (I’m still looking at you, Wisconsin). Of the jurisdictions that follow NASBA’s fee schedule example, the application fee ranges from a mere $10 to a monstrous $245 .

All first-time applicants must submit an initial application directly to the Florida Board. To do so, please visit the Florida Board of Accountancy website. You are also advised to read The Candidate Bulletin before submitting your application. Although the initial CPA exam cost and corresponding CPA fees can seem daunting, CPAs can see many advantages throughout their professional lives, including higher potential earnings and additional career opportunities. Most state boards require CPAs to take a certain number of continuing education courses to renew their license. The course eligibility and cost can vary depending on your state. We can help you earn continuing education credits through individual courses and course subscriptions.

Illinois CPA ethics requirement

Two years of public accounting experience under the direct supervision of an actively licensed CPA, PA or Chartered Accountant approved by the Board. When the Board office receives your application, forms to verify experience will be sent directly to your employer. In order to qualify to sit for the Uniform CPA Examination, candidates must meet the following requirements at the time of application. The appeal process provides you with the opportunity to appeal a failing score. The appeal option enables you to view the multiple-choice test questions or objective simulation problems that you answered incorrectly together with their responses and to submit comments online.

  • You may not reschedule if you decide to change your exam date less than 24 hours in advance.
  • After you have made an appointment for a section, you may need to change or cancel an appointment.
  • Below is a breakdown of possible CPA exam fees a candidate may have to pay through his or her state licensing board.
  • For example, if you’ve tried another review course that didn’t work for you, you can save up to$2,200 with our Fresh Start Discount.
  • Before you start studying to become a Certified Public Accountant , it’s important to know how much it costs to take the Uniform CPA Examination and to become a CPA.
  • It is possible to study for the exam without one, but it’s way more difficult and you are way more likely to fail multiple times without a real study guide.

For further reference, our team of experts has purchased and reviewed the best CPA test prep courses on the market today. To aid in your quest for the best prep course for you, check out our Best CPA Review Courses here. There are some paid courses out there that are specifically geared to get you ready to take your CPA exam. They range in price from about $1,500 to nearly $3,500, depending on how long you need it and what you need it to do for you. Whether you’re ready to sign-up or simply contemplating the idea, many folks wonder how much the CPA exam costs. The CPA exam and score release dates are available for the first two testing windows of 2020, which are Q1 and Q2.

Save $125 Off Surgent CIA Review Essentials Pass

Check our State Requirements page to find out your state’s specific CPA Exam fees and requirements or visit your State Board of Accountancy’s website. CPAs must complete a requisite number of continuing education courses to remain licensed. These hours are due based on an annual or biennial basis as determined by your state board. Gleim CPE courses are available for as low as $6 per hour, depending on the package you buy. Gauge how prepared you feel when you’re around a month out from your scheduled exam. If you don’t feel like you will be ready by the time you are supposed to sit for an exam section, rescheduling the CPA Exam may be a money-saving move.

It is very important to know the order of events and the timeline you have to complete the CPA exam in Illinois. If it isn’t an accounting degree, however, you will need sufficient course hours in accounting classes. To do that, you will probably need to take aCPA exam review course.

cpa exam cost

And, you’ll send your money to some of the CPA partners that charge these CPA fees. Reimbursement dollars are available to veterans for expenses related to preparing and sitting for the CPA exam. Veterans qualify for reimbursement of testing expenses up to $2,000.

The work experience requirements are more lenient than most states and allow qualifying part-time and volunteer work. The Board will inform the applicant when the NASBA exam fees can be paid and the applicant may enter the NASBA CPA Exam portal to make the payment.

Of course, this sum could vary based on the CPA Review Course that you choose. Additionally, each state has its own rules and charges, cpa exam cost so this could also result in a higher total cost. You also have to remember that you may not pass on your first attempt.

You can access study materials from the AICPA to prepare for it. Receive a payment coupon from NASBA, which must be used for 90 days and which you will use to pay your exam fees online. Helpful Hint – You should only apply for the sections you anticipate taking during the six-month timeframe of the Notice to Schedule . If you apply for sections and then you do not test for that section, your fees to sit are not refundable. NASBA will bill you for all sections that you indicate on your application and will only issue a Notice to Schedule for those sections after full payment is received.

Educational Hours Required for Exam

If you have an extreme circumstance, you may request an NTS extension or a partial refund of your examination fees under specific circumstances utilizing the Exception to Policy Form. You are able to apply for one or more sections of the examination at a time; however, you are advised to only apply for a section of the examination if you are ready to take it within the next six months. To complete the CPA Exam qualification process, international candidates must have a foreign credential evaluation agency evaluate their transcripts.

Total exam cost varies based on jurisdiction, application, section and re-take fees. A future CPA in Minnesota applying for all four sections at one time can expect to spend about $1,000. An application fee or registration fee is required each time you apply, so be mindful of your schedule to avoid additional fees. It’s recommended that you sign up for as many sections as you feel comfortable taking in a six-month period. You can avoid paying multiple registration fees by sitting for more exam sections in a shorter period of time. You can schedule all four parts of the CPA Exam at one time and receive just one NTS, for example.

How does an international candidate qualify for the CPA Exam?

Also, if you cancel without rescheduling during your current NTS or if you’re marked a no-show, you will not receive a refund of any CPA Exam fees you have paid. Some states may require a background check, which you will have to pay for.

Prices for this service range from $85-$550 depending on how quickly you need the evaluation completed. Fifty-two out of 55 state boards also charge a registration fee. You’ll have to pay this CPA Exam cost if you ever need another NTS.

This would involve paying the CPA exam application fee once again. If you miss your testing appointment without formally canceling or rescheduling with Prometric at least 24 hours in advance, or if you bring the wrong ID or NTS, you will be marked as a no-show. However, if you reschedule before your NTS expires, you will not have to repay the application and examination fees. State boards may give exception to extreme circumstances, so call your board if you believe your situation warrants consideration. The Kentucky Board of Accountancy does not require applicants to take the AICPA ethics exam to get their initial CPA license.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email