Training and Education

A Certified Public Accountant, or CPA, must earn at least a bachelor’s degree in order to find employment. In some cases, it is necessary to earn a master’s degree in order to be hired as an accountant.

Earning a certification or license through the State Board of Accountancy is also necessary in order to become a Certified Public Accountant. Most states require a degree in order to become certified as an accountant, though some will allow experience to substitute for a certain amount of schooling. It is also necessary to take an examination in order to become a Certified Public Accountant. The examination lasts for two days and only about 25% of those that take the test pass it each year.

Job Description

A Certified Public Accountant is responsible for a number of activities, including providing accounting services, auditing services, consulting, and tax help to clients. The clients an accountant may service include individuals, government agencies, corporations, and nonprofit organizations.

In some cases, an accountant will concentrate in just one area within the accounting field. For example, an accountant that focuses on tax matters may advice companies about various tax advantages and disadvantages that will result from certain business decisions. An accountant focusing on taxes will also prepare tax income returns.

An accountant may also specialize in the design of data-processing or accounting systems, in providing advice regarding employee health care benefits and compensation, and in the selection of controls for safeguarding assets. An accountant may also audit the financial statements of a client and vouch on their behalf for the correctness of financial statements.

Salary and Job Outlook

According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, job opportunities for an accountant are expected to grow faster than the average occupation. This is primarily because laws will continue to change and, therefore, businesses will require the services of an accountant to ensure they are following the rules and using them to their fullest advantage. The Bureau reports that the median annual salary for an accountant in 2004 was $50,770.