CPA Career Path

Your Future Accounting Career

Accountants are highly skilled and digitally proficient business athletes. They are good communicators with an entrepreneurial and innovative mindset. Accountants actively participate in business decision making, adopt new technologies, maintain risk controls, report and analyze the financial results of the business. Accountants are the elite power athletes of the financial and business worlds!

Accountants can go the extra mile and obtain a license to be a Certified Public Accountant. A CPA license proves your education, skills, and experience. Benefits of a CPA license includes:

• Respect and prestige as a Trusted Advisor
• 10-15% higher salary than regular accountants = a $1 million boost to lifetime earnings
• Competitive edge for leadership positions

This accounting career roadmap explains the difference between accountants and CPAs, and gives examples of the different roles CPAs can have. 

Ready to choose accounting and get your CPA license?

Get Ready: Enroll in the Develop Learning Center

Join KSCPA’s online gamification LEARNING and MENTORING epicenter with training for your best, most vibrant college and career journey. 

Get Set: Master Your Education

Graduate with 150 college credit hours, with a concentration in accounting, at an accredited college or university in Kansas. Be sure to review the education requirements for Kansas well in advance so that you are not surprised at the last minute. 

Go: Pass the CPA Exam

Kansas student residents may sit for the exam up to 60 days before meeting the education requirements. Pass with a score of 75% or higher on the Uniform CPA Exam! We offer scholarships for Exam Prep courses! 

Win: Join KSCPA Backstage

If you’re a CPA in Kansas there’s one group that cares about you - the KSCPA. Getting involved gives you a backstage pass to key leaders and a voice to share your perspectives on decisions impacting our future.