Why Become a CPA – Top 5 Reasons on Why You Want to Become a CPA
Why Do You Want to Be a CPA?
Why? Because accountants can earn good salaries with strong upward mobility and flexibility combined with a 7% projected job growth rate through 2030. The most sought-after accountants are CPAs (Certified Public Accountants), accountants who have gone a step further to obtain professional certification.
So, you’re now sold on the great opportunity presented and wondering if being a CPA is a good fit for you. It is good that you are asking that question because being a CPA is not for everyone.
Top 5 Reasons to Become a CPA
Going the extra mile with a CPA license leads to many career benefits. Let’s dive into what those are!
Reason #1 to Become a CPA – Prestige in the Profession
Peers and potential employers alike award CPAs with a high degree of respect and prestige. The CPA credential alone will separate you from non-CPAs with well-earned knowledge and expertise. By completing years of academic training, rigorous testing, and extensive work experience, CPAs are considered the gold standard of accounting.
Reason #2 to Become a CPA – Higher Salary Potential
Salary and benefits are major factors to consider when choosing the right career path for you. Fortunately for CPA candidates, it’s safe to say a CPA certification pays off (literally). According to NASBA (National Association of State Boards of Accountancy), you’ll make 10-15% more if you have your CPA license. View our CPA salary and career guide to learn about what salary you can expect to make as a certified public accountant.
We’ll get into specific job benefits below.
Reason #3 to Become a CPA – Job Flexibility
Because of their education and experience requirements, CPAs can take on a multitude of tasks and responsibilities. This opens the door to an enormous amount of career opportunities in the accounting profession that would not typically be available to someone without the certification.
Some common fields in a CPA career include:
- Cost accounting
- Forensic accounting
- Tax accounting
- Auditing
- Financial analysis
- Business valuation
- IT consulting
- Financial planning
Reason #4 to Become a CPA – Job Security and Growth
The financial world depends on CPAs to offer trusted consulting services to individuals, businesses, and organizations. With this said, CPAs are in high demand and are projected to stay this way for years to come. The Department of Labor and Statistics predicts employment of accountants and auditors will grow on pace with all occupations through the year 2030.
Reason #5 to Become a CPA – Career Satisfaction
To top it all off, CPAs tend to be very pleased with their career. With a great deal of professional freedom, they can choose how and where they work. And for those who wish to travel, the spread of globalization allows CPAs involved in International Financial Reporting Standards the opportunity to explore the world. This professional independence plays a key role in career satisfaction, especially when it’s paired with the rewarding difference CPA professionals make in their clients’ lives.
When Is a Good Time to Get Your CPA?
Earning your CPA is a major commitment, so you may be wondering when the best time is to get started. Typically, three categories of people sit for the exam: students in college, recent graduates, and accounting career professionals. We’ll break these down below.
Three Situations Where People Typically Sit For the CPA Exam are:
Students in College
For college students looking to sit for the CPA exam, know that every state has different requirements to become a CPA that you must meet to sit for a section of the CPA exam. While it’s pretty much impossible to pass the entire exam as a student, you can try to knock out one or two sections before graduating.
Keep in mind that you’re already in the swing of academic life, so buckling down for the first exam won’t feel like a major routine shift, however, it will be a major time commitment, so be prepared.
Recent Graduates
Many recent graduates decide to earn their CPA license to take their careers to the next level, and now is a great time to do it! Whether you’re looking to further your education or increase your salary, recent graduates have the fresh-out-of-college student mindset that makes it easy to transition into the studying groove needed to pass your exams.
To begin, be sure to check your state’s CPA requirements. From there, we highly recommend signing up for a CPA course like the Wiley CPA Review for adaptive support on your exam journey.
Accounting Career Professionals
Earning your CPA license is a great option for experienced accounting professionals looking to take the next step forward in their careers. Being prepared with real-world accounting experience is a great start, however, you may be a bit out of the groove when it comes to studying new material and taking tests. Signing up for a CPA course like the Wiley CPA Review Course can be extremely helpful for those looking to get back into the swing of things.
Wiley CPA Review Course
We understand that the road to CPA exam success looks different for everyone. That’s why we offer affordable courseware that includes the content, tools, practice, and support you need to pass. With adaptive technology, we’ve helped nearly a million candidates earn their CPA.
All Wiley CPA Review Courses examine your aptitude level and adjusts the difficulty of questions to fit your individual needs while also identifying areas where you need to focus your study time.
Why Become a CPA – Summary
So, what are you waiting for? Earning your CPA takes hard work, time, and commitment, but pays off greatly in the long run. To help you get started, we’ve laid out a few helpful resources below.
