Can You Become a CPA Without an Accounting Degree

Thinking of becoming a CPA but not sure if you could do it without an accounting degree? We get it: it’s a stable, high-paying job, two things that are getting harder and harder to come by in today’s economic climate.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, accountants and auditors earn a median salary of over $80,000 a year, and licensed CPAs usually earn well above that. Compare that with software engineering: salaries often land in the same range or higher, but the barrier to entry is not just higher, it actually keeps rising every year. Competition is global, technical interviews can be brutal, and skill requirements change every couple of years as programming languages and frameworks evolve. By comparison, the CPA route, while still demanding, is clearer: you rack up the credit hours, pass the exam, and meet the experience requirement. Plus, there's a shortage of CPAs, so if you become one, you're pretty much set for the future.

We’re not saying it’s easy, but it sure is more structured than trying to break into tech or land a high-paying role in medicine or law, where the timelines and costs are significantly steeper. With all of that in mind, it’s fair to ask: Do you absolutely need an accounting degree to get there?

Short answer is: no. Longer answer: Well, that requires unpacking a few details about educational pathways, licensing rules, and alternative routes that still put you in the running.

The Basics: What the CPA Boards Care About

Every state board sets its own rules, but most follow a similar framework: 150 credit hours of higher education, with a certain portion dedicated to accounting and business coursework, plus passing the CPA Exam and meeting an experience requirement.

The most important thing to understand here is this: the degree itself isn’t the issue. You could have a degree in English, biology, or economics, it doesn’t matter. What matters is whether you can show the credits and coursework to satisfy CPA education and licensing requirements.

So technically, you don’t need a bachelor’s in accounting. You do, however, need to find a way to stitch together the right credits in accounting and business law, auditing, taxation, and related areas. And that’s where it gets interesting for non-accounting majors.

One more planning factor: calibrate your study roadmap to the CPA exam’s difficulty, especially if your accounting coursework is pieced together across programs. Understanding the new Core (AUD, FAR, REG) plus discipline sections, the mix of MCQs and task-based simulations, and typical pain points like timing can help you schedule credits and prep efficiently. For a concise breakdown of sections, question types, and strategies to manage time pressure, see this guide.

Post-Baccalaureate Certificates

One straightforward path is a post-bacc certificate in accounting. These programs are designed for people who already have a bachelor’s in another discipline, like finance, economics, or even history, and want to qualify for the exam. The appeal is efficiency: you don't have to repeat general education courses, only take the accounting core. Universities structure them with CPA eligibility in mind, often covering 24 to 30 credit hours.

What about the costs? They vary widely, from $5,000 to $30,000, depending on the institution. You may think this is a lot, and it is, but it's still cheaper than pursuing an entirely new bachelor’s degree. The timeline usually runs 12–18 months full-time, longer if you’re working while completing the program.

Community College Coursework

Some people prefer to patch credits together at the local community college. It’s cheaper—often under $150 per credit hour—and flexible, since you can pick specific courses to fill gaps in accounting, taxation, or auditing. The downside is that you need to be ultra-meticulous with documentation. State boards expect accredited coursework, and you have to ensure classes transfer cleanly into the eligibility checklist.

This approach works best if you already have a bachelor’s in something business-adjacent and only need a handful of targeted credits.

Online Modules and University Extensions

Online education has made things less rigid. UCLA Extension, Penn State World Campus, and some other schools offer accounting modules you can complete remotely. In some, you can pay per course, which makes budgeting easier. Plus, asynchronous learning means you can pace yourself around work deadlines or personal commitments.

But be careful: not every online module is equal in the eyes of a state board. You want to look for accredited universities offering transcripted credit, not just “completion certificates.” A $300 online course without credit won’t help when your application is under review.

Employer-Supported Learning

If you already work in finance or consulting, your firm may subsidize the cost of additional coursework. Big Four firms, for instance, have tuition assistance policies for staff aiming to qualify for the CPA. Smaller firms are increasingly open to structured reimbursement too, partly because it helps them retain ambitious employees.

This option lightens the financial load, but it also requires aligning your study plan with your employer’s needs. In practice, that means longer timelines: you may only take one or two classes per semester while balancing work.

Costs, Timelines, and Realistic Expectations

Here’s the rough math:

  • Post-bacc certificate: $5,000–$30,000, 12–18 months
  • Community college patchwork: $3,000–$7,000 depending on credits needed, flexible timeline
  • Online university extensions: $5,000–$15,000, can overlap with work schedule
  • Employer-supported options: Out-of-pocket costs are much lower, timeline longer.

You should also factor in exam fees (roughly $1,000, including application and test sections) and review materials ($2,000 on average). Overall, it’s not cheap, but it's more than likely you'll find the return on investment worthwhile. AICPA surveys consistently show CPAs earning 10–15% more than non-credentialed accountants in comparable roles.

What If You Don’t Want the 150 Credits?

Not everyone is ready to tackle the credit-hour marathon. If you’d rather avoid that, the Certified Management Accountant (CMA) might be a better fit.

CMA requirements are lighter on academic specifics: you need a bachelor’s degree in any field, plus two years of professional experience in management accounting or financial management.

The CMA focuses more on corporate finance, decision analysis, and strategy than on public audit or tax compliance. For some careers, it’s just as powerful as the CPA—especially in global companies and industries where strategy and analysis matter more than tax compliance.

Conclusion

You can absolutely become a CPA without an accounting degree, but that doesn't mean it's easy. You need to think about your existing credits, financial resources, and time commitment.

You have options, though. A formal certificate may streamline the process, but for a more budget-friendly option, you can also piece together courses. And if the 150-hour requirement feels overwhelming, professional alternatives like the CMA give you career leverage without the same educational barrier.

The critical point is flexibility. The system is designed to assess competencies, not police majors. So if you can show the right mix of credits, pass the exam, and complete the experience requirement, your undergraduate degree (whether it’s in English literature or mechanical engineering) won’t disqualify you.