Yes, you can be called an accountant without a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) license. While "CPA" is a protected title requiring specific state licensure, "accountant" generally describes anyone who records, organizes, and analyzes financial transactions. Non-CPA accountants work in private corporations, public accounting, and non-profit organizations, performing roles like bookkeeper, staff accountant, or tax preparer.
While all CPAs are accountants, not all accountants are CPAs. In fact, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), and CPA licensure data, only about 50% of accountants in the United States are actively licensed CPAs.
Most jobs available to private accountants only require a bachelor's degree, but to work in public accounting, professionals must earn their CPA license. Licensing requirements can vary by state, but they typically include: Additional education – many CPAs earn a master's degree.
Legally anyone can call themselves an 'accountant' – they don't need any qualifications, training or experience. ICAEW Chartered Accountants are trained professionals you can trust.
A bachelor's degree in accounting or a related field is typically required to become an accountant or auditor. Completing certification in a specific field of accounting, such as becoming a licensed Certified Public Accountant (CPA), may improve job prospects.
All CPAs (Certified Public Accountants) are accountants, but not all accountants are CPAs; the key difference is that a CPA has a state license, requiring extra education, experience, and passing the rigorous CPA exam, granting them the legal authority to perform advanced tasks like signing audit reports for public companies, representing clients before the IRS, and acting as fiduciaries, which non-certified accountants generally cannot do. While accountants handle daily financial records and tax prep, CPAs offer broader expertise in complex financial planning, external audits, and regulatory compliance.
The short answer is no. While all states do stipulate at least a bachelor's degree from a higher learning institution and 150 semester hours (225 quarter hours) of earned credit,1 there are five states that do not require your degree to be in accounting: Alaska. Georgia.
Junior Accountant
An entry-level accounting position, usually reporting to any of the higher level accounting positions, or in smaller companies, to the controller. They may or may not have a bachelor's degree, and their main responsibilities will usually include reconciling accounts and preparing preliminary reports.
No, an accounting degree is not useless without a CPA; it opens many doors in corporate, government, and non-profit sectors (like financial analysis, management accounting, and internal audit), but a CPA is often essential for public accounting (especially auditing), high-level management roles (like CFO/Controller), and roles requiring public attestations, with the CPA providing a significant career boost, higher earning potential, and faster advancement, according to Bellevue University, Franklin University, Post University, and SuperfastCPA.
Education requirements for a tax preparer
You don't need the credentials of a CPA or EA to become a tax professional. In fact, many successful tax preparers operate their tax practice without any formal qualifications. However, the IRS advises taxpayers to be selective when choosing someone to prepare their taxes.
You cannot generally represent yourself as a CPA. Some jurisdictions, however, permit you to refer to yourself as a “CPA but not in public practice.” Others, though, do not let you use the title in any form.
And if you've started poking around at job postings, college programs, or professional goals, you might be wondering: Do I need to be a CPA to be an accountant? The short answer? No, you don't! While becoming a CPA is one path in the accounting world, it's not the only one.
It's never too late to become a CPA. In fact, you may find the process more manageable at this stage in life. And, most importantly, you'll still get to enjoy the many benefits of becoming a licensed CPA.
There are several types of accounting fraud that tend to be most prevalent. These include overstating revenues, understating expenses, and misappropriation or misrepresentation of assets.
Apprenticeship overview
BPP's Level 7 Accounting Apprenticeships help you become technically qualified by passing professional exams, whilst developing the complementary skills and behaviours to succeed in your career.
The accounting pyramid organizes accounting-related job titles into a hierarchy that ranks them by responsibilities and deliverables, with bookkeepers at the bottom, accountants in the middle, and the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) at the top.