Becoming a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) offers high salary potential and stability, but significant drawbacks include extreme, high-stress "busy seasons" with 60+ hour weeks, costly, time-intensive education/exam requirements (~500+ hours of study), and often monotonous, sedentary work. It also involves high liability, with pressure to avoid errors that could damage reputations.
Con: Accounting Can Be Stressful at Times
Accountants are under high “stress during busy seasons, especially during tax season, when the hours can be very long,” says Dr. Machuca. Despite the benefits, an accounting career often brings tight deadlines, long hours, and high volumes of work during the annual tax season.
CPAs are in high demand across all industries, so you'll have excellent job security. You'll also have a competitive advantage over your peers with access to high-profile and global companies. You could even work for a national association or CPA firm. Higher earning potential is another advantage.
How hard is the CPA Exam? From Q1 2024 - Q3 2025, the overall pass rate was just over 50%, which shows that the exam is difficult, but certainly not impossible.
The CPA credential remains a cornerstone of the profession, but new data indicate its prominence is steadily declining. Between 2020 and 2024, the average percentage of staff holding CPA licenses across all firms dropped from 56.0 percent to 48.4 percent.
Monotony and lack of fulfillment
Craving more meaningful projects, creative problem solving and engaging work experience, many accountants leave the field to explore other career options where they can have a deeper sense of purpose and impact.
Can accountants make 300k? Yes, it is possible for accountants to make $300,000 a year or more, especially those working in public accounting or executive finance roles. However, salaries at this high level typically require extensive experience, professional qualifications, and a track record of success.
The CPA Exam. You've heard the horror stories: It's derailed the careers of promising professionals. It's definitely harder than the BAR exam and maybe even some medical board exams. And it's nearly impossible to pass once you're a working professional.
How many people pass all four CPA Exams on the first try? Around 20% of people pass all four parts of the CPA Exam on their first try.
CPA vs CA Difficulty Level
CA is harder in terms of passing rates and time. The pass rate for CA Final is between 1% and 15%. Many students fail due to the vast syllabus and tough papers. CPA is not easy, but the pass rate for each paper is around 50%.
Can you make $500,000 a year as an accountant? It is possible, but labor market data suggests it is rare for accountants to earn such a lofty annual salary.
Absolutely. While public accounting firms highly value CPA certification, corporate employers, government agencies, and non-profit organizations also prefer CPA-certified candidates for senior financial positions. The credential provides credibility and expertise valuable across all sectors.
Comparison between CA and CPA
It is difficult to determine which of these professions offers a higher salary, as the salary of a CA or CPA can vary greatly based on several factors. However, in general, CAs tend to earn slightly more than CPAs in India.
The AICPA/CIMA 2022 Annual Report (https://tinyurl.com/2p8jzfsp) reveals a 7% decrease from 2021 to 2022 for the total number of candidates taking the CPA exam.
How Is the CPA Exam Scored? The Discipline sections (BAR, ISC, TCP) were introduced under the updated (2024) CPA Exam structure. Each section is scored on a scale of 0–99, with a score of 75 required to pass.
The FAR section of the CPA Exam is hard because it's the most comprehensive of the 4 exam sections, and it has a lot of math questions that are mentally taxing to get through. It has the lowest pass rate of all 4 exam sections and is considered the hardest CPA Exam section.
A CPA's salary is often in the high five figures, with senior CPAs in management earning six figures. CPAs work in a variety of sectors, including forensic accounting, tax preparation, auditing, bookkeeping, and information technology, in both the commercial and public sectors, as well as for the federal government.
The short answer is that it is very challenging, but that doesn't mean it's impossible. Far from it—tens of thousands of people pass the CPA Exam every year! To get a better understanding of what you can expect, we're going to explore CPA Exam pass rates, what makes the exam so difficult, and tips on how you can pass.
There is no limit as to the number of times you may repeat a failed section. You may take any unpassed section of the CPA Exam year-round. Your only restriction is waiting to receive your score from a previous attempt of the same section.
If you are just going by comparing the exams, the CPA exam was more difficult than the bar exam. When comparing the undergraduate accounting courses/upper level accounting courses versus law school courses, the law school was more challenging and stressful.
Becoming certified is a lot like getting a law license. It's proof that you've mastered the vital elements of your profession through years of academic and technical training. As a CPA, you'll also have access to jobs with higher authority and responsibility — and you'll enjoy greater career stability.
Top 10 Toughest Exams in the United States
A $400K salary job typically refers to a high-paying position in industries like medicine, law, finance, or technology. These roles often require advanced degrees, specialized skills, and years of experience. Examples include surgeons, top-level executives (CEOs, CFOs), investment bankers, and successful entrepreneurs.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the highest-paying states for CPAs in the U.S. are the District of Columbia, New York, New Jersey, Virginia, and California, with average salaries ranging from $89,000 to $105,000 per year.
How Much Income Do You Need to Be in the Top 20%? The real median household income in the U.S. was around $83,730 in 2024, according to the Census Bureau data published in September 2025. In order to be in the top 20% of income, you'd need to earn double that amount: 175,700 per year.