The State of Washington requires that people who want to take the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) examination have completed five years of post-secondary education.
The specific CPA post-secondary requirements are as follows:
- A bachelor’s degree
- At least 225 total college-level, quarter credit hours (150 semester hours)
- At least 36 quarter credit hours (24 semester hours) in business courses
- At least 36 quarter credit hours (24 semester hours) in accounting courses, of which 22.5 quarter credit hours are at the upper level or graduate level.
Requirements to sit for the Uniform Certified Public Accountant Examination vary from state to state. Experience requirements for the certificate also vary from state to state. Therefore, students must obtain current information from the Board of Accountancy within the state from which they seek licensure. To contact the Washington State Board of Accountancy, email customerservice@cpaboard.wa.gov or call 360.753.2586.