How long on average does it take to pass the CPA Exam?

Which is harder CPA or bar?

Just look at the pass rates for first time exam takers. You passed the bar, but the CPA Exam will be much more difficult,” came the advice from my CPA friends. My attorney colleagues had this to say, “Well, after studying for and taking the Bar Exam, the CPA Exam will be a piece of cake for you.”

Which part of CPA Exam is hardest?

Often considered the most difficult exam, Financial Accounting and Reporting (FAR) has had the lowest passing scores of the four exams. The amount of material CPA Exam candidates have to learn for the exam, coupled with the combination of memorization and application, makes this exam more difficult.

How many people pass CPA on first try?

About half of the individuals who take the CPA Exam don't pass on their first attempt. According to the AICPA, the national average pass rate is 45-55%. Cumulative pass rates reported by the AICPA for the calendar year 2021 show that FAR had the lowest pass rate at 44.54% and BEC had the highest pass rate at 61.94%.

What is the hardest to easiest CPA Exam?

FAR had the lowest pass rates, while BEC had the highest. AUD had the second-lowest pass rate, and REG had the second-highest pass rate. Therefore, the pass rates tell us that the hardest section of the CPA Exam is FAR, and the easiest section of the CPA Exam is BEC.

What is the 74 on the CPA Exam?

Your 74 on the CPA Exam does not mean you were one point away from passing. Instead, your 74 means once they determined you failed, they compared your score with other people that failed and determine you performed better than them but still failed.

What is the hardest subject in CPA?

Is the CPA exam curved?

Scores are not curved. When you fail an Exam section, you'll also receive a Candidate Performance Report that assesses your performance on that specific section. CPA Exam scoring is treated with a high level of importance, due diligence, and attention to accuracy.

Why is becoming a CPA so hard?

Ultimately, it isn't any one topic or section that makes the CPA Exam difficult—it's the sheer scope of the exam in its entirety. The CPA Exam has 18 content areas divided into four sections. Within those content areas are almost 600 representative tasks.

How can I pass the CPA in 6 months?

Passing the CPA Exam in 6 months

Students, recent graduates, and people with plenty of time to study should aim to sit for and pass all 4 sections of the CPA Exam in about 6 months. This would have you taking an exam every 6-7 weeks and studying about 22-26 hours each week.

What is the shortest CPA Exam to study for?

There are several reasons why the BEC section is considered the easiest section of the four. In addition to the fact that it covers the least material and is of the shortest of the four exam sections, BEC also does not have any simulation questions; however, it does contain 3 written communication questions.

How do I pass my CPA Exam for the first time?

Is passing the CPA exam a big deal?

CPAs Get Better Opportunities

It doesn't matter whether you are working as a public accountant or an internal accountant at a company. Once you pass your exam, doors will open for you. Public firms will allow you to advance up the hierarchy into senior positions that could even lead to becoming a partner one day.

Is the CPA exam open book?

All tests are open-book. You have three opportunities to take the exam within one year from date of purchase. After submitting your answers, you will receive your score immediately.

Are fewer people taking CPA exam?

The latest figures by the AICPA show that just over 67,000 people took the CPA exam in 2022, down from 72,000 in 2021 and below its forecast of 74,000, according to its annual report. That was the lowest level since the beginning of records for the modern exam in 2006.

Which part of the CPA exam is easiest?

Either way, BEC is considered the easiest part of the CPA exam because it has the highest pass rate. The AICPA highlights one reason BEC is higher is because it is the section most commonly taken last, giving students more experience with test-taking after taking other sections.

What CPA section has the highest pass rate?

Business Environment & Concepts (BEC) CPA Exam Pass Rates

It has the least amount of material and is typically more easy to understand. Historically, the average pass rate of BEC is the highest among all four exam sections.

What happens if you fail one of the CPA exams?

If you did not pass a section of the CPA Exam, you have to wait until the next testing window to retake that section. There are four testing windows each year. The testing window is the first two months of each quarter and the first 10 days of the third month of each quarter.

What state has the easiest CPA requirements?

Colorado's (CO) CPA exam requirements are possibly the most advantageous of all the states. It does not require 150 hours to sit. With no requirement to be a US Citizen, a resident of CO, or a certain age, it makes Colorado one of the easiest states to sit for the CPA exam and become licensed.

Which accounting class is hardest?

Tax Accounting: Usually some of the most difficult classes for an accounting major as they delve into the minutia of tax codes, though this knowledge is a major source of income for accounting graduates.

Is it impressive to be a CPA?

Highly-Esteemed Credential: CPAs are honestly considered as the best in the field of accounting since CPAs are finance professionals who have achieved expertise in areas that are way beyond a general accountant.