Is the CPA exam the hardest exam?

Asked by: Cristobal Wiza  |  Last update: November 7, 2023
Score: 5/5 (53 votes)

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.

Is the CPA exam the hardest professional exam?

The short answer is that the CPA exam is difficult. It is perhaps not the most difficult professional exam (most claim that the CFA exam is harder), but it's definitely not easy. Prepare to spend 300+ hours studying in total.

Is the CPA exam more difficult than the bar exam?

However, if you look at just the exam pass rate for first-time takers, then the CPA exam is harder, with only a 14 - 20% pass rate. This is compared to the 70% pass rate for the Bar Exam.

Is the CPA exam harder than the Nclex?

CPA exam is tougher than the NCLEX and bar exams haha.

Which is the toughest CPA paper?

Get the right CPA study guide and make some progress in your career. According to the survey conducted by NASBA, most of the people said “FAR is the hardest part among all the CPA exam sections.” The CPA-FAR Exam section covers topics like financial transactions, financial statements, GAAP, reporting for nonprofits.

How Hard Are the CPA Exams? | 2022 Pass Rates

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How many people never pass CPA exam?

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%.

Is it common to fail the CPA exam?

Just know that you're not alone—the CPA Exam is hard. The CPA Exam has a pass rate of around 50%. So, though millions of candidates have passed the CPA Exam, many first faced failure along the way. Remember, not passing the CPA Exam doesn't mean you can't do this.

How many people fail CPA Exam first time?

You've probably heard quite a bit of intimidating details about how hard it is — it's long, it requires hundreds of hours of study time, it's so difficult that the average CPA Exam passing rate for first-time candidates is only 50%.

Does a 75 pass the CPA exam?

To pass a CPA Exam section, you must score a minimum of 75. Have you ever wondered how the AICPA calculates your CPA Exam section scores? Scores are reported on a scale that ranges from 0 to 99.

Why is the CPA so hard to pass?

The CPA exam is notoriously difficult for a number of reasons. Overall, it covers an extensive amount of information—everything newly licensed CPAs will need to know to perform their jobs well. And each section of the exam has its own unique challenges.

Is CPA harder than law?

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.”

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.

What's the hardest professional exam?

Top 10 Hardest Exams in the World
  • Civil Services Exam (CSE)
  • GATE.
  • GRE.
  • Master Sommelier Diploma Exam.
  • ICAI CA Exams.
  • CCIE (Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert)
  • Mensa International.
  • CFA.

What is the easiest CPA exam to take first?

What is the easiest part of the CPA exam? BEC has the highest pass rate and is considered the easiest CPA exam section.

What is the hardest accounting exam in the world?

CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst)

The Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) test is often regarded as the most rigorous and harsh exam in the area of finance.

What is the easiest US CPA exam?

So, we know that BEC is widely considered to be the easiest CPA exam, but where are the other CPA exam sections in order of difficulty? After BEC, the next easiest CPA exam is Regulation (REG). At 60.7%, it has a similar pass rate to BEC (based on the most recent cumulative results).

What age do most people pass CPA Exam?

CPA Exam Rate by Age

As per the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA), the average age of qualified candidates in 2016 was 28.9 years at one of the examinations. In 2015, a NASBA report observed that the mean age of successful candidates was 29, with the median age being 25 years.

How many times can you retake CPA Exam?

How many times can I retake the CPA exam? You can retake it as many times as you want, but you can only take each section once per testing window.

What is a perfect score for CPA?

According to the AICPA, the minimum requirement of passing a CPA exam is 75 points in each section. The exam is scored out of 99, so the maximum/highest score can be 99 in each exam section.

What is the average age of a CPA?

Certified public accountant demographics research summary.

There are over 478,783 certified public accountants currently employed in the United States. 56.8% of all certified public accountants are women, while 43.2% are men. The average certified public accountant age is 43 years old.

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 state has the highest pass rate for the CPA exam?

In 2019, the jurisdictions with the highest pass rates were: Utah (66.0%), Wisconsin (63.4%) and Iowa (62.2%).

How many hours to study for CPA retake?

You only need 2-6 weeks to study for this retake assuming you can put in around 15-20 hours per week of CPA exam study time. The less time you give yourself and the higher intensity you study the better. This will help you avoid burnout.

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.

Do you have to pay again if you fail CPA Exam?

All re-examination candidates are required to pay the CPA Exam retake fees, which include both the re-application and examination fee. Fees will vary based on the state you are seeking CPA licensure in.