All states require at least one year’s worth of work experience. As with everything else, what this entails varies from state to state. This goes for the number of hours that are determined as ‘one year’s worth of work, as well as the type of work experience that is acceptable to the Board. Below, we have provided an overview of the general types of work that qualifies as experience, as well as a breakdown of the experience requirements per state.

What Type of Work Qualifies for CPA Work Experience?

Some state boards specify the type of work that they consider to be acceptable, while others do not. In general, they do follow these basic specifications:

  • They should be in the areas of auditing and accounting. This usually includes attest, compilation, management advisory, financial advisory, tax or consulting skills
  • They usually accept work experience that is required from government, industry, public practices, and often academic positions as well
  • They will be supervised and verified by a CPA with a valid US license
  • Some states, such as Massachusetts, also require that the type of experience and date of acquisition also be recorded
  • They can usually be acquired by combining different jobs
  • Some states, such as Georgia, require that the experience be uninterrupted, barring acceptable breaks such as illness, maternity leave, involuntary termination of employment, military leave or similar
  • They can be acquired either before or after taking the exam

As always, there are states with exceptions, so it is best to clarify with each board beforehand. One way to figure this out is through looking at the stipulations listed on the state’s ‘Experience Verification’ form. Another is to look at their Accountancy Laws and Statues. We have provided links to these in our outline of each state’s CPA requirements where we could find them.

What is the Work Experience Requirement per State?

State

Experience Requirement

Part-time

Alabama

1 or 2 years

No

Alaska

2,000

Up to 4 years

Arizona

2,000

Yes

Arkansas

2,000

Up to 3 years

California

2,040

Yes

CNMI

2,000

Up to 3 years

Colorado

1,800

Up to 3 years

Connecticut

2,000

Up to 3 years

Delaware

2,000

Up to 3 years

District of Columbia

2,000

Up to 3 years

Florida

2,080

Up to 2 years

Georgia

2,000

No

Guam

2,000

Up to 5 years

Hawaii

1,500

No

Idaho

2,000

Up to 3 years

Illinois

1,500 / 2,000

Up to 4 years

Indiana

2 years

No

Iowa

2,000

Up to 3 years

Kansas

2,000

Up to 3 years

Kentucky

2,000

Up to 5 years

Louisiana

2,000

Up to 3 years

Maine

2,080

Yes

Maryland

2,000

Up to 3 years

Massachusetts

2,000

Up to 3 years

Michigan

2,000

Up to 5 years

Minnesota

2,000

Up to 3 years

Mississippi

1 year

Up to 3 years

Missouri

2,000

Up to 3 years

Montana

2,000

Up to 3 years

Nebraska

4,000

No

Nevada

2 years

No

New Hampshire

1,500

2,080 hours

New Jersey

1,750

Up to 2 years

New Mexico

2,000

Up to 3 years

New York

1,820

20 hours per week

North Carolina

1,560

Yes

North Dakota

2,000

Up to 4 years

Ohio

2,000

Yes

Oklahoma

1,800

Up to 4 years

Oregon

2,000

Yes

Pennsylvania

1,600

Up to 60 months

Puerto Rico

1,820

Up to 3 years

Rhode Island

1,820

Up to 3 years

South Carolina

2,000

Yes

South Dakota

2,000

Up to 3 years

Tennessee

2,000

Up to 3 years

Texas

2,000

Up to 2 hours

Utah

2,000

No

Vermont

2,080

Up to 4 years

Virgin Islands

2,000

Up to 3 years

Virginia

2,080

No

Washington

2,000

Up to 8 years

West Virginia

1 year

Up to 4 years

Wisconsin

1 year

Up to 5 years

Wyoming

2,000

Up to 4 years

Can I Earn My Work Experience Part Time?

As we can see from the above table, most states permit it, while others do not. Those that do usually permit the requirements to be met within 1 – 3 years prior to the application for licensure. As always, exemptions may be made for special considerations such as natural disasters, military service, illness and maternity leave.

Is it Possible to Get a CPA Without Work Experience?

No. All states require some work experience prior to licensure. The best that you can try for is a state like Illinois with a 1,500 hour requirement. However, like all states, these require you to earn this within a minimum timeframe of one year. But you can try to get this experience while you are still studying, as most states recognize internships.

Are There Jobs for Accounting Students?

Yes, there are jobs for accounting students. For instance, bookkeepers do not require degrees, and there are usually assistant or internship positions in educational institutions or firms. If you are looking for work in order to use them towards your CPA license, then it is best to confirm that the Board accepts internship positions beforehand. There are some states that even recognize unpaid internships towards experience requirements, but that would probably not be ideal for most people. It is also a good idea to confirm that the Board allows for work experience to be acquired prior to passing the CPA exam. Many job platforms such as Indeed.com and glassdoor.com  also list jobs that are specifically for accounting students as well.