The last mile to CPA licensure: Community colleges present one flexible and affordable path

The path to becoming a licensed CPA, like many other professions such as attorneys and engineers, requires courses beyond the standard 120 credit hours in college, an exam, and practical experience. There are many ways to achieve the additional 30 credit hours of education required to become a CPA. The additional 30 carries a great deal of flexibility in terms of which courses can be taken and where – and one increasingly attractive option is to take all or part of the final 30 at a community college.

Significantly less expensive than most standard private or state four-year colleges, the community college option also typically offers easy scheduling, along with remote and online options, which can help students who are working and/or preparing for the CPA exam. What follows is a look at one student’s path from a four-year college to community college and on to a career in accounting. As you consider your path, be sure to check with the state accountancy board in your jurisdiction because specific requirements for CPA licensure and the handling of community college credits varies.

Accounting courses as early as high school freshman year

Connor Lloyd was first exposed to the accounting field in high school, where he took his first introductory course as a freshman. “I always liked it because it was at a simple level, kind of like a puzzle. I saw myself potentially doing that in the future,” he said.

“One of my best friends, his dad was a CPA and he would always talk it up. Combined with that high school experience, I thought, maybe I’ll do that!” That high school dream has been achieved for Connor, who today is working as an Assurance Staff Accountant at Ernst & Young.

Those first high school courses in accounting set the tone for Connor’s career. While not all high schools offer such courses, Connor was fortunate to attend a high school which did. “The first one I took was just introductory, where you run through each of the different statement types and put together trial balances,” he said, describing his sense of satisfaction with those first courses and with his introduction to the accounting profession.

Out of high school and already exposed to the accounting profession, Connor completed his bachelor’s degree at University of Michigan, Dearborn, where he majored in accounting and finance. Initially going with the intent of becoming an engineer and focusing on civil engineering or architecture, Connor changed to accounting and finance in his sophomore year.

“When it came time to pick a career path, I was already thinking ahead to what I would have to do afterward, because I know people usually get MBAs or other licenses.” In Connor’s research and discussions with others in finance and accounting, he came to understand that the requirements for a CPA differed from that of a master’s degree, and the required coursework for licensure (including the additional 30 hours) would present the best option and most optimal outcome for his goal of joining the accounting profession. "In talking to other people in the profession, I learned that honestly, getting a CPA is way more important than an MBA when you’re in public accounting. So I said, okay, that’s the way I could save, not have to do the master’s degree, but still get that pedigree. And the experience and authority that comes with that made sense.”

An affordable option, with a schedule to fit

As is the case with most students, cost was a major factor for Connor. “Education is expensive, and that’s part of the reason I went to Dearborn. I got a scholarship to go there, and since it was a commuter school, I didn’t have to pay for room and board. I was always thinking along the savings route as much as I could.”

Then after graduating from Dearborn with his bachelor’s degree, he still needed an additional 30 hours to qualify for CPA licensure. With several options in front of him, Connor analyzed each option and the economics of it. Options included staying at Dearborn to pursue an MBA or MSA. Many accounting students appreciate the path to a master’s degree, the advanced business courses it offers, and the career benefits it brings – but ultimately, it’s not for everyone and there are other equally valid, attractive, and cost-effective options. Connor decided the most advantageous, from both an academic and economic perspective, was to enroll at Schoolcraft, a regional community college outside of Detroit, Michigan, as a non-degree seeking student. By far the most economical option, Schoolcraft gave Connor some attractive learning opportunities.

A big advantage Schoolcraft offered was remote, online learning. “The independence component of online courses really suited me well. In school, I always learn best by learning on my own. The reason I did the online experience at Schoolcraft was just because I was trying to be as flexible as possible with my schedule. When I was studying for the CPA exam, I didn’t want to be tied down to having to be in class for certain things, and also, there were a few trips I wanted to get in before starting my job. So having that flexibility was helpful. I think the independence, and the flexibility is good.”

Community college presented an attractive alternative

The community college option, in addition to being economical, offered other advantages as well. Connor rounded out his final 30 at Schoolcraft with a mix of accounting courses like Excel and QuickBooks. He later found a QuickBooks course especially useful, even though at EY he moved on to more sophisticated tools. “That was interesting to see how accounting is simplified for people who aren’t in the profession.” A poll of firms conducted in 2023 showed that 99% of firms found data analysis tools and techniques, such as Excel and PowerBI, are valuable competencies for new hires to seek as they complete their educational requirements.

Connor complemented those courses at Schoolcraft with language courses “and just generally, things that make me a little more well-rounded in terms of life skills. If you’re like me and cost-conscious, there are really no downsides to it. Because I came out of it learning these things from cool classes, and I got the credits I needed for a fraction of the price.”