CPA licensure: Countless career paths

Careers in accounting expand beyond recording journal entries, filing taxes, or auditing.

Jake Nix, CPA, uses his accounting expertise to complete IT systems audits and strengthen cybersecurity measures. Mallory Vincent, CPA, enjoys fostering relationships with her clients and becoming the trusted adviser they rely on.

When Jaynitsa Paul, CPA, first considered accounting, she thought it would be all about money and math. What she found was that the profession was much more. “To my surprise, I have never dealt with money,” said Jaynitsa, senior manager, Risk Advisory Services at Bennett Thrasher LLP. “As an accountant and CPA, my career has primarily been around research, accounting research, and doing a lot of writing, which I’m really good at.”

All three professionals started with degrees in accounting or business and were pleasantly surprised with how their accounting careers unfolded. But earning an accounting degree was just their first step — they each went on to earn CPA licensure.

In the on-demand webinar “Accounting Major vs. CPA: Understanding the Difference — and the Opportunities,” three accounting professionals share their experiences and discuss the differences between an accounting degree and CPA licensure, as well as the opportunities associated with each path.

An accounting degree builds your foundation, while CPA licensure proves your expertise and gives employers and clients confidence in what you bring to the table.

Why pursue licensure?

After graduating with your degree, earning a CPA license sets you apart in a competitive job market.

“When I found out about the CPA license, I knew it was going to be part of my plan,” Jaynitsa said. “Knowing that the CPA license is the highest designation within this profession, I knew that was what I wanted to achieve.”

The addition of the license unlocks different career opportunities, expands long-term career flexibility, provides authority for certain services, and establishes credibility and trust.

Jake’s professors at Bowling Green State University in Ohio recommended that earning the CPA license would be the best way to get value from an accounting degree.

“It was pretty early on in my academic career in accounting that I learned that I wanted to be a CPA,” said Jake, founder and chief growth officer at RISCPoint. “And it’s still the best decision I’ve ever made because it helps you in every aspect of business.”

Earning the CPA license does mean meeting additional requirements, but it’s a signal to employers and clients of a high level of expertise, integrity, and competence.

CPA licensure in the real world

Let’s clear the air: Yes, CPAs can file taxes, but that’s not the only career path for licensed accountants.

When Jake was working at a big firm, he knew of several special agents within the National Security Administration (NSA) who had their CPA licenses. “They got into cybersecurity and ended up being actual forensic investigators with the NSA,” Jake said.

CPAs can pursue a wide range of specialties, including tax, audit, consulting, forensic accounting, technology assurance, financial planning, leadership roles, and many more. They can work in nearly any industry or sector and at firms or organizations of all sizes.

They can work directly with clients, consult with government agencies, own businesses, or even advise athletes or sports agencies.

Mallory, a self-described “tax girl,” does file taxes, but her responsibilities fall within a unique sphere of tax. She’s a senior individual and trust tax manager at Stinson Associates and guides clients through filing tax returns and navigating laws after the passing of a loved one. “It requires a little bit of psychology …,” she said. “I’m reading the verbal and nonverbal cues within a conversation, and the reason I have to be really good at that is I need to know where that person is in the grieving process, as they just lost somebody.”

3 CPAs, 3 unique journeys, 1 powerful license

Earning the CPA license demonstrates that you’ve met the additional standards for knowledge, ethics, and professional experience.

The three professionals describe their CPA licenses differently.

“[The CPA license] is a signal to employers and your potential clients that you have gone above and beyond to master the profession,” Jaynitsa said. She added, “I’m a CPA, and I don’t do taxes.”

For Jake, his license is the basis of his career. “Even though I’m not doing CPA activities every day, day in and day out, it’s still the foundation that really formed me as a professional.”

Mallory, now exploring firm ownership, “didn’t know you actually need to … have a CPA license to own a CPA firm. So, looking back, I’m extremely grateful that I earned my CPA license, because this opportunity wouldn’t even be on the horizon without it.”

Their perspectives highlight what the CPA represents and the possibilities available by earning a CPA license. Your future in accounting starts with understanding your options. Watch this on-demand webinar and learn where an accounting degree and CPA licensure could take you.