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How to Become an Accountant

Short answer: To become an accountant, first choose the role you are trying to reach: entry-level accounting support, staff accountant, public accounting, or CPA. Entry-level clerk and assistant roles may be possible through skills, certificates, and job applications, while accountant, auditor, and CPA-oriented paths usually require degree and state-specific CPA planning.

Generate your accounting roadmap Read FAQ

Decision Table

Option	Best for	Timeline	Next step
Accounting support job first	Career changers who need the fastest realistic entry point.	1-6 months	Target accounting clerk, accounting assistant, AP, AR, billing, payroll, or bookkeeping assistant roles.
Staff accountant path	People with an accounting degree, business degree, or enough coursework to meet employer expectations.	3-12 months	Build month-end close, reconciliation, Excel, financial statement, and ERP vocabulary.
CPA-oriented path	People targeting public accounting, audit, tax, licensure, or long-term accounting leadership.	12-36+ months	Separate CPA Exam eligibility from licensure and verify education, experience, and ethics rules with official sources.

What This Means For Your Path

Fastest realistic route

The fastest way to become an accountant is usually not to start with CPA requirements. It is to target the first role you can credibly qualify for, then build toward staff accountant or CPA planning after you have accounting exposure.

No degree: target clerk, assistant, AP, AR, billing, or bookkeeping support roles.
Non-accounting degree: translate office, finance, data, or operations experience.
Accounting degree: target staff accountant, audit, tax, or analyst roles.

When CPA matters

CPA planning matters most if you want public accounting, audit, tax authority, licensure, or long-term accounting leadership. It is usually not required for the first entry-level accounting support job.

Use CPA as a long-term credential decision, not a first-week blocker.
Separate CPA Exam eligibility from CPA licensure.
Verify state-specific rules before paying for extra coursework.

Education expectations differ by role

The word accountant is used loosely in job searches. BLS treats accountants and auditors separately from bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks, and those categories have different common education expectations.

Accountant or auditor: bachelor's degree is typically expected.
Accounting clerk or bookkeeping clerk: some employers accept high school, coursework, or on-the-job training.
CPA: state board rules control exam and licensure requirements.

Step-by-Step Path

Choose the target role family: accounting support, staff accountant, bookkeeping, tax, audit, or CPA.
Compare your current education to the role, not to a generic accounting career ideal.
Build the first skill stack: debits and credits, Excel, reconciliations, AP/AR, financial statements, and accounting software vocabulary.
Create one proof asset: a resume rewrite, small bookkeeping project, reconciliation sample, or coursework transcript summary.
Apply to a narrow set of aligned roles while tracking which requirements appear repeatedly.
If CPA remains a goal, verify state board and NASBA requirements before paying for extra credits or CPA review.

Checklist

Target role chosen before choosing a course or degree.
Current education mapped to entry-level, staff accountant, or CPA-oriented requirements.
Excel and basic accounting practice completed.
Resume rewritten around accuracy, records, numbers, deadlines, systems, and process ownership.
10-20 job postings reviewed for repeated requirements.
CPA requirements verified with official sources if CPA is part of the plan.

Methodology

Accounting PathFinder pages are structured around practical career decisions: target role, current education, accounting coursework, experience, CPA interest, timeline, and budget. CPA-related pages separate general career planning from official exam or licensure eligibility.

FAQ

Can I start an accounting career without a CPA?

Yes. Many entry-level accounting clerk, accounting assistant, AP, AR, bookkeeping, and some staff accountant roles do not require a CPA. CPA is more relevant for public accounting, licensure, audit, tax, and long-term advancement.

Should I get an accounting degree before applying for jobs?

Not always. If your goal is fast entry, a job-first or certificate-first path can make sense. If your goal is CPA eligibility or long-term staff accountant growth, degree and credit-hour planning becomes more important.

Does Accounting PathFinder determine CPA eligibility?

No. The site provides planning guidance only. CPA exam and licensure requirements vary by state and must be verified with the official state board of accountancy, NASBA, and AICPA resources.

What is the fastest way to become an accountant?

The fastest practical route is usually to target accounting clerk, accounting assistant, AP, AR, billing, payroll, or bookkeeping support roles while building Excel and basic accounting proof. Staff accountant and CPA-oriented paths usually take longer because employers or state boards may expect specific education.

Can I become an accountant with a non-accounting degree?

Yes, especially if you can translate business, finance, operations, data, admin, banking, or tax experience into accounting-adjacent proof. For CPA or staff accountant roles, you may still need accounting coursework depending on employer and state requirements.

Sources

Last updated: April 29, 2026