What accountant training or certification is necessary for a career in accounting?
Professional recognition through certification or licensure provides a distinct advantage in the job market. All CPAs must have a certificate and the partners in their firm must have licenses issued by a state Board of Accountancy. The vast majority of states require CPA candidates to be college graduates, but a few states substitute a number of years of public accounting experience for the college degree. Nearly all states require CPAs and other public accountants to complete a certain number of hours of continuing professional education before their licenses can be renewed. Voluntary certification can attest to professional competence in a specialized field of accounting and auditing. Graduates from accredited colleges and universities who have worked for two years as internal auditors and have passed a four-part examination may earn the designation Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) from the Institute of Internal Auditors.
