New Jersey Accounting Requirements

First time candidates must:

  • Be at least 18 years of age;

  • Be of good moral character;


Candidates who graduate prior to July 1, 2000 must possess a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution, or its equivalent, based upon a curriculum that includes a minimum of 60 semester hours selected from courses in English, history, foreign languages, mathematics, general psychology, science, geography, fine arts and music; and a minimum of 60 semester hours in professional courses including at least 24 semester hours in accounting; at least 6 semester hours in business law; at least 6 semester hours in finance; at least 6 semester hours in economics; and at least 18 semester hours in related business subjects.

Note: Candidates applying under this rule must have completed ALL of these requirements before July 1, 2000.

Candidates who graduated prior to July 1, 2000 can be licensed under these educational requirements.

Candidates who graduated after July 1, 2000 may sit for the exam with a Bachelors degree earned at a regionally accredited University and 120 semester hours. However, these candidates are required to meet 150 semester hours, and meet one of the following four conditions before they can be licensed.

Earned a graduate degree with a concentration in accounting from an accounting program or department which has been granted level three accreditation by the American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), the Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP), or any other national accreditation agency recognized by the Board;

2. Earned a graduate degree from a business school or college of business which has been granted level two accreditation by the AACSB, AACSP or other national accreditation agency recognized by the Board:

  • A. At least 24 semester hours in accounting at the undergraduate level

or

  • B. At least 15 semester hours in accounting at the graduate level which included course work in financial accounting, auditing, taxation and management accounting.


Or an equivalent combination of graduate and undergraduate hours

3. Earned a baccalaureate degree from a business school or college of business which has been granted level two accreditation by AACSB, ACBSP or any other national accreditation agency recognized by the Board, and completed the following:

  • A. At least 24 semester hours in accounting at the undergraduate level or the graduate level, which included course work in financial accounting, auditing taxation and management accounting; and

  • B. At least 24 semester hours in business courses (other than accounting courses) at the undergraduate level.



4. Earned a baccalaureate or higher degree from an educational institution which has been granted level one accreditation from the Middle States Association, Commission on Higher Education or any other regional accrediting agency recognized by the Board. The applicant shall complete the following:

  • A. At least 30 semester hours in accounting, which included course work in financial accounting, auditing, taxation and management accounting; and

  • B. At least 24 semester hours in business courses (other than accounting courses) at the graduate or undergraduate level.



Note: Candidates with foreign degrees earned after July 1, 2000 and candidates who have graduated from institutions that are NOT accredited by AACSB or AACSP will qualify under this rule.

Candidates who have obtained Accountancy Qualifying Certificates (AQCs) from the Bureau of Academic Credentials in Trenton should forward the original AQC's with their applications. They need NOT arrange to have their official transcripts forwarded to CPA Examination Services. Reminder: The Bureau of Academic Credentials does not provide copies and/or original AQCs.

New Jersey Candidates with foreign credentials must have credentials evaluated only by:

Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc.
PO Box 514070
Milwaukee, WI 53203-3470
Tel: (414) 289-3412
Fax: (414) 289-3411
www.ece.org

Official transcripts and/or ECE evaluations must be received directly from academic institutions at the time of application. Candidates whose credentials have been evaluated by ECE may submit notarized photocopies of ECE evaluations (a subject analysis evaluation) with their applications.

For more information, click here to visit the New Jersey State Board of Accountancy.

Click Here to Download a List of Post University Courses That Can Be Used to Meet New Jersey's Course Requirements

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