The CPA profession is working on a project to modernize the CPA Certification Program, which is essential to preparing future CPAs to navigate a fast-changing economic, technological, and social environment.
Following environmental scanning, research, and consultation with more than 4,000 stakeholders across the country, the profession has developed a new CPA Certification Program that builds on the critical thinking, analytical skills, accounting competencies, and ethical mindset CPAs have always been known for—and adds new skills relevant to the world today.
Through this new CPA Certification Program, CPAs will continue to meet the profession’s high standards through education, experience, and comprehensive, competency-based assessments. There will continue to be common standards of entry to the profession, including practical experience requirements and successfully completing all three parts of comprehensive, summative assessments. In short, the path to becoming a CPA will remain rigorous, and the high standards expected of CPAs will continue in these future generations.
Though the design phase has been completed, there is still much work to be done, and it is anticipated the earliest the new program will be available is early 2027.
