The CPA Exam is widely recognized as one of the most difficult professional exams out there. Many consider it to be harder than the BAR exam, and even rank it as more difficult than many medical board exams.
Non-accountants may question it, but current and aspiring CPAs know all too well just how difficult the exam can be. So it begs the question, why is the CPA Exam so hard?
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What Do CPAs Do?
It helps to keep in mind just how critical the accounting profession is in the business world.
You’re grandma probably just thinks that accountants simply have a “safe desk job” and a fancy calculator. In reality, us real-world CPAs are much more bad-ass than that!
(Real-life CPA getting ready for an account reconciliation)
Having the letters “CPA” after your name signals that you possess the rare combination of skills, abilities and dedication required to work at the highest level of the accounting profession.
How Hard Is the CPA Exam?
Looking at the historical CPA exam pass rates, we can see that the average pass rate per exam ranges between 45-60%. This means that, on average, 1 out of every 2 people taking a given exam section is likely to fail.
With those kind of odds and 4 exam sections to pass, it’s easy to see why folks may not even bother sitting for the CPA exam in the first place.
But what if there was a way to maximize your chances of passing each section of the exam on your first try?
Thankfully, taking a look at why the CPA exam is so difficult will help you understand and avoid the pitfalls that cause many candidates to fail.
Why Is CPA Exam Hard?
By its very nature, the CPA Exam needs to be difficult. It’s the only way to make sure that you meet the high standards that everyone expects from a CPA.
The CPA Exam is unlike any other accounting exam you’ve ever taken. For starters, each section of the exam is 4 hours long and each one covers a mountain of material.
Not only that, but the exam is designed to test a range of different skill sets. This requires an intimate knowledge of the concepts being tested.
Each CPA exam section tests you through a combination of multiple-choice questions (MCQs), task-based simulations (TBSs), and a written communication section (for BEC only).
Task-Based Simulations are Hard
You’ve probably taken countless multiple-choice tests before. However, nothing can really prepare you for the task-based simulations you’ll see on the CPA Exam.
Simulations are designed to, well, simulate scenarios and tasks that CPAs perform in the real world. They’re much more complex than anything you’re used to seeing on an test.
While it may be easier to simply focus on multiple choice questions during your exam prep, set aside adequate time for simulations as well.
Volume of Material
The content covered by the 4 sections of the CPA Exam is both wide-ranging and deep.
The CPA exam is notorious for testing certain topics and concepts very lightly while covering others with much greater frequency and complexity. Unfortunately, there’s no way to tell ahead of time which topics will be emphasized more than others.
As a result, you’ll likely need to over-prepare by making sure you understand more than just the basics of each topic so you can handle whatever gets thrown at you on exam day.
Time Commitment
Your performance on exam day will be directly proportional to how thoroughly you prepare.
How many hours should you study for the CPA exam? It takes most people roughly 80-100 hours to adequately prepare and pass each exam section. That’s roughly 320-400 total hours of study time!
It’s no wonder then that one of the most challenging aspects of CPA exam prep is finding the time to study and sticking to a study schedule.
To make every minute count, choose a CPA review course that matches your learning style. This will keep you engaged and allow you to study as efficiently as possible. Do your research and take advantage of free trials to test the waters on different courses to find the one that’s right for you.
Time Management on Exam Day
No matter how well you prepare and know your material, your time management on exam day is critical. It can easily make the difference between passing and failing.
Since each exam section lasts 4 hours and consists of 5 testlets, plan to devote no more than about 48 minutes to each testlet.
Given their complexity, most candidates find simulations testlets to be far more cahllenging than the MCQ testlets.
I recommend spending no more than ~40 minutes on each MCQ testlet so that you can bank the extra time for the TBSs.
Is the New CPA Exam Harder?
Given that the 2024 CPA exam evolution has not yet been released, it’s impossible to say whether the new exam format will be more difficult. However, we believe that the discipline track format will ultimately have a positive effect on test scores.
These disciplines won’t necessarily be “easy”, but test takers will most likely be choosing a discipline for which they have a strong interest in and/or direct work experience, if not both. Therefore, candidates are likely to either be more engaged in the material or have a deeper knowledge of the subject matter.
Is the CPA Exam Harder Than the BAR?
This question is widely debated. Unfortunately, it’s also very subjective and almost impossible to answer.
The CPA and Bar exams are both extremely rigorous and are widely considered to be among the hardest professional exams in the U.S. That being said, there are some key differences between each exam that may help you determine which one is easier or more difficult.
- Hours needed to qualify for each exam:
- Bar exam: Bachelor’s degree + law school = ~180 semester hours (or more)
- CPA exam: Bachelor’s degree (minimum) with 150 total semester hours
- Testing style / format:
- Bar exam: Intense, 2-day format covering all subject matter (i.e. a “sprint”)
- CPA exam: 4-part exam, usually taken months apart (e.g. a “marathon”)
- Material covered:
- Bar exam: Logic, reasoning, applied knowledge, more written portions. Language-based.
- CPA exam: Numbers-focused. Rules and standards based, requires formulas
- Required study time
- Bar exam: 400-500 hours
- CPA exam: 300-400 hours total
As you can see, both the CPA and BAR exams are quite different and each one is difficult in its own way. The Bar exam does generally have higher barriers to entry between law school requirements and study time. However, it ultimately comes down to the type of student you are.
Students that are very regimented, organized and thrive with order and following rules and standards, the CPA exam is probably going to be an easier exam. For those that enjoy deliberating and weighing nuanced problems or aren’t a “numbers person”, the Bar exam may be easier.
Still, the CPA Exam is Totally Passible!
As the saying goes, anything worth having is worth working hard for. The road to becoming a CPA may not be easy, but it’s certainly worth it.
You may feel discouraged or unmotivated at times. Just remember that the sacrifices you make now to pass the exam will pay dividends throughout your career. You’ll gain instant respect from those around you and signal that you’re smart and dedicated to your craft.
In the social media age there’s certainly no shortage of distractions to knock us off track. Do whatever you can to avoid distractions and prioritize your studying so you can reach your goals.
Just believe in yourself, stick to a study schedule and course that works for you, and knock the exam out of the park!
