Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and Certified Management Accountant (CMA)

Most students pursuing a career in accounting will find it beneficial to obtain a CPA and/or a CMA license. To become a CPA and/or a CMA, one must meet eligibility requirements and pass rigorous examinations.

A CPA license is required for those entering public accounting.  Plan ahead and apply at least 3 months before taking the exam even though the official websites estimate a shorter processing time.

The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) administers the The Uniform CPA Examination, and maintains a separate website on the CPA examination and certification.

To become licensed as a CPA in Wisconsin, contact the State of Wisconsin Department of Regulation & Licensing.  The site provides information about educational requirements.  This licensing board is the final authority on all licensing matters, they use CPA Exam Services at 1-800-cpa-exam to determine if students are eligible to sit for the exam (more specifically, determining the validity of a student's 150 hours - such as whether or not to count Retro credits towards the 150 hours)

The Institute of Management Accountants administers the Certified Management Accountant licensing process.

Other licensing opportunities exits, check out the American Accounting Association Superlink Site for more information.

Many on-line sites have detailed information about accounting licenses.