Yes, finance majors can get a CPA. A finance degree gets you partway there, but every U.S. licensing jurisdiction expects a specific block of accounting coursework and a total of 150 semester credit hours, which is 30 more than a standard bachelor’s delivers. Close that gap, pass the four-section exam, log supervised experience, and clear an ethics requirement, and the license is yours.
Where a Finance Degree Falls Short
The Uniform Accountancy Act sets the framework most state boards follow, and it asks for two things a finance transcript usually can’t satisfy on its own: 150 semester hours of college credit and a minimum number of upper-level accounting courses covering auditing, cost accounting, financial reporting, and federal taxation.1NASBA. Uniform Accountancy Act 9th Edition General business classes in a finance program won’t count toward that accounting minimum, even when the material overlaps.
For most finance majors, the practical gap is about five to ten additional accounting courses. The courses need to come from a regionally accredited institution, or the board may reject them at the evaluation stage.
There is one place the finance degree helps. Boards also require a block of general business credits, and finance coursework, economics, business administration, and corporate finance all count toward that bucket. Candidates coming from unrelated majors have to build that up from scratch; you likely already have it.
How to Close the Accounting Coursework Gap
Three routes are common. A Master of Accounting program covers the accounting requirements and pushes you past 150 hours automatically, which is why many finance graduates choose it. A post-baccalaureate accounting certificate is a shorter, cheaper option focused just on the missing courses. And if you only need a few specific classes, you can enroll in individual courses at an accredited college and submit those transcripts alongside your degree.
Whichever route you pick, keep the state board’s course list in front of you. A class named “Financial Analysis” on a finance transcript might or might not qualify as accounting credit; the board decides based on the syllabus, not the title.
Does the Newer 120-Hour Pathway Help?
In 2025, NASBA updated the model law to add a third route to licensure requiring 120 semester hours, a bachelor’s degree in accounting, two years of professional experience, and a passing exam score.2NASBA National Association of State Boards of Accountancy. New CPA Licensure Pathways and CPA Mobility Note the wording: this pathway specifically requires an accounting degree, so a finance major would still have to satisfy accounting coursework requirements before it applies. The update is a recommendation to state boards, and adoption varies, so confirm your intended licensing state’s rules before planning around it.
The CPA Exam a Finance Major Will Sit
Since 2024, the CPA exam has followed a Core-plus-Discipline structure: three required Core sections and one Discipline section you choose. The full exam runs 16 hours across four separately scheduled sittings, and each section requires a minimum score of 75 to pass.3NASBA National Association of State Boards of Accountancy. What is the Uniform CPA Examination?4AICPA & CIMA. Learn More About CPA Exam Scoring and Pass Rates
The three Core sections every candidate takes:
- Auditing and Attestation (AUD), covering audit procedures, professional responsibilities, and evidence evaluation.
- Financial Accounting and Reporting (FAR), testing financial statement preparation under U.S. GAAP and governmental accounting standards.
- Taxation and Regulation (REG), covering federal tax rules for individuals and entities along with business law.
Then you pick one Discipline:
- Business Analysis and Reporting (BAR): deeper financial reporting analysis and data analytics.
- Information Systems and Controls (ISC): IT governance, cybersecurity, and system controls.
- Tax Compliance and Planning (TCP): advanced tax strategy for individuals and entities.
Finance majors often lean toward BAR or TCP because the material overlaps most with a finance background. A workable sequencing approach is to finish your accounting prerequisites first, then take the exam sections in the order that matches what you most recently studied. Many candidates start with FAR or REG since those track directly to the required coursework.
Experience and Ethics Requirements
Passing the exam earns you a score report, not a license. Licensure adds one to two years of professional experience under the supervision of a licensed CPA, with the exact requirement set by your state.
This is another area where finance majors are in a reasonable position. Most jurisdictions accept experience gained in private industry, government, or nonprofit settings; the work doesn’t have to happen at a public accounting firm. What it does have to involve is accounting-related tasks: preparing financial statements, internal auditing, budgeting, tax preparation, or financial analysis. If you’re already in a corporate finance role, some of your existing responsibilities may qualify.
The supervision piece is strict. Your supervising CPA needs a current, active, unrestricted license and must be directly involved in planning, reviewing, and evaluating your work on a regular basis. An outside consultant CPA generally won’t count. When you finish the hours, your supervisor signs a verification form that goes to the board.
Most states also require a professional ethics exam. The standard option is the AICPA’s Professional Ethics: Comprehensive Course, a self-study module on independence, conflicts of interest, and the code of conduct. A passing score is 90 or higher, and the course costs $250 for AICPA members and $320 for non-members.5AICPA & CIMA. Professional Ethics: The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants Comprehensive Course Some state CPA societies offer the same exam at a slightly different price.
What the License Requires After You Get It
Once issued, a CPA license needs ongoing continuing professional education. The most common requirement works out to about 40 hours per year, reported as 80 hours per two-year cycle or 120 hours per three-year cycle depending on how your state structures renewals. Most states don’t let you carry excess hours from one cycle into the next, so front-loading doesn’t buy you a break. Renewal fees for an active individual license generally fall in the $100 to $280 range per cycle.
One feature worth knowing if your finance career might cross state lines: CPA mobility provisions let licensed CPAs practice across state borders, virtually or in person, without a separate license in each state, because most jurisdictions follow the same core standards from the Uniform Accountancy Act.6AICPA & CIMA. Protecting CPA Mobility For a finance major eyeing multi-state advisory or corporate roles, that portability is part of what makes the extra coursework worth doing.