[JSPERBER]

Whats the typical age of a CPA candidate passing all four sections? I’m only 21- am I like too young and immature?

[JSPERBER]

And not to mention, I still have NOT taken an audit or tax course. Is it too early to start studying, considering I'm only a senior in college? I dedicated this past winter break to completing about 50% of the the FAR section of the CPA .

[ridiqls]

it's 27-29

[Anonymous]

I think your age and getting licensed typically go hand in hand (not counting the “older” non traditional candidates like myself). Most states require 150 credit hours and one year work experience under a CPA to even get licensed. You can't accomplish all of that by 21.

[Anonymous]

Here is what I will tell you. I am 22, almost 23. I am finishing up my Master's this semester to get my 150, and I start working full-time in September. So, I am working on my exams now, trying to hammer them out before I start full-time. I don't think there is really a “specific” age. I will obviously have to get my year of experience (some states require 2), but I think it shows responsibility and ambition if you have them done before you begin full-time. First off, if you haven't taken an audit course, you can't even register with NASBA to sit for the exam (at least that is how it is in many states). So, I recommend you focus on school for now, and then when you are in your last semester of school I would consider looking into sitting for some parts either during your last semester (again only certain states allow you to sit within 120 days of graduation), or shortly after graduation, and I would be concerned with how you will get your 150.

[Anonymous]

I think the AICPA actually released data on this. From what I can remember, the average age is 29 according to the report. If anyone has the opportunity to knock out this exam before they start work after college, you should absolutely do it.

I started at the big 4 a mere 14 days after graduation, lol. I was a December graduate, so no time for a summer of CPA study….

[lsutigers03]

It's never too early to start studying. I'm 31 and I was licensed last month. I have a sister who is 8 years younger than me. She's going to start her CPA journey this summer. I make it a point to stay on her about getting started. I always regretted waiting so long after college.

REG - 78
BEC - 74, 67, 69, 69, 70, 79
FAR - 76
AUD - 69, 69, 69, 74, 85

Licensed Louisiana CPA

“You never fail until you stop trying.”
― Albert Einstein

[Vick609]

I graduated from college with two bachelors' degrees (yes, pointless) but 150 credits. I started studying immediately after graduation. This was my timeline:

May 2012 – graduate

June 2012 – start studying

July 2012 – attempt FAR (and fail)

October 2012 – attempt AUD (pass)

October 2012 – start full time with Big 4

Dec 2012 – attempt BEC (pass) * note – window extended a week into December because of a storm

Jan 2013-April 2013 – busy season/studying

May 2013 – attempt FAR (fail again)

July 2013 – attempt FAR (finally pass)

August 2013 – relocate from Big 4 to smaller public accounting firm, start studying for Reg

November 2013 – attempt REG (pass)

May 2014 – received license in the mail

I was just turned 24 when I passed my last exam, and my license finally came in May of 2014. I'm now 25. Everywhere I go, when people find out I am a CPA, they look at me with surprise, especially older adults. I didn't realize it at the time I was doing all of this, but being a CPA by age 24 is remarkably fast. I'll chalk it up to my college professors CONSTANTLY badgering us to take the exam ASAP, and a Big 4 internship/job that paid the way, and a little bit of stubbornness on my part.

Lengthy response, but just wanted to encourage anyone who is thinking about starting it!

FAR - 66, 71, 76!
AUD - 75
REG - 82
BEC - 83

DONE.

[fuzyfro89]

The average is probably late 20s like “ridiqls” said, but I think there's a “dumbbell” type distribution going on there.

From my experience, lots of campus hires into the big 4 and national public firms will get their CPAs within the first 2 years of working. If I had to guess, I'd say roughly half passed the exams prior to beginning full time, and around 30% passed within 2 years. So ~80% combined (maybe a bit more) had it done before the 2nd year. Of course, plenty of accounting grads don't go into public at all or pursue it later.

So overall, there's a chunk of people, no idea in terms of % of accounting grads overall, that pass very early, likely before age 25, and then a large amount spread out over remaining years between age 25-35.

My guess, anyway…

[Anonymous]

I was licensed by the age of 22… I would assume with the big 4 pressure of passing within the first year that a large majority would be between the age of 22-24.

[Gabe]

@be 22?! Does your state have an education requirement to sit?

CPA, CFE
CISA- Experience will be completed by August 2016

[Anonymous]

It depends when you finish school, so timing is everything. I passed all 4 parts when I was 21, then went for the MST and Big 4 afterwards. So I will get licensed as soon as I have my year of experience, at 23.

I agree that the typical age would be 22-25.

[mt3130]

We have a guy that works in my firm that was licensed at 22, but the state he's from only required 120 hours instead of 150, and the school he went to basically made your senior year curriculum to pass the 4 exams. Now he moved to FL where the requirements are different, and he had to go back to school in order to become licensed in the state.

REG - 90 (08/2014) - Study Time = 6 days
FAR - 89 (10/2014) - Study Time = 9 days
BEC - 83 (11/2014) - Study Time = 4 days
AUD - 89 (01/2015) - Study Time = 2 days

Final score released - 2/4/15
Application mailed - 2/5/15
Licensed CPA - 2/12/15

[jakeeee]

I started studying for this test right after I turned 22. I recently just turned 25 and still have yet to pass. I always encourage my friends/co-workers to pass it ASAP after graduating.

Anyways, the President of my firm gave me a pamphlet last year with detailed info on the CPA (broken down by states too) and if I remember correctly, the average age was 29. It's at work somewhere in one of my filing cabinets. I'll take a look at it on Monday. (Edit: Actually, not sure if that average age I'm thinking of is the age of people sitting for the exam or the age when people passed all 4 sections. I think it actually might be the former..)

BEC - July 2014
REG - Aug 2014
FAR - January 2015
AUD - May 2014
Ethics - 3x...

[mla1169]

There are a good number of us who were 40+ and 50+ when we got licensed. Not a huge % but enough to impact the average age.

FAR- 77
AUD -49, 71, 84
REG -56,75!
BEC -75

Massachusetts CPA (non reporting) since 3/12.

[Anonymous]

21 isn't too young – immaturity only matters if you aren't mature enough to dedicate yourself. Being in college or fresh out of college (in a few months) can be beneficial because your mind is used to studying and learning and some of the material is fresh in your head still. As for having not taken any Audit or Tax courses, are you taking those this coming semester? Whether you are or not, you can learn from the review material as well as from the college classes, so shouldn't matter. My college tax class was pretty useless but I still did fine on REG based on my prep materials, so I don't think taking a class first is necessary.

[Author]

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