license
Certified Public Accountant
AICPA / State Boards of Accountancy
$1,500
exam fee · checked 2026-08
400 hrs
400 hours — about 40 weeks at 10 hrs/wk
1 yr
renewal cycle — this is a recurring cost
AICPA / State Boards of Accountancy — official page →
Where it is actually asked for
- Accountant or Auditor in San Francisco68%17 of 25 postings
- Accountant or Auditor in Fresno65%11 of 17 postings
- Accountant or Auditor in Los Angeles65%11 of 17 postings
- Accountant or Auditor in Sacramento65%11 of 17 postings
- Accountant or Auditor in San Diego65%11 of 17 postings
- Accountant or Auditor in San Jose65%11 of 17 postings
- Accountant or Auditor (national)47%64 of 137 postings
- Financial Manager in New York25%5 of 20 postings
- Financial Manager (national)22%30 of 136 postings
- Financial Manager in San Francisco14%5 of 37 postings
- Financial Manager in Fresno13%3 of 24 postings
- Financial Manager in Los Angeles13%3 of 24 postings
- Financial Manager in Sacramento13%3 of 24 postings
- Financial Manager in San Diego13%3 of 24 postings
- Financial Manager in San Jose13%3 of 24 postings
- Financial and Investment Analyst (national)10%8 of 80 postings
- Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerk (national)8%2 of 25 postings
- Financial and Investment Analyst in San Francisco6%1 of 16 postings
- Marketing Manager in Chicago6%1 of 16 postings
- Computer and Information Systems Manager in Austin6%1 of 17 postings
- Marketing Manager in Seattle6%1 of 17 postings
- Sales Representative of Services in New York6%1 of 18 postings
- Computer Systems Analyst in Fresno6%1 of 18 postings
- Computer Systems Analyst in Los Angeles6%1 of 18 postings
- Computer Systems Analyst in Sacramento6%1 of 18 postings
- Computer Systems Analyst in San Diego6%1 of 18 postings
- Computer Systems Analyst in San Jose6%1 of 18 postings
- Computer Systems Analyst in San Francisco5%1 of 20 postings
Where it barely came up
It appeared in these samples, but rarely. If one of these is the job you want, this credential is probably not the thing standing between you and it.
- Market Research Analyst (national)5%1 of 22 postings
- Marketing Manager in Albany4%2 of 46 postings
- Marketing Manager in Buffalo4%2 of 46 postings
- Management Analyst in Albany4%1 of 25 postings
- Management Analyst in Buffalo4%1 of 25 postings
- Management Analyst in Fresno4%2 of 53 postings
- Management Analyst in Los Angeles4%2 of 53 postings
- Management Analyst in Sacramento4%2 of 53 postings
- Management Analyst in San Diego4%2 of 53 postings
- Management Analyst in San Jose4%2 of 53 postings
- Operations Research Analyst (national)4%1 of 27 postings
- Marketing Manager in New York4%3 of 82 postings
- Management Analyst in New York3%1 of 33 postings
- Management Analyst in San Francisco3%2 of 69 postings
- Computer Systems Analyst (national)3%3 of 105 postings
- Marketing Manager (national)2%8 of 400 postings
- Customer Service Representative (national)2%1 of 54 postings
- Sales Representative, Wholesale and Manufacturing in Buffalo2%1 of 57 postings
- Sales Representative, Wholesale and Manufacturing in Albany2%1 of 58 postings
- Light Truck or Delivery Services Driver (national)1%1 of 68 postings
- Marketing Manager in Fresno1%1 of 68 postings
- Marketing Manager in Sacramento1%1 of 68 postings
- Marketing Manager in San Diego1%1 of 68 postings
- Compliance Officer (national)1%1 of 69 postings
- Marketing Manager in San Jose1%1 of 69 postings
- Marketing Manager in Los Angeles1%1 of 70 postings
- Medical and Health Services Manager (national)1%1 of 73 postings
- Management Analyst (national)1%4 of 322 postings
- General and Operations Manager (national)1%4 of 400 postings
- Computer and Information Systems Manager in Fresno1%1 of 114 postings
- Computer and Information Systems Manager in Sacramento1%1 of 114 postings
- Computer and Information Systems Manager in San Diego1%1 of 114 postings
- Computer and Information Systems Manager in San Jose1%1 of 114 postings
- Data Scientist in Fresno1%1 of 115 postings
- Data Scientist in Sacramento1%1 of 115 postings
- Data Scientist in San Diego1%1 of 115 postings
- Computer and Information Systems Manager in Los Angeles1%1 of 115 postings
- Data Scientist in San Jose1%1 of 116 postings
- Data Scientist in Los Angeles1%1 of 117 postings
- General and Operations Manager in San Francisco1%1 of 124 postings
- Sales Representative, Wholesale and Manufacturing in New York1%1 of 125 postings
- Marketing Manager in San Francisco1%1 of 151 postings
- Sales Representative of Services (national)1%1 of 175 postings
- Data Scientist in San Francisco1%1 of 178 postings
- Computer and Information Systems Manager in San Francisco0%1 of 204 postings
- Data Scientist (national)0%1 of 400 postings
- Computer and Information Systems Manager (national)0%1 of 400 postings
- Sales Representative, Wholesale and Manufacturing (national)0%1 of 400 postings
These percentages describe the samples we read, listed above with their sizes and dates. They are not a statement about the whole labour market, and absence from this page means we have no evidence either way — not that the credential is worthless. How we know →