[jft]

Apparently, not too many people really know what a CPA exam is. I have given up explaining to them what it is exactly so I just tell them its harder than the bar exam. I think I read one person on a blog who said this. if you have taken both, can you please confirm which one is harder?

FAR- DONE

BEC-DONE

AUD-5/14

[MikeHoncho]

I haven't taken the bar exam, but I can say that difficulty is relative from person to person. You will most likely hear both sides from people that have passed/failed the bar and cpa exam.

Done: 5/22/14

"Always do sober what you said you'd do drunk. That will teach you to keep your mouth shut."
- Ernest Hemingway

[Mayo]

Yes…or No….

Mayo, BBA, Macc

[John Tucker]

The Bar Exam does have a different level of difficulty depending upon the state that it's taken in, but in general, the CPA Exam is regarded as the hardest professional examination out there on most rankings that I've reviewed. This is in spite of a lot of professionals who have taken the CFA exam saying that the CFA is harder than the CPA Exam.

* State of MA CPA Exam Candidate
- BEC: Sunday, August 24th
- FAR: Saturday, November 29th
- AUD: TBA for February 2015
- REG: TBA for May 2015

[fuzyfro89]

From a difficulty perspective, I would say yes. But this is based on pass rates, both individual and overall.

Individual pass rates on CPA sections range from 40-60 (unless this changed a lot recently), while most states have bar pass rates 80+.

However, I would say the skill set to understand & applly legal knowledge is different than the skills needed to be an accountant. Accounting is more about precision and following steps. Law is as well, but it's not as rule-driven (i.e. you need to be able to interpret precedents in addition to understanding more basic laws/regulations).

Short answer, no, CPA exam is not easier, but with an asterisk.

[Gatorbates]

Attorneys are a dime a dozen now, no demand for them.

CPA's are in high demand.

That should tell you either:

a) People hate accounting or

b) It's harder to become a CPA

Licensed Florida CPA:
B: 71, 73, 79
A: 83
R: 78 (expired), 77
F: 74, 74, 80

It's finally freaking over.

[Anonymous]

@Gatorbates: Why not both? lol

[Mayo]

Why not Zoidberg for that matter?

Mayo, BBA, Macc

[Anonymous]

I have not taken both, but the bar exam is definitely more prestigious and, I assume, has stricter standards that must be met prior to sitting (more years of schooling?).

Among the accounting/finance certifications it is definitely considered:

CFA > CPA > CMA

If I were you, I wouldn't say it is harder than the Bar exam – but you could mention the pass rate – so that they get an idea of the level of difficulty. something like, “it is a really difficult 4-part exam for accountants, that you need ~5 years of education for and has a really low pass rate per section of around 50-60%'.

[Anonymous]

I don't know about the pass rate argument. That could be at least partially explained by the fact that everyone taking the bar exam is finished or nearly finished with a doctoral level degree in law. People taking the CPA exam could have just a bachelor's in accounting or business. Perhaps that's changed with the 150 hour rules in most (all?) states, but that's relatively recent.

I have no idea which is harder. I think the bar is taken all in one or two days, which could add to the difficulty level compared to having 4 spaced out sections. Either way, the CPA is freakin' hard.

[Kimboroni]

On that, my dad (a CPA for 40+ years) said the 4 spaced out sections came from necessity– there was a shortage of CPAs since not enough people were passing, so they had to figure out a way to make it more passable and have enough CPAs. Whereas there are so many lawyers that a lot of them can't even find jobs in law, so they haven't had to make the bar more passable.

We have someone at work who has passed both, and he couldn't really say which was harder. They were “different.”

AUD 84 (1/9/14-Wiley books/TB + free materials)
FAR 83 (5/21/14-the above + NINJA 10 Pt Combo Lite)
REG 84 (7/9/14-Wiley books/TB + NINJA Audio/FC/Notes)
BEC 76 (10/5/14-Wiley books/TB + NINJA Audio/FC)

Disclaimer: My ninja avatar is not meant to imply that I have any affiliation with this site other than being a forum member. That's a pic of a T-shirt that my daughter gave me for my birthday. 🙂

[jft]

Thanks for the responses. I really hope that more people will be familiar with what CPA's or accountants do because we protect the public too. When I tell them I work in accounting, they automatically think I do taxes or I do well in Math.I can't blame them though. It seems like the accounting profession is not as well known as medicine or law but it is still very important!

[Anonymous]

According to my attorney mother, the CPA exam is harder from what she's heard other attorneys say. She knows an attorney who became one because she couldn't pass the CPA. Also, at least in the states she's taken it, she knew how the exams were scored. 🙂

[Guti]

I asked my friend to show me how many books he needed to review before taking the Bar, and its almost twice of the four books we need to cover. I think the passing rate is higher for the Bar exam cause they need to pass it to be able to practice, so most of the new graduates study full time for the exam.

FAR-84
AUD-
REG-
BEC-

[JD2CPA]

I passed the Michigan bar first try (after they changed it and the pass rate went way down). I passed 2 sections of the CPA exam first try and 2 I took multiple times. The CPA exam is more difficult because of the duration of studying and the broad range of topics but the concepts are not any more difficult, IMO. The bar exam testing conditions are much, much more stressful though.

Michigan CPA (2014) & Attorney (2012)
LLM Taxation (2014)

[How many letters do you need]

Well the bar varies drastically by state. My girlfriend passed the bar in CA, which has about a 30% pass rate. Here they do three straight 8 hour days of testing in two 4 hour shifts. There is multiple choice, case study and verbal response. I realize the CPA is hard but in CA, I have to say the bar is harder. It's condensed and there is tons more pressure since a law degree without passing the bar basically makes you a paralegal…

MBA,CMA,CPA, CFF?, ABV?

[Author]

Replies