Educational Requirements
The Mississippi State Board of Public Accountancy is the licensing organization for prospective and current CPAs in Mississippi. To sit for the Uniform CPA Exam, minimum educational requirements include a baccalaureate degree, with 150 semester hours of college coursework completed. Of these credit hours, prospective CPAS should have a minimum of 24 semester hours in upper level accounting, and another 24 hours in upper-level general business concentration. Other rules and regulations can be found here, but always check with your state’s government for the most accurate and up to date information.
Salary
As in most states, accountants in Mississippi should enjoy a good quality of life and prospects for work of all sorts. There is, however, a lower standard of living in Mississippi in general, and lower average salary rates for the state reflect this. The Bureau of Labor Statistics finds that the 2011 average annual salary for an accounting professional in Mississippi was $56,730. This is lower than the 2010 median nationwide salary rate of $61,690. The lowest 10% of earners in the field made approximately $31,500 per year in 2011, while the highest paid 10% of accounting professionals in Mississippi took in and average of $86,230 last year.
CPA Licensing in Mississippi
The official body for all CPA licensing in the state is the Mississippi State Board of Public Accountancy. All requirements must be fulfilled according to their licensing guidelines. Specifically, these requirements include:
- Be a person of good moral character.
- Meet the educational requirement for licensure. At minimum, this means obtaining a baccalaureate degree with 150 semester hours of accredited coursework. A minimum of 48 semester hours should be upper-level accounting and business courses. Further information can be found here.
- Be a resident of Mississippi.
- Provide transcripts for review during Uniform CPA Exam.
- Pass all sections of the Uniform CPA Exam.
- Meet the experience requirement, which is a minimum of one year of full time employment in the field. This must be verified by a licensed CPA, although you do not have to work for that CPA directly.
- Remit all necessary documents, payments, and application fees. More information for all requirements can be found here.
Continuing Education Requirements
All CPAs in Mississippi will have to renew their license periodically. Additionally, all licensed CPAs must be in compliance with continuing professional education requirements, which can be found at the Mississippi State Board of Public Accountancy. Some credits must be accrued in ethics courses and in Mississippi Public Accountancy Law and Regulations, and CPAs should accrue at least 40 continuing professional education credits per year. The Mississippi Society of Certified Public Accountants keeps its members informed about continuing education courses through a catalog, calendar, and other postings.
Accounting Jobs in Mississippi
Mississippi has several industries that employ accounting professionals, from agriculture to oil to textiles. Business operations and governmental entities also employ accounting professionals in the state. Job prospects for accounting professions nationwide are predicted to grow approximately as fast as the national average through 2020, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The Mississippi Society of Certified Public Accountants maintains a job board on its website, offering keen insight into occupational opportunities for CPAs in Mississippi.