Educational Requirements
According to the Accountancy Board of Ohio, the licensing body in the state, CPA applicants must pass the CPA exam and complete a professional standards and responsibilities course. In addition, they must have completed 150 hours of college credit, with a concentration in accounting.
Salary
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, accountants and auditors in Ohio have an annual average wage of $66,440. The West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area has the third-highest employment for accountants in the country’s nonmetropolitan areas, with 1,440 accountants and auditors employed there. Nationally, job growth is expected for accountants through the year 2020. Those who have professional recognitions, like being a CPA, are expected to have the greatest potential for employment.
CPA Licensing in Ohio
To become a CPA in Ohio, applicants must pass the Uniform CPA Exam. To sit for the exam, applicants must meet the following requirements:
- Be at least 18 years old
- Be a resident of Ohio or work full-time in Ohio
- Have earned 150 hours of college credit at a board-approved college
- Have completed 24 semester hours in accounting beyond principles or 30 semester hours in accounting courses that include auditing, financial accounting, management accounting or cost accounting, professional ethics and responsibilities, and taxation
To apply for a CPA certificate in Ohio, applicants must also complete a professional standards and responsibilities course that emphasizes the Ohio accountancy law and Board rules and fulfill the experience requirement by working as a public accountant for one year.
Continuing Education Requirements
To renew their permit to practice, CPAs must earn 120 continuing professional education credits over a three-year period. New CPAs must report 40 credits over a two-year period. The education must be earned in a field that contributes to the CPA’s professional competence, and three hours must be earned in professional standards and responsibilities during each reporting period. CPAs who do certain kinds of work must earn 24 credits in accounting and auditing or in taxation, depending on their job duties.
Accounting Jobs in Ohio
Ohio is a leading manufacturing state and also has strong insurance and banking sectors. These offer opportunities for many different types of accountants, including management accountants, cost accountants, and insurance accountants. Ohio is also ranked consistently among the most business-friendly states in the country, with a business-friendly tax system, so tax accountants and other accountants might find enjoyable and lucrative jobs in the state.