Many college students who are studying accounting plan to become a Certified Public Accountant or CPA. This is a specific professional licensure and requires a combination of academic credits, work experience, and passing the CPA exam. When accounting firms attend a career fair, they often ask attendees about their “150 plan” or “path to the CPA” and students should be prepared to address this.
Some individuals refer to this as the “150 plan” because historically, individuals have been required to complete 150 course credits to take the CPA exam. Licensure requirements vary by state. In Massachusetts, the basic requirements to become a CPA are:
- Completion of 150 credit hours from a nationally or regionally accredited college or university;
- No less than one year of employment in public accounting;
- Passing all four sections of the CPA exam.
You can view Massachusetts CPA requirements in more detail on the MassCPAs website or the NASBA, the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy site.
NASBA and the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) have approved a new additional pathway to becoming a CPA. This new pathway would require a bachelor’s degree with a concentration or major in accounting, two years of experience, and passing the CPA exam. Because licensure is at the state level, each state must decide how to proceed. As of 9/23/2025 there are 16 states that have adopted the new additional pathway; Massachusetts has not yet enacted legislation surrounding this pathway.
Accounting students attending the Careers in Business Fair are encouraged to be familiar with the requirements for becoming a CPA and have identified the pathway they are most likely to follow. Students considering completing 150 hours of education should estimate when they will have the 150 hours completed.
Tax vs. Audit
At a career fair, accounting students may also be asked if they are interested in audit or tax work. Until students have taken the tax and audit courses, or completed an internship (or co-op), it can be challenging to know which option is a better fit.
Students earlier in the accounting curriculum may want to review the article “Tax or audit: Choosing your career path in accounting” on the Becker website or to do a web search to learn more about these options.
It is perfectly acceptable for a student to indicate that they have not yet taken (or have just started) the tax or audit courses, have done some reading, and indicate the area they think they are most interested in. Students who are not set on either path are encouraged to also indicate that they are open to either option.
Get your resume reviewed
Attending a career fair or getting ready to apply for internships or full-time roles? Students are encouraged to book a virtual 15-minute career consultation for a resume review. More than 100 slots are available each week and students can book up to 72 hours in advance.
Note: Professional Co-op students should meet with the co-op advising team.
