CPA Eligility

In the State of Arkansas,* CPA eligibility is broken into two parts: CPA Exam and CPA License.

CPA Exam Eligibility in Arkansas

Exam candidates must have the following:

  • A bachelor’s degree in any subject with at least 120 hours
  • 30 hours of upper-division accounting courses (beyond principles; 1 graduate hour = 1.5) with a grade of C or better.
  • 30 hours of  non-accounting business with a grade of C or better (1 graduate hour = 1.5)
  • Accounting courses in financial accounting, taxation, managerial accounting, accounting information systems, auditing, governmental, and not-for-profit accounting.Graduates of UCA’s BBA in Accounting are eligible to sit for the CPA Exam in Arkansas (provided they have earned Cs in the courses listed above).

CPA License Eligibility in Arkansas

To obtain a CPA License in Arkansas, applicants must have the following:

  • Successful completion of the CPA Exam
  • 150 hours of college credit
  • Proof of work experience in accounting equal to 1 year or 2000 hours
  • Passed background checkUCA offers many opportunities to obtain the additional hours needed to reach 150.

More about the CPA Exam

Visit the American Institute of CPA’s CPA Exam Tool Kit.


*From the Arkansas State Board of Public Accountancy. Exam and license eligibility is different in every state. Search for rules in other states on their State Board of Public Accountancy website. After you find that State’s requirements, contact the UCA Accounting Department to see how UCA can help you gain eligibility.