Kansas CPA Education Requirements 2024

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Kansas CPA Education Requirements

To meet the Kansas CPA education requirements and become a CPA, applicants must obtain 150 semester hours with a bachelor’s degree with an accounting concentration that includes 42 semester hours in business and general education courses, 11 semester hours in written and oral communications and 30 semester hours in accounting theory and practice.

This article will help you to become a CPA in Kansas and is a requirement for you to take the Kansas CPA exam.

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Summary of Kansas CPA Requirements

Credit hours to sit for the CPA exam	150
Bachelor’s required to sit for the CPA exam	Yes
Credit hours in accounting subjects to sit for the CPA exam	30
Credit hours in business subjects to sit for the CPA exam	42
Credit hours in written and oral communications to sit for the CPA exam	11
Total credit hours to receive a CPA license	150
Work experience required to receive a CPA license	1 Year
Ethics exam required to get a CPA license	Yes
Kansas resident	Yes

Kansas Education Requirements

All candidates must have 150 semester hours of college credit and a bachelor’s degree or higher in accounting or business, according to the Kansas Board of Accountancy (KSBOA).

With a regular bachelor’s degree in accounting requiring just 120 semester hours, pursuing a post-baccalaureate certificate or master’s degree in accounting is the most tried and true approach to obtain the 30 additional credits necessary to become a CPA (Certified Public Accountant) in Kansas. Many of these programs are entirely online. There are also specialized five-year CPA track programs that combine a bachelor’s and master’s curriculum to provide you with the 150 semester hours required to satisfy Kansas CPA standards.

Accepted Educational Institutions

The Kansas Board of Accountancy (KSBOA) recognizes all accounting degrees and credits earned at institutions accredited by regional agencies recognized by the US government. See This database.

Correspondence and online courses are allowed if you received credit for them from a KSBOA-approved institution, and they appear on your official transcripts.

Required Courses

The procedure’s general education courses requirements element is the most time-consuming and arguably the most difficult. Before you begin, ensure that your chosen universities are regionally certified by KSBOA-recognized bodies. If the board does not accept your curriculum, you may need to take more courses or find another method to practice accounting without a licensed CPA. Before beginning your study, you should speak with practicing CPAs to see how they completed their schooling and see if they have any advice.

Forty-two semester hours of business and general education classes. These hours must include at least some of the following:

Macro and microeconomics
One upper-level economics course
Two courses covering business law college algebra
Algebra or some other higher-level math
Statistics
Computer science
Finance
Management
Marketing

At least 30 semesters or 45 quarter credits in accounting theory and practice courses, such as:

Financial accounting (intermediate or advanced course or course in financial accounting theory)
Managerial accounting (intermediate or advanced level beyond introductory level)
Auditing course
Income tax course
Accounting systems (post-basic computer course)

Eleven hours of written and spoken communication study. You might take one of the following courses:

Technical writing
Business communications
Public Speaking
Interpersonal communications

30 hours learning accounting theory and practice, including but not limited to:

Upper-level financial accounting
Upper-level managerial accounting
Auditing
Upper-level accounting systems

Candidates may earn up to six credits toward the accounting concentration through any of the following methods: advanced placement classes, credit by examination, credit for military education, credit through experience, and pass-fail courses, as long as the credits are focused on the subjects required for the accounting concentration. Internships can be used to fulfill the 150-hour requirement but not the accounting concentration.

Foreign Education

Any international credentialing assessment agency is a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services. Evaluation Services must analyze all foreign transcripts. The assessment service must give a course-by-course evaluation of KSBOA requirements. The judgment should also consider if you studied English as a foreign language.

Pass the Uniform CPA Examination

The “Uniform CPA Examination”, which is a 4-part exam, is developed by the AICPA – the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and administered by NASBA – the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy.

The Three Core Exam Sections

Auditing and Attestation (AUD)

The Auditing and Attestation (AUD) section of the Uniform CPA Examination (the Exam) tests the essential knowledge and skills a newly licensed CPA must demonstrate when performing audit engagements, attestation engagements or accounting and review service engagements.

Newly licensed CPAs are required to:

Demonstrate knowledge and skills related to professional responsibilities, including ethics, independence, and professional skepticism. Professional skepticism reflects an iterative process that includes a questioning mind and a critical assessment of audit evidence.
Understand the entity including its operations, information systems (including the use of third-party systems), and its underlying business processes, risks, and related internal controls.
Understand the flow of transactions and underlying data through a business process and its related information systems.

Financial Accounting and Reporting (FAR)

The Financial Accounting and Reporting (FAR) section of the Uniform CPA Examination (the Exam) assesses the knowledge and skills that a newly licensed CPA must demonstrate in the financial accounting and reporting frameworks used by business entities (public and nonpublic), not-for-profit entities and state and local government entities.

The financial accounting and reporting frameworks that are eligible for assessment within the FAR section of the Exam include the standards and regulations issued by the:

Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB)
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (U.S. SEC)
American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA)
Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB)

Regulation (REG)

The Regulation (REG) section of the Uniform CPA Examination (the Exam) tests the knowledge and skills that a newly licensed CPA must demonstrate with respect to:

U.S. federal taxation
U.S. ethics and professional responsibilities related to tax practice
U.S. business law

The Three Disciplines

The three new disciplines in the 2024 CPA Exam, part of the CPA Evolution initiative, are designed to allow candidates to specialize in areas that align with their career interests and the demands of the modern business environment. Here’s a more detailed look at each discipline:

Business Analysis and Reporting (BAR)

Objective: This discipline focuses on higher-order skills needed in financial statement analysis, business reporting, and the strategic role of the CPA in business decision-making.

Key Topics:

Financial Statement Analysis: Understanding and interpreting financial statements to assess an entity’s financial health and performance.
Performance Management: Developing and using key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure, manage, and improve business performance.
Data Analytics and Visualization: Utilizing data analytics tools to analyze business data, and effectively presenting data to support business decisions.
Strategic Planning and Risk Management: Involvement in the strategic planning process and identifying, assessing, and managing business risks.
Business Processes and Controls: Understanding and evaluating business processes and internal controls to improve efficiency and effectiveness.

Information Systems and Controls (ISC)

Objective: This discipline is tailored for those interested in information technology, data security, and controls. It addresses the increasing role of technology in accounting and auditing.

Key Topics:

IT Governance and Risk: Understanding the frameworks for managing and governing enterprise IT; identifying and managing IT-related risks.
Information Security and Cybersecurity: Knowledge of cybersecurity principles, data protection laws, and the steps necessary to protect information assets.
System and Organization Controls (SOC) Reporting: Understanding the requirements for SOC reports and the role of CPAs in assessing controls at a service organization.
Data Management and Privacy: Managing data effectively and understanding privacy regulations.
Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery: Planning and strategies to ensure business operations can continue and recover from disruptive events.

Tax Compliance and Planning (TCP)

Objective: This discipline focuses on tax compliance, tax planning, and tax strategy, suitable for those who aim to specialize in taxation.

Key Topics:

Individual Tax Planning and Compliance: Understanding tax laws affecting individual taxpayers, including income, deductions, credits, and tax planning strategies.
Business Tax Planning and Compliance: Knowledge of tax considerations for different business entities, including corporations, partnerships, and S-corporations.
Estate, Gift, and Trust Taxation: Understanding the tax implications and planning strategies for estates, gifts, and trusts.
International Taxation: Knowledge of taxation issues related to cross-border transactions and multinational enterprises.
State and Local Taxation (SALT): Understanding the complexities of state and local tax laws and their impact on business and individual tax planning.

Tips for Passing the CPA Exam

The CPA exam covers so many topics that you will need to study specifically for each section, usually for 6-8 weeks per section. Even a master’s degree in accounting doesn’t adequately prepare you to just walk in and pass the 4 CPA exams.

You will need a full review course such as Becker, Wiley CPA, Gleim, Roger, etc, and you will need to dedicate several hours a day over the course of months to even have a chance at getting passing scores.

Kansas CPA Exam Cost Breakdown

The Kansas CPA exam cost consists of four main fees: an education evaluation application fee of $90, the $344.80 per CPA exam section totaling $1,379.20 for all four sections, an $82.50-160.00 permit fee and lastly the license renewal fee of $165.00.

Education Evaluation Application Fee	$90.00
Auditing and Attestation (AUD)	$344.80
Financial Accounting and Reporting (FAR)	$344.80
Regulation (REG)	$344.80
Disciplines (ISC, TCP, or BAR)	$344.80
Total for all 4 CPA Exam Sections	$1,379.20
Permit Fee (More than one year remaining)	$165.00
Permit Fee (Less than one year remaining)	$82.50
Renewal Fee	$165.00

Kansas CPA Ethics Exam Requirements

To meet the Kansas CPA ethics exam requirements, a candidate must pass the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants’ (AICPA) ethics exam which is taken after the completion of the course “Professional Ethics: The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants’ Comprehensive Course (For Licensure).” It is a self-study course and exam requiring a 90% or above score. The AICPA ethics course and take-home exam are available for purchase on the AICPA website.

Kansas CPA Experience Requirements

To meet the Kansas CPA experience requirements, candidates require 2,000 hours of professional accounting experience in at least one year. The experience can be obtained full-time or part-time, but it must be completed within three years. Employment in academia, government, industry, or private practice may be included toward the requirement if the responsibilities performed need to attest or non-attest accounting skills. Candidate CPA must verify all experiences and must record their expertise using the Certificate of Experience Form available on the Board’s website.

Apply for Your Kansas CPA License

Submit Your Application for Issuance

Because Kansas is a two-tier state, CPA applicants must first apply for a CPA certificate, the needed hours of experience; once the required hours are achieved, the candidate can identify applicants and permit practice. To request a CPA certificate, candidates who have completed the Uniform CPA Exam and the AICPA ethics exam must fill out the form of the Application for Certificate by Passing Examination in Kansas. The title “CPA” may not be used by certificate holders.

Get Your Kansas CPA Permit

You are now ready to take the next step by applying for your Kansas CPA license to practice.

1. Check to see whether you have:

Completed education requirements of 150 undergraduate semesters (225 quarter) hours with 30 semesters or 45 quarter credits in accounting, 11 semester/17 quarter credits in communication, and 42 semester/63 quarter credits in business. Have your school send official transcripts to:
- CPA Exam Services – Kansas Coordinator
  PO Box 198469
  Nashville, TN 37219-8469
Passed all sections of the Uniform CPA Examination
Attained a passing score on the AICPA professional ethics course and had the results sent to KSBOA
Completed at least 2,000 hours of qualified experience in accounting, including 375 hours in attestation, if applicable
Completed the Certificate of Experience and had the verifying CPA complete his portion

Download the Kansas CPA permit application and submit it with your experience certificate to the KSBOA. The fee you must pay is determined by your certificate number and the year of application. The charge is $150 if your certificate number is odd and you apply for the permit in a strange year. Similarly, the fee for even-numbered certificate holders is $150 in even years. The price is $75 otherwise.

Exceptional Cases for Obtaining Your Kansas State CPA Permit

Assume you have a license from another state with CPA standards that are substantially equal to Kansas but do not have a principal place of business in Kansas. In that instance, you may still be awarded permit holder privileges. The list of states that are substantially equivalent (SE) can be found here.
Suppose you want to practice public accounting in Kansas and hold a CPA license from an SE state/jurisdiction. In that case, public accounting in Kansas and holding a CPA license from an SE state/jurisdiction, you must pay the $250.00 application fee and request your licensing board to provide information on the Authorization for Exchange of Licensure information. You need to have both the Kansas certificate and permit to practice. Evidence of successful completion of the AICPA ethics exam or the other state’s ethics exam recognized by KSBOA is also required.
Assume you do not have a license from a SE state/jurisdiction and want to apply for a Kansas certificate and permit. In that instance, you must produce proof that you meet the education mentioned above, experience, and CPA exam requirements.

Receiving Your Kansas CPA Certificate

After applying and the required evidence, the Board will assess the application; accepted applicants will be awarded a permission card and may begin practicing as a CPA.