Note from Column Editor Tracey J. Niemotko: This month’s column was written by Kimberly Fargnoli, one of my students at Marist University, describing her survey of fellow students’ views on the alternative licensure pathway.
New York State recently approved an alternate pathway for meeting the educational requirements for CPA licensure. In addition to the existing 150-credit-hour plus one year qualified work experience track, students can choose a 120-credit-hour plus two years qualified work experience option. This article presents a survey assessing students’ awareness of these options, their intended licensure selections, and their perspectives on the implementation of the new pathway. This new pathway also aligns with sustainability accounting and reporting, as human capital are central to long term value creation.
Overview and Participant Profile
Fifty-two accounting students at Marist University were surveyed to learn about their views of the new pathway. The majority of respondents were upperclassmen, with juniors representing 36% of the sample and seniors accounting for 29%. Sophomores comprised 25% of respondents, while freshmen and graduate students represented smaller portions of the sample at 8% and 2%, respectively. This distribution is noteworthy because students closer to graduation are more likely to have considered CPA licensure requirements and their intended career plans. As a result, their responses may offer deeper insight into how students evaluate CPA eligibility pathways and how they develop their academic and professional trajectories.
Insights into Student Preferences
The survey focused on students’ pathway preferences. Exhibit 1 illustrates that 54% reported they plan to pursue the traditional 150-credit-hour pathway, with one year of qualifying professional work experience. In comparison, 23% indicated that they intend to follow the alternative 120-credit-hour pathway paired with two years of qualifying experience. Additionally, 21% of students reported being undecided, while only 2% stated that they do not plan to pursue CPA licensure.
EXHIBIT 1
Accounting Students’ Intended Eligibility Pathways (n=52)
These findings suggest that although the traditional 150-credit-hour pathway remains the most preferred option among the students surveyed, a notable portion are either considering the alternative pathway or have not yet determined which route best aligns with their goals. While the sample size is relatively small, the survey provides meaningful insight into the potential future direction of CPA eligibility pathway preferences among accounting students.
Open-ended survey questions allowed students to elaborate on their preferences and provided valuable insight into their motivations. Among those who selected the 150-credit-hour option, a dominant theme was the perceived long term career value of earning a master’s degree. Many students emphasized that completing a graduate program would not only satisfy the educational requirement to sit for the CPA Exam but would also help them stand out in a competitive job market where advanced credentials are increasingly common. Several respondents described the master’s degree as an investment in their professional identity—something that could open doors to higher-level positions, strengthen their résumés, and possibly lead to increased earning potential over the course of their careers. Others noted that the additional 30 credit hours offered a more structured and academically rigorous preparation for the CPA Exam, giving them greater confidence before entering the profession.
A key draw for Marist students is the dual degree program’s structure, which lets them earn both the Bachelor of Science in Accounting and the Master of Science in Professional Accountancy in just four years and four months. Students frequently referenced the financial and logistical appeal of this accelerated timeline. The program’s efficiency, paired with the ability to earn a master’s degree without significantly extending their studies, appears to have played a significant role in shaping students’ decisions. An important implication of these findings is that if other institutions offered similarly streamlined and cost-effective pathways, more students might be encouraged to pursue the 150-credit-hour route, particularly those who are otherwise deterred by the time and expense of traditional graduate programs.
In contrast, students who selected the 120-credit-hour pathway were primarily motivated by its lower cost and shorter time to completion. Many respondents expressed concerns about the financial burden associated with earning an additional 30 credits or pursuing a master’s degree, especially given the rising cost of higher education. These students viewed entering the workforce sooner as a practical and financially responsible choice. Several noted that they expect to gain more meaningful learning through an additional year of professional work experience than more coursework. This pathway allows them to begin earning a salary earlier, build professional networks, and accumulate real-world experience that they believe will better prepare them for the CPA Exam and future career advancement. For many, the opportunity to start their careers sooner—without incurring additional educational debt—was a decisive advantage.
Students who selected “undecided” explained that they are still determining which pathway best aligns with their personal interests and professional goals. Many noted that they are actively researching whether they want to pursue a career in accounting or transition into a finance-focused role. Additionally, several students indicated an interest in private accounting positions, where CPA licensure may not be required for advancement within their intended career trajectory. Although one purpose of this new pathway option is to attract more students to the accounting profession, at this early stage, it remains difficult to anticipate how the introduction of the 120-credit pathway will influence future students who are considering a career in accounting, particularly those who are still exploring their academic and professional direction.
For current undecided students, the introduction of the 120-credit pathway appears to function less as an immediate motivator and more as an additional option they may evaluate as their goals become clearer. Many expressed that they would need more time, information, and advice before determining whether this pathway meaningfully affects their interest in pursuing CPA licensure. As a result, the undecided group may serve as an important indicator of how awareness, guidance, and early exposure to the profession shape students’ eventual pathway decisions over time.
As an upcoming college junior, I entered the accounting program at a time when the 150-credit pathway was the sole route to CPA eligibility. Under my accelerated academic track, I will complete my undergraduate degree in Accounting in May 2028 and finish my graduate degree in August 2028. I have chosen to remain with this pathway and have always viewed it as a deliberate investment in my education—one that will yield long-term returns through deeper technical preparation, broader career opportunities, and a stronger foundation for lifelong professional growth.
With the introduction of the 120-credit-hour pathway, students now have an alternative route to CPA eligibility. This option has significant potential to strengthen the accounting talent pipeline because it offers a route that may better align with students’ personal, financial, and career circumstances. Not all students are able to pursue a master’s degree immediately after graduation due to tuition costs, time constraints, or family and work responsibilities. The 120-hour pathway enables these students to enter the workforce sooner, gain meaningful real-world experience, and continue progressing toward CPA licensure. It may also encourage more students to major in accounting by making the licensure process feel more accessible and achievable. Together, the two pathways provide meaningful choice and flexibility, helping attract and retain the next generation of accounting professionals.
Accounting Pathways and Sustainability Accounting and Reporting
The coexistence of these pathways also reflects an alignment with the sustainability perspective that recognizes human capital development as a core pillar of organizational value creation. Frameworks such as the SASB Standards and the ISSB’s IFRS S1 and S2 emphasize that organizations create long-term value not only through financial capital, but also through investments in people—training, education, career advancement, and workforce wellbeing. The CPA licensure model, in both its 150-hour and 120-hour forms, embodies this principle.
By broadening licensure options, the profession now invites a wider spectrum of candidates into the CPA pipeline. This dual pathway model supports resilience and a forward-looking posture amid continual change, including the evolving landscape of expectations for a healthy, sustainable work environment, while cultivating a more diverse cohort of CPAs prepared to lead the accounting profession.
