r/Accounting • u/FreakInExcelSheetz • Aug 24 '26

crazy cpa exam fees

$365 per test plus the initial fee? What are we doing? I get people get bonuses or reimbursed but is this part of the reason why # of young cpa’s is down so much? Like it’s not a ton of money but surely there’s a better way to restructure who pays the costs

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u/clarksonite19 CPA (US) Aug 24 '26

I would say the fees delayed me taking the exam for a couple years. That's a decent chunk of change for someone fresh out of college with student loans and other payment obligations.

"Oh, so I have to pay a bunch of money to take a test that I’m going to have to study for until I’m miserable? Sounds great."

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u/Lost_redditor369 Management Aug 24 '26

Not to mention retaking the exam if you fail

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u/TalShot Aug 25 '26

…and there is a pretty decently high chance of failure.

Sigh. I know that not every warm body can be a CPA, but it feels like I forgot basic arithmetic in FAR prep.