CPA in Florida

Requirements, salary data, licensing costs, and career ROI for FL. Updated with 2024 BLS OEWS wage data.

Median annual salary

$78,470

trending_down -3.9% vs. national

BLS OEWS 2024, Florida.

engineering

90,880

Jobs (FL)

monitoring Strong

+4.6%

10-yr job growth

payments

$1,150

Est. total cost

schedule

1-3 years post-bachelor's degree (can sit for exam with 120 hours)

Time to complete

route How to become a cpa in Florida

To become a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) in Florida, candidates must meet specific education, examination, and experience requirements. The licensing body is the Florida Board of Accountancy. Aspiring CPAs need 150 semester hours of education, including a bachelor's degree with specific upper-division accounting and business coursework, pass the Uniform CPA Examination, and complete one year (2000 hours) of verified accounting experience. Florida also offers reciprocity for licensed CPAs from other states that meet substantially equivalent standards.

bar_chart Salary percentiles

10th percentile (entry) $49,830

25th percentile $61,660

50th (median) $78,470

75th percentile $101,380

90th (experienced) $132,070

Source: BLS OEWS 2024 for Florida. Metro-area wages may differ significantly from the state aggregate.

checklist Florida requirements

Licensing body	Florida Board of Accountancy
State license	Required
Education	150 semester hours, including a bachelor's degree. Specific coursework includes 30 semester hours of upper-division accounting (auditing, cost accounting, financial accounting, taxation) and 36 semester hours of upper-division general business (including 3 semester hours of U.S. business law).
Experience	2,000.0 hours
Exam	Uniform CPA Examination ($1,411)
Application fee	$50
Renewal	Every 2.0 years
Continuing education	80.0 hours per cycle
Notes	Minimum age of 18 to obtain initial license. Must be of good moral character. No U.S. citizenship or Florida residency required to sit for the exam. A U.S. Social Security Number is required to obtain the license. The CPA exam must be passed within a rolling 30-month period. Experience must be verified by a licensed CPA and gained after meeting the 120 semester hour education requirement to sit for the exam. The experience can be in government, industry, academia, or public practice.

Source: Florida Board of Accountancy

work_outline Job outlook

10-year growth

+4.6%

Faster than average

Annual openings

124,200

Nationwide per year

Total employment

1,579,800

Nationwide

neurology

AI & tech impact

error High exposure 1.48/1.00

Many tasks in this career are susceptible to AI automation. Long-term career planning should account for potential disruption.

hub

balance Is it worth it?

Rough payback period

0 months

~$1,150 investment ÷ $78,470 median salary

check_circleFlorida license required — clearer credential signal to employers
warningElevated AI disruption risk

psychology

Wondering if a cpa career is the right fit?

See what the day actually looks like, who the role suits, and who should skip it — grounded in real practitioner sources.

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Frequently asked questions

What are the steps to becoming a cpa in Florida? expand_more

The path to cpa licensure in Florida: complete the required education (150 semester hours, including a bachelor's degree. Specific coursework includes 30 semester hours of upper-division accounting (auditing, cost accounting, financial accounting, taxation) and 36 semester hours of upper-division general business (including 3 semester hours of U.S. business law).), gain 2,000.0 hours of supervised experience, pass the Uniform CPA Examination, and submit your application ($50 fee).

Is a cpa license required in Florida? expand_more

A state license is required in Florida. Florida Board of Accountancy handles cpa licensing — the Uniform CPA Examination is part of the process.

What is the average cpa salary in Florida? expand_more

In Florida, the median pay for cpas comes to $78,470/year. That's roughly in line with the $81,680 national median. New cpas start around $49,830; seasoned professionals can reach $132,070.

How expensive is cpa licensing in Florida? expand_more

Between exam fee ($1,411) and application fee ($50), expect to invest around $1,150 in total to get started.

What's the timeline to become a cpa in Florida? expand_more

In Florida, becoming a cpa generally takes 1-3 years post-bachelor's degree (can sit for exam with 120 hours), accounting for education requirements, hands-on training, and the exam process.

How many CE hours do cpas need in Florida? expand_more

License renewal in Florida requires completing 80.0 hours of continuing education on a 2.0-year cycle.