1. Get a masters degree in accounting

2. Bachelor degree + other courses for credit from online diploma mills (University of Phoenix) or similar accredited educational institutions (I think community colleges would work too).

Both are complete waste of time and money. In the UK you can leave school, pass 14 or 15 exams costing about a £100 pounds + institute membership fee of £100/year and obtain the experience of three years then you are qualified to obtain a license to practice. If you are with a accountancy firm, they will sponsor all the main costs and provide you with study leave for exams.

I just read another article today [Tulip] that says the same thing about US medical education where one can study for becoming doctor only after completing an undergraduate degree which might have no relation to medicine. Author compares that with Ireland where one studies for 5 years after leaving school instead of the 8 that the US doctors need to spend.

I think it is similar case for becoming a lawyer too: four year degree then JD while in other countries they go and obtain an LLB (3 years) and then appear for the bar exams.

CPA eligibility

New York : http://nasba.org/exams/cpaexam/newyork/ California : http://www.dca.ca.gov/cba/applicants/tip_sheet.pdf Other states : http://nasba.org/exams/cpaexam/

Against [Tulip] subsidies : http://slatestarcodex.com/2015/06/06/against-tulip-subsidies...

"Most states have adopted a 150 university semester hour educational requirement. A few states require only a four year university degree." Depending on how your hours are calculated, I think 150 might require a year of grad school generally. My school does 3 hours of class per week x 5 classes per semester x 8 semesters = 120 hours.

On the other extreme, the CFA institute requires 4 years of experience to sit the CFA exams.