What is the Syllabus for CPA Course? Is it the Same as CA or Different?

Hello there! Welcome back again. Are your curious minds also wondering whether the syllabus for the US CPA course is similar to that of CA or any different? Let’s quickly find out.

Are you confused and still deciding which career option would be the best for you? Is it going to be the US CPA course, or is it going to be the CA course? Well, there is no clear winner as both these designations are highly prestigious, and as far as knowledge and responsibilities are concerned, both these designations provide financial services to clients.

For both the courses, the focus is majorly on Auditing, Taxation, and financial reporting. However, the key differences are as follows:

1. CPA course follows international financial reporting standards and the US accepted accounting principles, and hence you are most likely to study US GAAP and IFRS. Whereas CA usually accepts the Indian accounting principles, and hence US GAAP is not in its scope of study which is one of the most major differences between FAR subject and accounting in CA.
2. The Regulation paper consists of US federal taxation and business laws, wherein you would be exposed to the technicalities of the US taxation system and various sections of business laws. Whereas, in CA you are exposed to various tax laws like direct tax laws, indirect tax, allied laws, etc. The major differentiation here in CA is meant for Indian professionals and covers Indian tax regulations and business acts.
3. The next subject, which is Auditing and Attestation, is covered in detail and is quite theoretical but makes one aware of the auditing standards and exposes them to various technicalities while auditing any entity. Whereas the audit subject in CA is more or less similar to the one that you would be studying under the US CPA course.
4. Coming to the easiest subject of the US CPA course, which is the business environment and concepts and includes subjects related to financial management such as Corporate Governance, Economics, Information Technology, etc. Whereas comparing it with CA, it is again very similar as the topics mentioned above are universal and do not vary much.

Still confused? Let’s look at some additional factors that would help you make decisions much faster.

• To be eligible for the US CPA course, candidates must complete their graduation, preferably in B.com, along with a post-graduation degree which can be M.com, ICWA, MBA (Finance), CA, or CS. Here the exact criteria may vary from state to state. However, if you wish to pursue CA as a career, then you need to appear for CPT (common proficiency test), which can be immediately given after completing 10+2.
• To be a Certified Public Accountant, one must complete all the four papers included in the CPA course syllabus, which are Financial Accounting and Reporting, Business Environment Concepts, Regulation and, Auditing and Attestation. Whereas in CA, it is mandatory to complete CPT as we discussed above, along with IPCC group 1 and IPCC group 2, and lastly, CA final group 1 and CA final group 2.
• The candidate wanting to acquire a CPA license must have completed the four-part assessment in 18 months, whereas some states also require candidates to have 1-2 years of work experience under a CPA and a total of 150 hours of CPA course to acquire the CPA license. On the other hand, all the candidates pursuing CA need to mandatorily complete 3 years of article ship.
• Talking about the job prospects, a qualified CPA can work in areas such as international accounting, internal and external auditing, consulting services, forensic accounting, taxation, financial planning, etc. On the other hand, a CA can open and practice in his independent firm or work in areas of accounting like Auditing, Taxation, Corporate Laws, Corporate Finance, etc.
• It is observed that a CPA candidate in India earns around 6.5L to 7L per annum, whereas a CA also earns nearly about 6-7 L per annum.

To summarize, if you are someone who is actively looking for global opportunities, then you must opt for the CPA course. Alternatively, if you are looking to start your audit practice, then you should opt for CA.

Want to learn more about US CPA course details? Read further to know more about the CPA course’s full form, what is the CPA course exactly, and the CPA course duration. 

• Most of you reading this would by now know the CPA course full form. For those who don’t, the full form of CPA is Certified Public Accountant and is one of the most respected and prestigious certifications in the accounting domain. It is awarded by NASBA-AICPA (National Association of State Boards of Accountancy) which is the world’s largest accounting body.
• Since we are now familiar with the full form of CPA, let us now learn more about what is CPA course and US CPA course details.
• CPA course is an extensive study that covers important accounting-related topics such as various Laws, Taxation, Auditing, Evaluation, Ethics, and in short, planning and managing taxes. The CPA course opens door to a variety of global opportunities and is recognized for purposes like immigration to US and Canada. It is one of the most structured programs, and the best part is aspiring CPA candidates can now write exams in India, which leads to greater flexibility and lower costs.
• The US CPA course details consist of four primary exams and consist of a mix of multiple-choice questions and task-based simulations.
• The CPA course duration is a minimum of 1 year, wherein it can be completed within 1 year if students are focused and well dedicated to ace the examinations. 

Hope this blog was useful for you to decide. If you have any further doubts regarding the US CPA course, please reach out to our counselors, who would be more than happy to assist you at every step. Are you ready to kickstart your career as a CPA? Let us know below. Happy learning.