Learn How to Become a Licensed Certified Public Accountant In Kansas
Kansas, also known as the Sunflower State, offers some of the best opportunities for accountants, given the number of government agencies, non-profit organizations, and corporations with operations in the state.
While there are many employment opportunities for accountants in Kansas, becoming a Certified Public Accountant will not only increase your job prospects, it will also increase your future salary and compensation.
Kansas has set forth a number of qualifications that CPA candidates must meet before they can become licensed. Let’s look at the KS CPA requirements to take the CPA exam and become a licensed CPA in Kansas.
Basic Requirements For CPA Certification in Kansas
Here are the Kansas CPA requirements to take the CPA exam and become a licensed certified public accountant in Kansas:
- Must have a social security number
- Must be a Kansas Resident
- Must have a Bachelor’s degree with 150-semester hours majoring in accounting
- Must complete 1-year accounting work experience
- Minimum Age: not required
- US Citizen: not required
Unlike most states there is no age limit to become a certified public accountant in Kansas. Likewise, Kansas does not require CPA candidates to be US citizens.
However, the Kansas Board of Accountancy does require candidates planning to sit the uniform CPA exam to be a Kansas state resident. In this case, you must provide proof of residence, such as a state-issued drivers’ license or a copy of the mortgage to be eligible to take the CPA exam.
Kansas CPA Certification Education Requirements
The education requirement portion is the longest process of your CPA journey. Like other states, Kansas requires CPA candidates to meet education requirements before they can take the CPA exam including:
- A bachelor’s degree
- 150 semester hours in coursework
- 42-semester hours majoring in business and general education courses
- 30 hours of accounting majoring in upper-level financial accounting
- 11-hours in written and oral communication
Education credentials should be obtained from an accredited institution recognized by the KSBOA. It’s a good idea to clear your degree program with the Kansas State Board to make sure it meets the Kansas CPA requirements before you apply to take the CPA exam.
This way you won’t have to pay an extra fee if your educational requirements are not met.
Kansas CPA Exam Requirements
Although you need 150 credit hours to become a CPA in Kansas, you only need a bachelor’s degree with 120 credit hours including 24 credit hours of accounting courses to take the exam. This is helpful for recent college graduates who want to sit for the exam before they finish their 150 credit-hour CPA requirement.
After you meet the education requirements, you will be approved to apply to take the CPA exam and schedule and exam date. Applying for the exam is simple. You fill out the application on the Kansas State Board website and submit your education transcripts, government issued ID, and application fees.
After the Board reviews and approves your credentials, you will be approved to receive a NTS through NASBA. Then you can schedule your first exam.
KS CPA Exam Costs & Fees
You can only apply and schedule a CPA exam after paying the necessary CPA Exam fees. The cost of taking all the four CPA exam sections in Kansas is $743, in addition to an initial $145 application fee. The re-examination fees vary and depend on the number of sections one is taking.
- Auditing and Attestation (AUD): $195.35
- Business Environment and Concepts (BEC): $176.25
- Financial Accounting and Reporting (FAR): $195.35
- Regulation (REG): $176.25
- Application Fee: $145
Payments can be in money order payable to the CPA Examination Services.
Kansas CPA License Requirements
Completing your bachelor’s degree and passing the CPA exam are only the first two steps to becoming a licensed CPA in Kansas. Here are the Kansas CPA license requirements that must be met before you are issued a certified public accountant license:
- Complete a bachelor’s degree program
- Take and pass the Uniform CPA Exam
- Take and pass the Ethics exam
- Complete 150 college credit hours
- Show proof of at least 1-year accounting work experience
- Pay The CPA license application fee
Once all the CPA license requirements are met, the necessary documentation showing proof must be submitted to the board. The board reviews applications and issues permit cards that allow for operating as license public accountants in the state.
Those who hold CPA license from other states can be granted privileges of KA license holders only if their licenses are from a state where CPA requirements are equivalent to Kansas.
AICPA Ethics Exam
Passing the Uniform CPA exam is only a step to pursuing a CPA license in Kansas. Likewise, candidates must pass the AICPA Ethics exam. While not difficult as the uniform CPA exam, you do have to pass the Ethics exam with a minimum score of 90%.
Even though this is an open book test, you do have to take it seriously since you only have three tries to pass it.
Work Experience Requirements
After you pass the Uniform CPA and Ethics exams, you will need to complete a 1-year work experience program before you are eligible for licensure and to receive your CPA designation.
Kansas is pretty lenient with their work experience requirements and don’t require audit and attestation work or even public accounting experience at all
Work experience can be gained through full-time or part-time in a private or public accounting.
Employment in government or academia is also counted towards work experience. In addition, the work experience should be carried out under the supervision of a certified public accountant. A CPA license holder must certify the work experience.
Kansas CPA License Application & Renewal
In Kansas, CPA licenses are renewed on a biennial basis. In this case, license holders whose certificate ends in an odd number must renew their licenses by July of each odd year. Similarly, license holders whose certificates end in an even year must renew their licenses by July of each even-numbered year.
The license renewal process can be completed online through the Kansas State Board website. All license renewal applications must be accompanied by proof of 80 hours of continuing education.
Unlike other states, Kansas does not require specific categories of CPE each year. Instead, you just have to complete 80 hours of approved CPE and submit your CPE certificates for proof during your license renewal process.
Kansas CPA Salary
The average Kansas CPA salary for licensed certified public accountants is $68,000 according to the Kansas Department of Labor. While it is under the national average salary of $71,000, you can still earn more depending on experience, position, and geography.
Kansas offers a wide array of employment opportunities for Certified Public Accountants. For instance, a license holder can pursue a career in managerial accounting tasked with performing in-house audits.
A career in forensic accounting should work well with CPAs looking to work with law enforcement in curbing financial fraud.
Additional Kansas CPA Resources
Here are some helpful resources to learn how to take the CPA exam in Kansas and become a certified public accountant.