Texas CPA Requirements
Everything you need to become a CPA in Texas
Key Facts
- ✓SB 262 120-credit pathway in effect since August 1, 2026
- ✓Can sit for exam with 120 credits
- ✓Requires board-approved ethics course
- ✓Low initial fee ($50)
*Texas offers a 120-credit pathway (SB 262) with additional experience requirements. See Licensure Pathways below for details.
Education & Experience Requirements
Verify Before Applying: Requirements shown are for informational purposes and may have changed. Always confirm current requirements with the official state board before beginning your application.
Education Requirements
- •Must include 2 upper-level accounting courses
- •2 hours of ethics from a board-approved course
Experience Requirements
- ✓Public accounting
- ✓Private industry
- ✓Government
Exam Eligibility
Licensing & CPE
Exam vs. Licensure: Texas requires different credit thresholds to sit for the CPA exam versus obtaining your license. You can begin testing with 24 accounting credits, but must complete 30 for full licensure. Business credits: 21 to sit, 24 for licensure. Total credits: 120 to sit, 150 for licensure.
Licensure Pathways
Traditional 150-Credit Pathway
- •150 semester hours with accounting concentration
- •30 hours of accounting including 2 upper-level courses
- •24 hours of business courses
- •1 year of supervised experience under licensed CPA
120-Credit + Experience Pathway
Effective: August 1, 2026
- •Bachelor's degree with accounting concentration (120 hours)
- •2 years of supervised experience under licensed CPA (instead of 1 year)
- •TSBPA opened a Pathway B election window on October 9, 2025 for candidates transitioning ahead of the effective date
- •Board-approved ethics course still required
Texas State Board of Accountancy
Texas State Board of Public Accountancy
Application Tips
- 1.Verify current requirements on the official state board website before applying
- 2.Have official transcripts sent directly from your educational institution
- 3.Allow 4-6 weeks for application processing
- 4.Keep copies of all submitted documents for your records
Texas CPE & License Renewal
Frequently Asked Questions
Education Programs for Texas
37 programs meet CPA education requirements in Texas. Browse by category to find the right fit.
Online MAcc
14Arizona State University
AACSBOnline Master of Accountancy and Data Analytics
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
AACSBiMSA (Online Master of Science in Accountancy)
Western Governors University
ACBSPMaster of Science in Accounting
University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
AACSBMaster of Accountancy (MAcc) Accelerated Online
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
AACSBOnline Master of Accounting (MAC)
Auburn University
AACSBOnline Master of Accountancy (MAcc)
Rutgers University — Camden
AACSBOnline Master of Accountancy (MAcc)
Ohio University
AACSBOnline Master of Accountancy and Analytics
Syracuse University
AACSBM.S. in Professional Accounting (Online) (Whitman)
Liberty University
ACBSPOnline MS in Accounting
Southern Illinois University Carbondale
AACSBOnline Master of Accountancy (MAcc)
Texas A&M University
AACSBFlex Online MS Accounting (Mays)
University of Massachusetts Amherst
AACSBOnline MS in Accounting (Isenberg)
University of Georgia
AACSBOnline Master of Professional Accountancy
Campus MAcc
10University of Michigan
AACSBMaster of Accounting (MAcc)
University of Texas at Austin
AACSBMaster in Professional Accounting (Traditional MPA)
University of Notre Dame
AACSBMS in Accountancy
Brigham Young University
AACSBMaster of Accountancy
Ohio State University
AACSBMaster of Accounting
Wake Forest University
AACSBMS in Accountancy
Boston College
AACSBMS in Accounting
Vanderbilt University
AACSBMaster of Accountancy
University of Southern California
AACSBMaster of Accounting
California State University, Dominguez Hills
AACSBMaster of Science in Accounting
150-Hour Pathways
3MST Programs
4Golden Gate University
WSCUCMaster of Science in Taxation
Bentley University
AACSB (separate accounting accreditation)MS in Accounting — Taxation Concentration
American University
AACSB (Kogod School of Business)Graduate Certificate in Taxation (Kogod)
University of Southern California
AACSBMaster of Business Taxation (Working Professionals)
MBA Accounting
5Pace University
AACSBMBA in Public Accounting (CPA Prep)
Emporia State University
AACSBOnline MBA — Management Accounting Concentration
Florida Atlantic University
AACSBOnline MBA with Accounting Specialization
Creighton University
AACSB (separate accounting accreditation)Master of Accounting (MAC)
Northeastern University
AACSBMS Accounting / MBA Dual Degree
Related Resources
Planning your CPA journey in Texas? These guides can help.
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