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What is Accounting?
Becoming a CPA is a process that extends beyond education into examination and licensure, and then maintaining that licensure throughout the years. Our comprehensive guide will give you the specifics of how to earn your CPA in the state of Nevada. You may also wish to consult the website for the Nevada State Board of Accountancy, which is free to change its rules on how you earn a CPA license and thus become a public accounting professional.
Almost every business relies on accounting. An accountant or bookkeeper may handle this task at a small firm, or a large finance department with dozens of employees may do so at a larger company. As a result of various streams of accounting, such as cost accounting and managerial accounting, management can make informed decisions about the direction of their business.
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Online Accounting Education in Nevada
To qualify to sit for the Nevada CPA exam you must first meet the education requirements as set forth by the Nevada State Board of Accountancy. Before obtaining your accounting bachelor's degree, you can start with an Associate of Applied Business in Accounting(AAB). All CPAs must have 150 total semester hours, including a Bachelor's degree or higher. Though the bachelor's degree does not have to be a degree in accounting, most CPA candidates take enough accounting courses to qualify. You will also need 150 total semester hours that include work specific subjects as detailed below. Online, correspondence, community colleges, and College Level Examination Program (CLEP) courses all meet the requirements as long as they are from an accredited institution and will transfer to a four-year program so your first step should be to verify accreditation of your school.
Nevada recognizes accreditation from the following agencies:
- Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
- Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools
- New England Association of Schools and Colleges
- Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges
- Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
- Western Association of Schools and Colleges
To qualify to sit for the Uniform CPA exam, your transcripts must reflect 150 semester hours of college or graduate education must include both accounting and business coursework above the introductory level. The Nevada State Board of Public Accountancy prefers to see semester hours from colleges and universities with a minimum of regional accreditation. Students with non-accredited hours may not be able to take the Uniform CPA exam nor will they qualify to practice under Nevada CPA rules and regulations. Some of the required accounting coursework can include semester hours in the following:
30 credit hours of accounting courses at the undergraduate or graduate level including:
- Financial Accounting (nine credit hours)
- Cost Accounting (three credit hours
- Auditing (three credit hours)
- Federal Income Tax (three credit hours)
- Accounting Electives (12 credit hours)
24 semester hours of general business courses at the undergraduate or graduate level including:
- Behavior of Organizations
- Business Finance
- Business Law
- Communication
- Computers
- Data Processing
- Economics
- Ethics in Business
- Legal & Social Environment
- Management
- Marketing
- Oral Communication
- Quantitative Applications in Business
- Statistics
In addition you'll need to take three semester hours of Business Law.
Because the educational requirements are strict and specific it's a good idea to work towards your Master's degree as you earn your CPA. That way by the time you pass the exams and other licensure requirements you will be highly qualified and stand above those in the field who only hold a bachelor's degree.
Online Associate Degree in Accounting (AS)
Accounting associate degrees in Nevada are often pursued as a way to begin practicing accounting at a highly basic level while working toward a bachelor’s degree. Entry-level positions and accounting roles with minimal accounting responsibility are typically the type of jobs available to individuals with an associate degree. Though an associate degree is a good way to start, it won't satisfy the educational requirements of the Nevada State Board of Accountancy, who demand 150 semester hours.
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Online Bachelor's Degree in Accounting (BS)
A bachelor’s degree in accounting can be completed in-person or online in Nevada. These degrees are necessary for most entry-level jobs and a pathway to complete your the requirements for your Nevada State Board of Accountancy CPA license. While you will need 150 semester hours to sit for the Uniform CPA exam, the Nevada State Board of Public Accountancy likes to see a bachelor's degree included in those hours. Many professionals will start working for a Nevada CPA firm while completing their 150 semester hours with additional undergraduate or graduate courses. SOme even decide to pursue a master’s degree, including online accounting degrees.
Online Master's Degree in Accounting (MS or MC)
Accounting professionals in Nevada who aspire to become CPAs often complete a master’s degree in accounting as a way to meet the Nevada CPA license requirements. Since the Nevada State Board of Accountancy requires 150 semester hours to sit for the Uniform CPA exam, 30 more than a standard 120 semester hour bachelor's degree, completing the educational requirement with graduate credits will help. Individuals who wish to secure management and executive positions in accounting also complete master’s degrees. This degree also greatly increases the earning potential of graduates.
Online PhD Degree in Accounting (PhD)
Most individuals who complete a doctoral degree in accounting will go on to become researchers or professors of accounting at colleges and universities. This is also a way to increase salary and greater specialization in specific areas of accounting. If you wish to pursue a career in academia you likely won't need a CPA license, but once you pass the Uniform CPA exam you will qualify for a CPA certificate which should suffice. Many businesspeople, including lawyers, hold a CPA certificate as a valid professional credential.
Online Degree in Accounting (Online)
There are many different options available to students that want to pursue an online accounting degree. In most cases you can get an associate, bachelor's or master's degree in accounting online from several different colleges and universities in Nevada.
Nevada CPA Exam Requirements
You'll begin the exam process by creating an online account with The Nevada State Board of Accountancy and filling out the initial CPA exam application.
When you submit your application you'll need the following information:
- Your official school transcripts (sent directly from your school to the Board of Accountancy)
- A recent two-inch by two-inch passport-sized photo
- Your preferred method of contact (email, postal mail, or fax)
- Completed 150 hour coursework checklist
- $100 application fee paid by credit card, check, or money order (Checks or money orders are payable to the Nevada State Board of Accountancy)
- Request for special accommodations if you are disabled
Note that schools can typically take two to six months to post their official transcripts and another 10 days to process transcript requests. This will determine how long it takes for your application to process. Once you have been approved to take the exam you will receive notification from the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) along with a payment coupon for the actual exam fees. The CPA exam consists of four parts and can be taken together or separately; you must pass each section with a score of 75 or better. If you do not pass a section you may retake it at a later date however all four tests must be taken successfully within an 18 month time frame.
The exam sections and their fees are as follows:
| Auditing (AUD) | $208.40 |
|---|---|
| Financial Accounting and Reporting (FAR) | $208.40 |
| Regulation (REG) | $208.40 |
| Business Environments and Concepts (BEC) | $208.40 |
Once your exam fee or fees are processed within four business days you'll receive a Notice to Schedule (NTS) from the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) and can schedule your exams to become a CPA. You will need your NTS to enter the exam site so keep it in a safe place; you must schedule within six months of receipt. Nevada CPA exams are given by Prometric and you will schedule through their website. Prometric has testing facilities in both Las Vegas and Reno that provide the Uniform CPA exam. You may choose the location that is most convenient.
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You should plan to arrive an hour early for the Uniform CPA exam. Each exam section is four hours long, and you will only be allowed to bring your NTS and personal identification into the exam room. All other personal items will be stored in a secure locker during the test.
As soon as the scores are tabulated you'll be notified of the results; you need to score at least 75 percent to pass each section of the exam.
- Ethics examination
In addition to the CPA exam you'll need to take an ethics exam given by the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants (AICPA). This exam is based on a self-study course that is approximately 11 hours in length; the exam is open-book and you must pass with a minimum score of 90 percent.
Continuing Professional Education (CPE) Requirements
In Nevada you must renew your CPA permit every year. Your permit expires on December 31 and must be renewed by January 31 of the following year.
You may pay online or by mail; in 2018 the fees are as follows:
| Payment online by credit card: | $120.00 |
|---|---|
| Payment via mail by check or money: | $140 |
| Late fee (after January 31): | $100.00 |
After you become a CPA in Nevada with a successful practice, the Nevada State Board of Accountancy will require 80 hours of continuing professional education (CPE) every two years. This means if you provide proof of 30 hours of CPE in one year you'll need to provide proof of 50 hours of CPE the next with a minimum of 20 CPE hours in a given year. A minimum four hours of the CPE must be in Ethics; depending on when you passed the Ethics exam your ethics CPE will be due the following year. In addition if you participated in any audit, review, attestation, or full disclosure compilation in the past 12 months you will be required to complete eight hours of CPE that focuses on auditing and accounting. Many CPAs attend annual conferences hosted by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) where the seminars and courses often satisfy the CPE requirements of the Nebraska State Boards of Accountancy.
Here are some sample subjects for approved CPE:
- Administrative practice
- Auditing
- Business law
- Communication arts
- Computer science
- Economics
- Functional fields of business
- Management
- Mathematics/statistics/probability/quantitative applications in business
- Specialized areas of industry
- Taxation
CPE may be compiled in a wide range of approved formats such as the following:
- Breakfast/lunch/dinner meetings designed as education programs
- College credit courses (one semester hour of credit = 15 CPE hours)
- Committee meetings designed as education programs
- Firm/staff meetings designed as education programs
- Independent study/self-study
- Instructing, discussion leading, speaking
- Professional development programs
- Public accounting firm formal education programs
- Technical sessions of meeting of accounting organizations
- Non-Credit Courses - Each classroom hour equals one hour toward the requirement.
- Speaker, Instructor, or Discussion Leader: actual preparation time is allowable up to double the presentation time. For example, a total of three hours is allowable for the presentation of a qualifying hour of in-class credit.
You can find eligible CPE at accredited colleges, accountancy organizations, NASBA’s National Registry of CPE sponsors, the Nevada Society of CPAs, and similar organizations in the field of accountancy.The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) provides many educational opportunities both online and at their national and regional conferences.
The Nevada Board of Accountancy audits approximately 20 percent of CPE claims each year via a random selection process so you should retain proof of your CPE credits for up to five years.
Your CPE documentation should include the following:
- Dates attended
- Certificate of completion
- Credit hours claimed
- Location
- Sponsor
- Title or description of content
- Because CPE in Nevada is compiled during a two year period you should also track the number of hours attained in the first year along with the number required in the second year to reach the total 80 hour requirement.
Become an Accountant in Nevada
Nevada requires specific experience before you are eligible for a CPA license. The experience can be in either public accounting or Internal Audit or Governmental Accounting but not a combination of the two.
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Here is the required experience for each:
- Public accounting experience
Two years consisting of the use of the following skills, with 1000 hours of attestation experience:
- Accounting or Auditing
- Advising or consulting with clients on matters relating to management
- Finance
- Preparation of tax returns or the furnishing of advice on matters relating to taxes
This experience must be performed with professional standards and verified by a CPA.
- Internal audit or governmental accounting experience
Two years consisting of the use of the following skills, with 1000 hours of attestation experience:
Four years in governmental accounting or internal auditing work, verified by a CPA.
Getting Your CPA License in Nevada
Once you've completed the required experience you'll be eligible to apply for certification.
In Nevada this is done through the Nevada Board of Accountancy and you'll need to submit the following:
- Completed application (notarized)
- Application fee of $250.00
- Completed and notarized Experience Forms
- Certificate of Completion of the AICPA Professional Ethics Exam
- Three moral character reference forms
- Two completed fingerprint cards (available through most law enforcement agencies)
Once your application is processed and approved by the Nevada Board of Accountancy, you will receive your certificate and become a CPA in Nevada.
Careers for Accounting Graduates
- Corporate Controller
A corporate controller is responsible for the accounting operations of an entire organization. This can include system maintenance and the creation of financial reports. It will also include risk mitigation, budgets, internal controls, and overall compliance with regulations and laws. - Compliance Officer
Compliance officers have a primary and fiduciary responsibility to remain up-to-date on the most current rules, regulations, and laws at any given time. Compliance efforts must include the local, regional, state, and federal standards and guidelines. And, if accounting professionals work for a multinational company, international laws and regulations must also be followed. - Tax Manager
As a tax manager, accounting professionals must provide tax services within a pre-specified time frame. These individuals may work with a wide array of individuals at all levels within an organization. Tax managers will be required to plan, provide expertise and recommendations, and offer to consult when necessary. - Accounts Receivable Coordinator
An accounts receivable coordinator creates, manages, and approves various new customer accounts. This might also include establishing billing terms, selecting a credit limit, and running credit checks. Another role will be to record all new information regarding a customer and possess the ability to work with the organization’s accounting system. - Nevada Average Cost Estimator Salary: $55,000
- Nevada Average Auditor Salary: $58,000
- Nevada Average Budget Analyst Salary: $60,100
- Nevada Average Credit Analyst Salary: $49,000
- Nevada Average Financial Analyst Salary: $60,600
- Nevada Average Personal Financial Advisor Salary: $80,900
- Nevada Average Financial Examiner Salary: $80,000
- Nevada Average Tax Examiner, Collector, or Revenue Agent Salary: -
- Nevada Average Tax Preparer Salary: -
- Nevada Average Actuary Salary: -
- Nevada Average Forensic Science Technician Salary: $58,300
- Nevada Average Payroll and Timekeeping Clerk Salary: $43,000
Nevada Average Accountant Salary
Nevada is known for its flashy tourism industry, with Las Vegas, Lake Tahoe, and Reno being the top destination locations. The Reno and Las Vegas areas are the most accessible regions in the state for accounting and auditing jobs, which make up for 5-6 out of every 1000 jobs in the two regions. Carson City, the state’s capital, has the best annual income in Nevada, where accountants in the city and its surrounding areas earn an average of $42,200 per year. The future is bright for accountants in Nevada; jobs in the industry are projected to skyrocket to over 31 percent by 2024.
| City | Annual Median Wage |
|---|---|
| Carson City | $42,200 |
| Las Vegas | $51,700 |
| South NV Area | - |
| Reno | $53,600 |
| Entry Level | Mid Career | Late Career |
|---|---|---|
| $49,300 | $49,400 | $60,200 |
Nevada Accounting Frequently Asked Questions
In Nevada, what kind of accounting jobs are available?
Las Vegas, Reno, and other cities and towns throughout Nevada have numerous accounting jobs in various fields and industries. You might find work in a casino, as they require a large number of accountants to manage transactions, records, audits, and more. The Big Four also have a presence in the state and a wide range of businesses, healthcare companies, government agencies, and non-profits are located in Nevada.
How much is the Nevada mid-career salary average?
In Nevada, the average annual wage for accountants and auditors is $68,030 according to the BLS. This figure will change based on employer and education. Whether one works in the public or private sector will also influence pay potential, as well as the town or city, years of experience, and specialty.
Are certifications or licensure necessary to be an accountant in Nevada?
Like most states, Nevada does not require specialized certification or licensure to practice accounting. However, the majority of employers will likely require at least a bachelor’s degree in the field. CPAs will require a bachelor’s degree plus additional education, as well as work experience and to pass the certification exam that leads to licensure.
Which Nevada colleges and universities feature accounting degrees online?
The University of Nevada at Reno and at Las Vegas both offer online accounting degrees that are also AACSB accredited. Other colleges and universities may offer online accounting programs, however, they are not accredited programs and online master’s degrees and PhDs in accounting are less common.