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By University HQ Staff Writers
Edited by Evelyn Keener
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What is Accounting?

Accountancy involves recording revenue and expenses, as well as financial transactions. The accounting process involves summarizing, analyzing, and reporting transactions to regulatory agencies, tax collection agencies, and oversight agencies. Financial statements summarize the company's operations, financial position, and cash flow over a given period of time.

There's no better state to pick for becoming a CPA than Oregon. It's a beautiful place to live and the I-5 corridor is growing by leaps and bounds. You are sure to find a lucrative, successful career as well as a rich and rewarding lifestyle.

The road to becoming a CPA is nearly as difficult as hiking the Oregon Trail, however. There are many specific requirements that must be met, and loads of hard work is involved, too. Since Oregon has its own unique approach to Certified Public Accountant licensure, this document is here to help you navigate your way clear through to your Certified Public Accountant CPA license.

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Top Ranked Campus & Online Accounting Programs in Oregon

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1

University of Portland

Score: 80.63

  • Undergraduate Tuition
    • In-State: $54,900
    • Out-of-State:$54,900
  • Net Price: $33,717
  • Acceptance Rate: 93%
  • Retention Rate: 86%
  • Graduation Rate: 79%
  • Total Enrollment: 3,793
  • Undergrad Students: 3,390
  • Graduate Students: 403
  • Grads Salary: $83,000
  • Student-to-faculty: 9:1
  • University of Portland
2

Oregon State University

Score: 80.36

  • Undergraduate Tuition
    • In-State: $13,494
    • Out-of-State:$35,664
  • Net Price: $21,163
  • Acceptance Rate: 83%
  • Retention Rate: 87%
  • Graduation Rate: 70%
  • Total Enrollment: 34,292
  • Undergrad Students: 28,905
  • Graduate Students: 5,387
  • Grads Salary: $80,000
  • Student-to-faculty: 19:1
  • Oregon State University
View All Their Popular Majors and Rankings
3

Linfield University

Score: 76.75

  • Undergraduate Tuition
    • In-State: $49,530
    • Out-of-State:$49,530
  • Net Price: $31,585
  • Acceptance Rate: 89%
  • Retention Rate: 81%
  • Graduation Rate: 71%
  • Total Enrollment: 1,754
  • Undergrad Students: 1,720
  • Graduate Students: 34
  • Grads Salary: $79,000
  • Student-to-faculty: 10:1
  • Linfield University
4

University of Oregon

Score: 76.67

  • Undergraduate Tuition
    • In-State: $15,669
    • Out-of-State:$43,302
  • Net Price: $22,077
  • Acceptance Rate: 86%
  • Retention Rate: 86%
  • Graduation Rate: 73%
  • Total Enrollment: 23,163
  • Undergrad Students: 19,565
  • Graduate Students: 3,598
  • Grads Salary: $73,000
  • Student-to-faculty: 20:1
  • University of Oregon
View All Their Popular Majors and Rankings
5

Bushnell University

Score: 75.52

  • Undergraduate Tuition
    • In-State: $34,740
    • Out-of-State:$34,740
  • Net Price: $23,787
  • Acceptance Rate: 67%
  • Retention Rate: 78%
  • Graduation Rate: 52%
  • Total Enrollment: 699
  • Undergrad Students: 509
  • Graduate Students: 190
  • Grads Salary: $78,000
  • Student-to-faculty: 12:1
  • Bushnell University
6

Pacific University

Score: 74.27

  • Undergraduate Tuition
    • In-State: $54,466
    • Out-of-State:$54,466
  • Net Price: $33,472
  • Acceptance Rate: 92%
  • Retention Rate: 77%
  • Graduation Rate: 66%
  • Total Enrollment: 3,559
  • Undergrad Students: 1,639
  • Graduate Students: 1,920
  • Grads Salary: $80,000
  • Student-to-faculty: 9:1
  • Pacific University
View All Their Popular Majors and Rankings
7

Portland State University

Score: 72.99

  • Undergraduate Tuition
    • In-State: $11,238
    • Out-of-State:$30,138
  • Net Price: $16,273
  • Acceptance Rate: 93%
  • Retention Rate: 72%
  • Graduation Rate: 53%
  • Total Enrollment: 21,609
  • Undergrad Students: 16,862
  • Graduate Students: 4,747
  • Grads Salary: $75,000
  • Student-to-faculty: 17:1
  • Portland State University
View All Their Popular Majors and Rankings
8

George Fox University

Score: 71.97

  • Undergraduate Tuition
    • In-State: $40,940
    • Out-of-State:$40,940
  • Net Price: $28,840
  • Acceptance Rate: 92%
  • Retention Rate: 79%
  • Graduation Rate: 71%
  • Total Enrollment: 4,028
  • Undergrad Students: 2,531
  • Graduate Students: 1,497
  • Grads Salary: $71,000
  • Student-to-faculty: 15:1
  • George Fox University
View All Their Popular Majors and Rankings
9

Eastern Oregon University

Score: 66.21

  • Undergraduate Tuition
    • In-State: $10,671
    • Out-of-State:$24,621
  • Net Price: $15,234
  • Acceptance Rate: 99%
  • Retention Rate: 68%
  • Graduation Rate: 38%
  • Total Enrollment: 2,674
  • Undergrad Students: 2,415
  • Graduate Students: 259
  • Grads Salary: $69,000
  • Student-to-faculty: 13:1
  • Eastern Oregon University
View All Their Popular Majors and Rankings
10

Southern Oregon University

Score: 65.29

  • Undergraduate Tuition
    • In-State: $12,093
    • Out-of-State:$30,723
  • Net Price: $17,976
  • Acceptance Rate: 88%
  • Retention Rate: 71%
  • Graduation Rate: 46%
  • Total Enrollment: 5,204
  • Undergrad Students: 4,285
  • Graduate Students: 919
  • Grads Salary: $69,000
  • Student-to-faculty: 23:1
  • Southern Oregon University
View All Their Popular Majors and Rankings
11

Multnomah University

Score: 60.32

  • Undergraduate Tuition
    • In-State: $30,310
    • Out-of-State:$30,310
  • Net Price: $27,695
  • Acceptance Rate: 53%
  • Retention Rate: 53%
  • Graduation Rate: 39%
  • Total Enrollment: 608
  • Undergrad Students: 378
  • Graduate Students: 230
  • Grads Salary: $62,000
  • Student-to-faculty: 12:1
  • Multnomah University
12

Clackamas Community College

Score: 51.06

  • Undergraduate Tuition
    • In-State: $6,210
    • Out-of-State:$14,040
  • Net Price: $4,351
  • Acceptance Rate: 100%
  • Retention Rate: 55%
  • Graduation Rate: 20%
  • Total Enrollment: 4,638
  • Undergrad Students: 4,638
  • Graduate Students: N/A
  • Grads Salary: $41,900
  • Student-to-faculty: 14:1
  • Clackamas Community College
13

Southwestern Oregon Community College

Score: 50.34

  • Undergraduate Tuition
    • In-State: $6,840
    • Out-of-State:$6,840
  • Net Price: $8,758
  • Acceptance Rate: 100%
  • Retention Rate: 52%
  • Graduation Rate: 34%
  • Total Enrollment: 1,443
  • Undergrad Students: 1,443
  • Graduate Students: N/A
  • Grads Salary: $36,600
  • Student-to-faculty: 14:1
  • Southwestern Oregon Community College
14

Columbia Gorge Community College

Score: 49.41

  • Undergraduate Tuition
    • In-State: $5,544
    • Out-of-State:$10,080
  • Net Price: $9,539
  • Acceptance Rate: 100%
  • Retention Rate: 49%
  • Graduation Rate: 16%
  • Total Enrollment: 1,039
  • Undergrad Students: 1,039
  • Graduate Students: N/A
  • Grads Salary: $47,300
  • Student-to-faculty: 13:1
  • Columbia Gorge Community College
15

Klamath Community College

Score: 47.1

  • Undergraduate Tuition
    • In-State: $4,857
    • Out-of-State:$7,809
  • Net Price: $8,512
  • Acceptance Rate: 100%
  • Retention Rate: 64%
  • Graduation Rate: 28%
  • Total Enrollment: 1,580
  • Undergrad Students: 1,580
  • Graduate Students: N/A
  • Grads Salary: $30,700
  • Student-to-faculty: 14:1
  • Klamath Community College

Online Accounting Education in Oregon

To become a CPA in Oregon it is going to demand a lot of intellectual and academic rigor. You must hit the books early, late, and as often as possible. The general requirement is 150 credit hours of college or graduate work. Generally, that should include matriculation with at least a bachelor's degree and a major concentration in accounting, though there is one option that doesn't require that. The state's minimum requirement is 24 semester hours of accounting courses and 24 hours of business-related coursework.

CPA candidates accounting credits hours should be above the intro level, so courses like Principles of Accounting or Introduction to Accounting will not suffice.

For your licensure, concentrate on courses that cover topics such as:

  • Audits
  • Governmental or nonprofit accounting
  • Financial reporting
  • Taxation

Your business courses can go farther afield. If you want to become a Certified Public Accountant, these will help broaden your view of the business world and may even inspire you in other ways.

Consider studying subjects such as:

  • Statistics
  • Business law
  • Economics
  • Marketing
  • Management
  • Business ethics
  • Business communications
  • Technical writing
  • Finance
  • Organizational psychology
  • Sociology
  • Business.
  • Computer science

Confer with your academic in the accounting department to ensure that your business electives are recognized by the State Board of Accountancy as being business-related subjects. Keep in mind that courses taken at the master's level likely carry more hourly clout than undergraduate coursework.

  • Accreditation

    The Oregon State Boards of Accountancy not only demands that CPA candidates take a certain number of courses to become a Certified Public Accountant, but that the education be of a quality recognized by a credible accrediting agency. CPA candidates should only attend a college or university with at least regional accreditation. The regional accreditor in Oregon is the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.

  • Non-College Alternative

    Interestingly, Oregon offers a way for those with no college credit to become a CPA. If you have graduated with high school diploma and have two years of experience in public accounting, you are eligible to sit for the CPA Exam.

    Since your experience is vital to your application, make sure that you are diligent in accounting for it. First off, you must verify that you have a minimum of two years in full-time employment under a licensed Certified Public Accountant (CPA).

    During your time, make sure that you note how you use accounting skills such as:

    • Auditing
    • Attestation
    • Financial Reporting
    • Financial Analysis
    • Personal Finance Advisory
    • Management Advisory
    • Consulting
    • Tax preparation
    • Tax Advisory

    Your supervisor should be prepared to sign off, in a notarized document, for all of your experience. The state Board will contact them individually to verify your tenure in accounting.

    While this is an intriguing option, confer with your employer as to how you can be best prepared to take the CPA Exam. Since the rate to pass the CPA Exam is around, or below, 50%, you may need to take some college-level coursework to prepare. At a minimum, you can seek out an accredited review course for the test. This will help solidify your knowledge and provide you with college credits that you might use later.

    • Online Associates (AS)

    Earning your associate degree in accounting opens doors that allow you to work as an accounting assistant, bookkeeper, or in another entry-level position where you will help to record and summarize financial information. With experience, you can turn this position into a career or earn a higher-level degree that will give you access to promotions and an increase in salary. In Oregon, you may actually be able to become a CPA with an associate degree, though it will require a lot of work on your part before you can pass the CPA exam.

    National Rankings - Online Associate in Accounting

    Online Bachelors (BS or BAcc)

    As an accountant in today’s highly technical world, you are more than likely going to need to learn to work with software and accounting systems to succeed. Not only can you do this with a bachelor’s, but this degree level will also give you access to promotions and may be the last degree you ever need to earn.

    National Rankings - Online Bachelors in Accounting

    Online Masters (MS or MAcc)

    A master’s in accounting allows CPA candidates to delve into a more focused area of accounting, so you can work with clients in financial planning, investments, etc. and gain access to the highest levels of businesses, including the C-suites.

    National Rankings - Online Masters in Accounting

    Online Doctorate (PhD)

    If you're earning a degree at this advanced level, you'll likely already have your CPA license. Even so, this degree can prepare students to launch either a research or teaching career at a think tank, university, or college. While businesses do not require any of their employees to earn this degree, they may jump at the chance to employ someone with this depth of knowledge.

    Online Degree in Accounting

    Online accounting degrees are becoming more common as schools make an effort to reach every possible student. Some are 100% online and some offer a hybrid format, with some classes being on-campus and others virtual. Online options have proven to be just as challenging as the on-campus options and provide the same kinds of employment outcomes.

    Check out our Financial Aid Guide

    Oregon Certified Public Accounting Exam Requirements

    To sit for the CPA Exam in Oregon, the State Board of Accountancy requires that CPA candidates be fully prepared with 150 credit hours of college work experience, including a baccalaureate degree, or a high school diploma, and a minimum of two years working full-time for a licensed Certified Public Accountant CPA.

    If you take the academic route, you will also need to complete an experiential portion later. However, your scholarly work should ensure that you are fully prepared to pass the CPA Exam and your future practice in accountancy. To satisfy the state Board, your official transcripts should reflect 24 hours studying accountancy and 24 hours of general business coursework.

    Your accounting courses should be upper-level courses. That is, introductory courses will not be included when the Board reviews your transcript. This is often standard practice when universities qualify students to graduate in a major concentration. Thus, if you can complete the major there's a good chance you've satisfied the State Board.

    Your business-related courses can include courses such as Business Law or Business Ethics. You would be well advised to take at least one course that covers business communications. The Business Environment and Concepts portion of the four-part CPA Exam includes three written items.

    When you have completed all of the required 150 credit hours (or 225 quarter hours), you may apply to sit for the CPA Exam. Your application wiill require a payment for $150 for your first time. Returning applicants pay $50. Payments should go through the NASBA website, or by providing a credit card number via phone.

    On your application, you will indicate the sections of the test that you are prepared to take. Only list the section(s) for which you are fully prepared. Your application should also include your name exactly as it appears on your driver's license or other state identification. Otherwise, the testing center is likely to refuse your reservation for the test. If there is some error, you can contact the Board and request an amendment.

    Once you have received a notification that your application is approved, you can pick from one of six testing centers throughout Oregon:

    • Portland area

      Sylvan Learning Center
      1122 NE 122nd Ave
      Portland, Oregon
      503.254.4159

      Sylvan Learning Center
      14623 SE McLaughlin Blvd
      Milwaukie, Oregon
      503.659.0486

    • Southern Oregon

      Sylvan Learning Center
      1500 Valley River Drive, Suite 310
      Eugene, Oregon
      541.485.4589

      Southern Oregon University
      Higher Education Center Room 122
      101 South Bartlett St
      Medford, Oregon 97501
      541.552.8100

    • Central/Eastern Oregon

      Sylvan Learning Center
      2150 NE Studio Rd #10
      Bend, OR 97701

      Prometric Testing Center
      1901 Adams Ave
      LaGrande , Oregon 9785

    The CPA Exam is broken into four sections, each of which is allotted 4 hours. The sections are:

    • Auditing and Attestation (AUD): 72 multiple-choice questions and 8 task-based simulations
    • Financial Accounting and Reporting (FAR): 66 multiple-choice questions and 8 simulations
    • Business Environment and Concept (BEC): 62 multiple-choice questions, 4 simulations, and 3 written items
    • Regulation (REG): 76 multiple-choice questions and 8 task-based simulations

    They are all quite difficult and many people re-take one or more parts of the CPA Exam.

    Consider these passing rates from 2017:

    Auditing and Attestation 48.5%
    Business Environment and Concepts 53%
    Financial Accounting and Reporting 44.4%
    Regulation 47.2%

    A passing grade on each test is 75. Once you have completed the test, your scores will be available for private viewing on the NASBA website.

    Getting Your License in Oregon

    Once CPA candidates have passed the academic and examination portions of the road to your Certified Public Accountant CPA licensure, you will need to put your knowledge to the test in a real-world accounting firm. Oregon requires one year of full-time employment under the direct supervision of a licensed Certified Public Accountant CPA, PA, or chartered accountant. If you work part-time, you must complete 2,000 hours to of work experience to complete your application.

    During your experiential portion, you may work in public practice, government, industry, or in academia. To satisfy the board, you should record all of your activities related to the following skill sets:

    • Accounting
    • Attestation
    • Compilation
    • Management Advisory
    • Taxation
    • Consultation

    Your supervisor will be asked to verify your experience in a separate communication. Once you have received your Certified Public Accountant CPA license, you will need to continually maintain it with further education.

    Continuing Professional Education (CPE) Requirements

    Oregon is not alone in requiring that its CPAs complete CPE hours every year. For every two-year period, you should complete 80 total hours. Every year, however, you must complete a minimum of 24 hours. While you will mostly take courses that apply to accounting, attestation, taxation, and similarly technical courses, you must also take four CPE hours focused on ethics. The Board website has a lengthy list of of registered sponsors who can provide Board-approved ethics instruction.

    Your other CPE units can be acquired by taking courses through professional organizations, colleges or universities. The board will determine the hourly value of your work on a program-by-program basis.

    Note that the board does offer CPE waivers for military service, illness, or individual hardship. You may not, however, waive the CPE requirements for more than three years. If you need more time, and desire to return to the profession, consult with the Board.

    Your career as a CPA is bound to be fruitful and a large part of the continuing success of the state of Oregon. Your hard work will be the basis of a deeply rewarding career.

    Careers for Accounting Graduates

    Salaries

    Oregon accountants and auditors can make an excellent living. Accounting professionals in the South Coast non-metro area claim a mean annual wage of $56,420 while accountants in Eugene have a mean annual wage of $53,700. Accountants in eastern Oregon’s non-metro area bring in a mean annual wage of $60,680. Central Oregon’s 310 accountants have a mean annual wage of $68,110 and the Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro area shows a mean annual wage of $53,800-$70,350-$56,600 for its 9,510 accounting professionals. The employment ratio here is between 6 and 7 to every 1,000 jobs.

    City Annual Median Wage
    Eugene $53,700
    Portland $53,800
    Vancouver -
    Hillsboro $56,600
    Entry Level Mid Career Late Career
    $49,400 $59,300 $62,300
    • Cost Estimator: $56,400
    • Auditor: $52,500
    • Budget Analyst: $62,900
    • Credit Analyst: $68,900
    • Financial Analyst: $61,500
    • Personal Financial Advisor: $72,900
    • Financial Examiner: $66,100
    • Tax Preparer: $36,000
    • Actuary: $124,800
    Check out all accounting careers

    Frequently Asked Questions

    How much can I earn in this field?

    As an accountant, your knowledge and skills will be in high demand no matter where you live. At the early point of your career, an accountant’s average annual salary in Eugene is around $53,300 and the average salary in the state is $85,000.

    What is the job outlook in my state?

    The outlook for accountants and auditors shows that employment is projected to grow 6% between 2023 and 2033. The health of the US economy influences their employment growth because companies need them to prepare financial and tax filings and examine all sorts of financial documents.

    Do colleges or universities here offer online degrees?

    You should be able to find online accounting degree programs at Oregon universities. For instance, Seton Hall University offers an online master’s; Fairleigh Dickinson University also offers a Master of Science in Accounting. Other universities in the state offer degrees in a variety of accounting or finance-related majors.

    Sources: