Graduation Year
2025
Document Type
Campus Only Senior Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelor of Arts
Department
Economics-Accounting
Reader 1
Joshua Rosett
Reader 2
Nayana Bose
Terms of Use & License Information
Rights Information
2024 Sydney R Ritchey
Abstract
The 150 credit-hour requirement for Certified Public Accountant (CPA) licensure in the United States aims to enhance professional standards but has created unintended consequences. This thesis examines the policy’s impact on CPA exam candidacy and financial restatements by firms, highlighting its role in deterring candidates from taking the CPA exam and exacerbating the shortage of qualified accountants. Regression analyses reveal a decline in CPA candidates following the implementation of the requirement. In addition, a differences-in-differences analysis shows that the likelihood of financial restatements due to problems with the originally filed statements increases after states implement the requirement. These results call into question the effectiveness of the 150 credit-hour requirement to achieve its desired goals.
Recommended Citation
Ritchey, Sydney R., "The 150 Credit Hour Requirement for CPA Licensure and its Effect on CPA Candidacy and the Issuance of Financial Restatements in the US" (2025). Scripps Senior Theses. 2434.
https://scholarship.claremont.edu/scripps_theses/2434
This thesis is restricted to the Claremont Colleges current faculty, students, and staff.
