Educators Tout Benefits of a Proposed Bill Drafted by the NJCPA that Offers an Additional Pathway to CPA Licensure

College professors praise the cost savings and efficiency to be had from a bill drafted by the New Jersey Society of Certified Public Accountants (NJCPA) that provides an additional pathway to CPA licensure in New Jersey. The bill is expected to be finalized this fall, having passed the full Assembly on May 22 and the Senate Commerce Committee on June 12.

Drafted to increase access to the accounting field, Assembly bill A5598, sponsored by Assemblyman Sterley S. Stanley (D-18) and Assemblywoman Aura K. Dunn (R-25), modifies New Jersey’s Accountancy Act to enable CPA candidates to qualify for licensure by earning a bachelor’s degree, completing two years of experience and passing the CPA Exam. Currently, candidates must earn at least 150 credits, which is typically 30 credits more than a bachelor’s degree, have one year of work experience in accounting and pass the CPA Exam. The companion bill, S4493, is sponsored by Senator Anthony M. Bucco (R-25).

Sarah L. O’Rourke, CPA, assistant professor of professional practice in the Accounting & Information Systems Department at Rutgers Business School, sees immediate benefits from the bill. “I feel very excited about the prospective new pathway to CPA licensure, because I think of all the new doors it will open,” she said. “We are creating new opportunities for students with fewer roadblocks, and I see no downside to offering one extra pathway to this great profession and community.”

According to Philip C. Sookram, CPA, MAcc, associate professor of accounting at Saint Peter’s University, “This legislation opens doors for past, present and future bachelor’s degree earners to gain eligibility to obtain a CPA license and is a positive step towards removing cost barriers to obtaining a CPA license.”

The bill, which would go into effect Jan. 1, 2026, would also help address the shortage of accountants entering the profession. “Accounting pathways are an important initiative that will benefit our students by eliminating the greatest barrier to entry for the accounting profession, making accounting careers more accessible and enabling students to pursue meaningful opportunities in a profession with significant need,” explained David H. Sharpe, CPA, adjunct professor of accounting at Berkeley College, noting the bill will offer greater opportunity and an apprenticeship model.

Mark L. Koscinski, CPA, D. Litt., associate professor of accounting practice at Moravian College, added, “The current path to licensure can be an economic disincentive for all students who wish to study accounting. Its burden falls disproportionately on those groups that have been historically underrepresented in our profession.” He explained, “The additional path to licensure will result in a larger pipeline to the profession with no decrease in professionalism or quality of work product.”

Anne Marie Callahan, CPA, DPS, assistant professor of professional practice in the Accounting & Information Systems Department at Rutgers Business School, agreed that this legislation ensures that becoming a CPA remains accessible and a viable and attractive goal for students. She noted, “Introducing an additional path to CPA licensure provides flexibility while maintaining a commitment to academic rigor and experiential requirements.”

Reducing burdens of any kind for the next generation of young professionals should be a top priority, noted Aiysha (AJ) Johnson, MA, IOM, CEO and executive director of the NJCPA. “We are pleased that our member educators see real value in the bill and can help explain its benefits to their students,” she said.

The bill also provides for individual practice privileges for out-of-state licensed CPAs who have a bachelor’s or higher degree, have passed the CPA Exam and have at least one year of experience.