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You finished your accounting degree with 120 credit hours. You are ready to sit for the CPA exam. Then the 150-hour requirement shows up, and suddenly it feels like you owe the world another full year of school before anyone will hand you a license.

Here is what a lot of writing on this topic still gets wrong: The rules in , and the math around those extra 30 credits is not what it used to be. While in the past, another year of schooling was required, now students can complete their credits during work experience or within a master’s program.

An online Master of Science in Accounting at Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ State University is still one of the smartest ways to get licensed. The reasons have just shifted, and they are worth understanding before you commit to a plan.

The 150-Hour Requirement: What Actually Changed in Ohio

For decades, Ohio followed the national standard for CPA licensure. The process meant accumulating 150-credit hours of college – roughly a fifth year past a normal bachelor’s degree – plus one year of work experience and a passing CPA exam score. 

Under House Bill 238, which took effect in January 2026, Ohio became the first state to open alternative routes to CPA licensure. If you sit for the exam in 2026 or later, you now have two main pathways: 

• Option 1 – Obtaining a master’s degree with the required accounting concentration, one year of work experience, and a passing CPA exam.
   
• Option 2 – Obtaining a bachelor’s degree with the required accounting concentration, two years of work experience, and a passing CPA exam.

Important Note: The traditional 150-hour requirement route remains available as an option to obtain a CPA license if you prefer it.

So, what is the central benefit of a master’s degree? Time. The bachelor’s pathway asks for two years of qualifying experience. The master’s pathway cuts that down to one. For a 120-hour graduate deciding how to spend the next stretch of a career, that single change can make a world of difference.

How You Can Make All 30 Credits Count

Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ State’s online Master of Science in Accounting degree is a focused 30-credit hour program built to do more than meet requirements. The curriculum pairs advanced accounting coursework with a variety of electives that allow you to structure a concentration that is tailored directly to your needs and career goals. 

Along the way, the program incorporates , as well as CMA and ILA exam materials across multiple courses. This folds nationally recognized exam prep into your coursework rather than leaving it as an additional exam prep cost down the road and keeps the door open to certifications beyond the CPA. 

Getting your MSA at Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ State means you will be supported by an AACSB-accredited program, signaling to future employers your depth in a way that an extra year of sporadic course work could not.

The Timeline: From Enrollment to CPA License

The online MSA program at Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ State is delivered 100% online, so you can earn it while you work, and a graduate who already holds an accounting bachelor’s degree can finish in just two semesters. Ohio now lets you sit for the CPA exam as early as 180 days before you complete your education requirements, so you do not have to wait until graduation to start passing exam sections. 

From enrollment to license in hand, most people on this route are looking at somewhere between two to three years, with the master’s pathway shaving a full year of required experience off the bachelor’s alternative. For a 120-hour graduate, this path remains the fastest and most flexible way to obtain your CPA license and begin your career. 

Where to Start

If you graduated with 120 credit hours and the CPA is the goal, the question is no longer whether you need more education. It is which path gets you licensed soonest with the least wasted effort. For most people in that position, an online Master of Science in Accounting is still the answer, and at Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ State you will be supported every step of the way. 

Have questions about our online accounting master’s program? Contact Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ State today and we will be in touch soon. If you are ready to take your career to the next level, apply to earn your online master’s in accountancy!