Buffalo college boasts best CPA exam pass rate in NY

Accounting graduates of Canisius College in Buffalo, N.Y., ranked No. 1 overall among large academic programs statewide on the 2013 CPA exam, with 71 percent of exam-takers passing on their first attempt to earn their CPA.

Canisius alumni of bachelor and graduate programs ranked second in New York on the regulation and auditing portions of the individual sections, with passing rates of 70 percent and 68 percent, respectively. Additionally, they ranked fourth in the state on the business environment and concepts portion, with 81 percent passing, and sixth on the financial accounting and reporting portion, with 66 percent passing.   

The private Jesuit school had a “large” program, or more than 60 CPA exam candidates, overall and a “medium” program for the individual sections (21 to 60 candidates).

“Graduates of the Canisius College Accounting Program consistently rank among the best in the state, based on CPA exam pass rates,” said accounting department chairman Joseph B. O’Donnell in a statement. “The exceptional knowledge and dedication of our accounting faculty, the high quality of our curriculum and the rigorous program standards equates to successful graduates who are heavily recruited by employers.”