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CPA license numbers remain lower in NY state

According to new statistics gathered by the New York State Education Department, the number of New Yorkers obtaining a Certified Public Accounting license from the state remained constant, albeit lower, in 2014.

Last year, 2,594 people received their license, up marginally from the 2,549 licenses in 2013. In total, New York has 38,161 accountants licensed in the state.

The numbers represent a significant dip from the 2010 total of 4,099. The first major decline came in 2011, when just 3,000 accountants were certified by the state. The number of accountants dropped even further in 2012 to 2,727, representing a 42 percent decline from 2010.

Nassau County, on Long Island, contains the largest number of accountants in the state, with 7,487 - more than the 5,951 accountants in Manhattan. With just two, Schuyler County has the fewest number of accountants in the state.

To obtain a CPA license in NY, individuals must have five years of college with a specified number of accounting courses, must pass a four-section national licensing exam, and have one year of experience supervised by a New York-licensed CPA.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects double-digit growth for accounting jobs, with a median salary of $64,000.

For the full report, head to the NY State Education Department site here. 

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