Ohio is fighting a shortage of accountants
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios
Ohio has started a national trend as the first state to make it easier to become a certified public accountant.
Why it matters: The country faces a crisis-level shortage of accountants, with the vast majority of the CPA workforce at or near retirement age and a declining number of young accountants replacing them.
State of play: To become a licensed CPA, candidates in all 50 states need 150 college credit hours (30 more than an undergraduate degree) and must pass an exam.
Driving the news: Ohio is set to lower that requirement next year thanks to House Bill 238, which altered a wide variety of occupational regulations.
- Beginning Jan. 1, 2026, the 150-hour rule will be an optional path, not a rule.
- Candidates can then be certified with a bachelor's degree and two years of related experience, or a master's degree and one year of experience — though an exam is still required.
- The bill also allows a CPA certified in another state to act as an Ohio CPA without an Ohio certificate, allowing for an influx of talent.
Between the lines: Donna Oklok, executive director of the Accountancy Board of Ohio, tells Axios the 150-hour rule originally aimed to improve passage rates for the CPA exam that took effect in 2000.
- Over the years, she says, that requirement has become more of a barrier than a safeguard.
- "We were able to write something that essentially turns the clock back 30 years."
Yes, but: Not everyone sees the change as a silver bullet.
- OSU accounting professor Tzachi Zach tells Axios that although it's beneficial to lower barriers to entry, the industry needs a shift in public perception to entice more prospective students.
- "It's up to us educators and professionals to communicate that story to students."
What they're doing: The Ohio Society of CPAs advocated for reforms at the state level, with president and CEO Laura Hay calling the need for more accounts a major issue.
- She tells us the group is now shifting its focus to tout the benefits of a CPA career and helping other states model changes after Ohio's.
- The organization's "Look Beyond" program highlights CPA-powered career paths in sports, health care, entertainment and entrepreneurship.
What's next: Other states and national accounting organizations look sure to follow Ohio's lead.
- Oklok says she's heard from about 20 states proposing similar legislation.
- "I'm getting something almost every day from our national association with a new state that has proposed something similar."