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Manavta
04 July, 2025
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CPA, or Certified Public Accountant, is one of the most esteemed professional titles worldwide. Suppose you’re someone who is either interested in or already working in the field of international finance, compliance, auditing, taxation, etc. In that case, you shall be aware of how prestigious the CPA qualification is in terms of global accounting credentials. Due to its worldwide recognition, an increasing number of professionals pursue this qualification each year, drawn by the numerous benefits it offers in terms of career growth.
This blog offers a comprehensive discussion of the CPA course, including its fees, exams, and other key aspects that are beneficial for anyone interested in learning more about the CPA qualification. Let’s get started.
CPA, also known as a Certified Public Accountant, is a globally recognised qualification in the fields of finance, accounting, and related fields, highly valued by professionals working in these sectors. CPA courses are offered by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), which is considered the gold standard for the accounting sector.
Indians and many professionals from other countries are eagerly pursuing the course due to its global recognition and status. The course has been finely structured by global-level experts, rigorous in its nature, offering high earning potential and global career opportunities for professionals.
The curriculum of the course equips professionals with expertise and knowledge in the finance and accounting fields, along with skills like strategic thinking and decision-making, which they need to work at global firms and match the international standards of these sectors.
Following is the list of subjects that a professional learns about at an advanced level:
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If you’re interested in pursuing your CPA course, consider looking at the cost of pursuing the course to build a successful career for yourself. In addition to the course fees, there are several other important financial considerations to keep in mind. Here is the breakdown of the cost of completing the CPA course in India.
Before you fill out the application form and pay the fee, you need to pay the credential evaluation fee, which is generally paid through a third party. The evaluation fee is paid to verify if your Indian degree meets the eligibility criteria to appear for the CPA exam. If you meet the eligibility requirements, you can pay the application fee.
*The evaluation fee and application fee may vary depending on the third-party verification service used and the US state board, respectively.
The next step is to pay the fee for the CPA exam. The exam is divided into four different sections, each of which has a separate fee to pay for.
| Exam Section | Approximate Cost (INR) |
|---|---|
| Auditing & Attestation (AUD) | INR 20,000 – 22,000 |
| Business Environment (BEC) | INR 20,000 – 22,000 |
| Financial Accounting (FAR) | INR 20,000 – 22,000 |
| Regulation (REG) | INR 20,000 – 22,000 |
The cost for the CPA preparation depends on the individual and their choice to take any additional support or not. Since the CPA exam is a globally recognised examination, it attracts high competition. Therefore, multiple candidates opt for coaching or CPA review courses from reputed institutions.
The training and the study material cost depend on which reputed provider you are taking your guidance from. The general coaching or training fee for the CPA course, if taken from an institution, ranges from INR 1 lakh to 3 lakhs. However, the fee range may be less or more, depending on the location, quality of additional support, teacher qualifications, etc.
You can also study by yourself if you have discipline and self-belief, and therefore, apart from the study material or books that you buy for preparing for the exam, you will not be investing any of your finances, just your hard work and time.
As an Indian candidate, if you’re appearing for a CPA exam, there might be additional fees for the international test depending on the location of the board for your exam or your testing centre.
You shall have to pay an international testing fee per section for the exam, which comes around INR 1 to 1.5 lakhs.
There might be other miscellaneous charges that you need to pay for after your examination, like the CPA license fee, which is generally from INR 10,000 to 15,000, more or less, depending upon the charges levied at that time.
If we evaluate the total cost for pursuing the CPA course in India from all that we have discussed above, it generally comes in between INR 3 to 5 lakhs. Here is the table that provides a breakdown of InShot and the total cost of pursuing the course in India.
| Component | Estimated Cost (INR) |
|---|---|
| Credential Evaluation & Application | INR 25,000 – INR 35,000 |
| Exam Fees (4 sections) | INR 80,000 – INR 90,000 |
| Coaching / Review Course | INR 1.0 lakh – INR 2.5 lakhs (if you enrol in a coaching centre, depends on the provider) |
| International Exam Fees (4 papers) | INR 1.2 lakhs – INR 1.4 lakhs |
| Licensing & Miscellaneous Costs | INR 10,000 – INR 15,000 |
| Total Cost | INR 3.5 lakhs – INR 4.5 lakhs |
Please note that the above table provides an overview of the fees that may be incurred if you opt to pursue a CPA course in India.
However, the total CPA course fee may vary depending on several factors, such as:
Completing a global-level programme like CPA opens up numerous career opportunities. One can go for several diverse specialised roles with high-paying salaries, depending on which sector they wish to venture into. Here is a list of various professional jobs that you can pursue after completing the CPA course in India, along with the average pay scales in India, as per AmbitionBox and Glassdoor.
| Professional Role | Average Salary Range (INR LPA) |
|---|---|
| Financial Analyst | INR 8.2 – 10 LPA |
| Internal Auditor | INR 7 – 15.6 LPA |
| Tax Consultant | INR 7.8 – 11 LPA |
| Forensic Accountant | INR 8 – 13 LPA |
| Financial Controller | INR 12 – 22.1 LPA |
| Risk & Compliance Manager | INR 10 – 18 LPA |
| Senior Accountant / Accounting Manager | INR 7.5 – 14 LPA |
*Please note that salaries may vary depending on the institution, employer, company type, years of experience, location, and other factors.*
Also Check: Career Prospects after Accounting: Scope, Jobs, Salaries
CPA, Certified Public Accountant, as a designation, holds distinguishing value that offers tremendous career opportunities for professionals. Beyond being a qualification, it is regarded as a global benchmark that showcases the expertise of professionals in fields such as financial management, accounting, taxation, auditing, and financial ethics.
Top-level MNCs and companies readily recruit professionals who have completed the CPA course, as it is a testament to their technical expertise, advanced financial knowledge, and familiarity with the international standards of the finance sector worldwide. The CPA course offers other rewarding benefits like:
International recognition
Global-level prestige
International career opportunities
High-paying jobs
Alignment with global financial standards
Academic and technical expertise
High demand in the market
Thriving career
Since the CPA course is provided by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), here are the simple steps that you need to follow to be eligible to pursue the CPA exam in India.
CPA, or the Certified Public Accountant course, is a shortcut for professionals who want to accelerate their careers in the field of finance, auditing, accounting, etc., and wish to work on an international platform. The course equips learners with strategic thinking, decision-making, and other skills, along with technical mastery of their domain.
The CPA course in India generally costs around INR 3 to 5 lakhs, which may vary depending on several factors such as the choice of U.S. state board and its location, additional coaching fees if you are opting for it, and other miscellaneous charges at the time of applying and appearing for the exam, etc.
However, the CPA exam opens the door to excellent career opportunities for professionals and provides the chance to join top-tier international business or financial firms and move into high-level leadership roles in accounting, auditing, and other sectors.
If you are interested in pursuing a future full of rewarding career opportunities in the field of finance, enrolling in a CPA course might be the right path for you.
The cost of pursuing a CPA course in India ranges from INR 3 to 5 lakhs, which may vary depending on several factors.
Yes, CPA or Certified Public Accountant is an internationally recognised certification awarded to professionals in the field of finance, accounting, auditing, etc. Since it is provided by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), it holds significant international prestige.
The CPA exam is divided into four sections: Auditing and Attestation, Business Environment and Concepts, Financial Accounting and Reporting (FAR), and Regulation.
Yes, you can absolutely pursue your CPA course in India. Though the course is provided by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Indian students can also enrol and prepare through authorised partners and centres.
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