Arkansas lowered the bar to sit for the CPA exam in 2026. Since March 5, you need 18 hours of upper-level accounting courses with a grade of at least C. The board says nothing else is required to sit. Licensing has a new route too.
You can use a bachelor's degree with an accounting and business concentration and two years of experience. You don't need 150 hours. The master's and 150-hour routes need one year. Contact the Arkansas State Board of Public Accountancy to confirm your courses match the 27 accounting and 24 business hours.
How to Get a CPA License in Arkansas
Every route also asks you to pass the Uniform CPA Exam. Here's how the education and experience fit together in Arkansas.
| Route | Education | Experience | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Graduate degree plus 1 year | Master's degree with an accounting and business concentration | One year | In effect since March 5, 2026 |
| 150-hour route | Bachelor's degree with 150 semester credit hours and an accounting and business concentration | One year | In effect since March 5, 2026 |
| Bachelor's plus 2 years | Bachelor's degree with an accounting and business concentration, with no 150-hour requirement | Two years | In effect since March 5, 2026 |
Education to Sit for the CPA Exam in Arkansas
Since March 5, 2026, you need 18 hours of upper-level accounting courses with a grade of at least C. The board says nothing else is required to sit.
Coursework: 27 upper-level accounting hours plus 24 business hours
Ethics Exam
Arkansas doesn't require an ethics exam for the license. Every licensee takes a 1-hour Arkansas ethics course on the accountancy law and board rules as continuing education.
What Changed Recently
New rules took effect March 5, 2026. They added a bachelor's plus two years route and lowered the exam requirement to 18 upper-level accounting hours.
What Accountants Earn in Arkansas
Accountants and auditors in Arkansas earned a median of $66,330 a year in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half earned between $52,570 and $88,950. About 7,870 people held these jobs in the state.
Accounting Programs in Arkansas
One program on our main rankings is based in Arkansas. A degree from a school in the state is often the simplest way to match the board's coursework rules.
- University of Arkansas, Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in Accounting: #4 of 100 bachelor's accounting programs
CPA Requirements in Nearby States
Thinking about working across a state line, or studying in one state and licensing in another? Each state sets its own rules, so here's where the states near Arkansas stand on the bachelor's-plus-experience route.
- Louisiana CPA requirements: bachelor's route in effect since August 1, 2026
- Mississippi CPA requirements: bachelor's route in effect since July 1, 2026
- Missouri CPA requirements: bachelor's route in effect since August 28, 2026
- Oklahoma CPA requirements: bachelor's route starts November 1, 2026
- Tennessee CPA requirements: bachelor's route in effect since January 1, 2026
- Texas CPA requirements: bachelor's route in effect since August 1, 2026
Check With the Arkansas State Board of Public Accountancy
The board sets the rules and decides your application. We checked these requirements against official sources on October 12, 2026. Rules change, so confirm the details on the board's site before you apply.