Wisconsin now has a route to a license with a bachelor's degree and two years of work experience. 2025 Wisconsin Act 166 added it. To sit for the exam, you need at least 120 semester hours or a bachelor's degree, plus accounting and business coursework.
To get licensed, you have three choices. A master's degree needs one year of experience. So do 150 semester hours. A bachelor's with accounting and business coursework needs not less than two years. Someone verifies your experience. Ask the Wisconsin Accounting Examining Board which coursework it counts before you pick a route.
How to Get a CPA License in Wisconsin
Every route also asks you to pass the Uniform CPA Exam. Here's how the education and experience fit together in Wisconsin.
| Route | Education | Experience | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Graduate degree plus 1 year | A master's degree | 1 year | In effect |
| 150-hour route | 150 semester hours | 1 year | In effect |
| Bachelor's plus 2 years | A bachelor's degree with accounting and business coursework | Not less than 2 years of work experience | In effect |
Education to Sit for the CPA Exam in Wisconsin
You need at least 120 semester hours or a bachelor's degree. You also need accounting and business coursework.
What Changed Recently
2025 Wisconsin Act 166 added the bachelor's plus two years route to the state statute.
What Accountants Earn in Wisconsin
Accountants and auditors in Wisconsin earned a median of $79,400 a year in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half earned between $65,000 and $100,800. About 25,100 people held these jobs in the state.
Accounting Programs in Wisconsin
3 programs on our main rankings are based in Wisconsin. A degree from a school in the state is often the simplest way to match the board's coursework rules.
- University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting: #18 of 100 bachelor's accounting programs
- University of Wisconsin-Madison, Business: Accounting, Bachelor of Business Administration: one of our 100 best bachelor's accounting programs
- Lakeland University, Accounting, B.A.: one of our 100 best 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 Wisconsin stand on the bachelor's-plus-experience route.
- Illinois CPA requirements: bachelor's route starts January 1, 2027
- Iowa CPA requirements: bachelor's route in effect since July 1, 2026
- Michigan CPA requirements: bachelor's route proposed
- Minnesota CPA requirements: bachelor's route in effect since January 1, 2026
Check With the Wisconsin Accounting Examining Board
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.