The 150-Hour Requirement and the Number of CPA Exam Candidates, Pass Rates, and the Number Passing

2006 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 173-193 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arthur Allen ◽  
Angela M. Woodland
Keyword(s):  
Audit Quality ◽  
Opportunity Costs ◽  
Pass Rates ◽  
Barriers To Entry ◽  
Large Drop ◽  
Public Accounting ◽  
Accounting Firms ◽  
Cpa Exam ◽  
Additional Education ◽  
First Time

This study examines the association of the 150-hour education requirement with the number of CPA exam candidates, pass rates, and the number passing. Proponents of the 150-hour requirement argue that additional education produces higher quality students who are better prepared for the CPA exam and accounting careers. Opponents argue it imposes opportunity costs on students and costly barriers to entry into public accounting. On average we find a large drop (36 percent) in the number of candidates in each state taking each exam, a small increase in pass rates for first-time candidates only (3 percent), and a large drop (31.5 percent) in the number passing the CPA exam after the 150-hour requirement. Our results may be useful to accounting educators evaluating the success of their 150-hour programs, state boards considering revisions of their 150-hour requirements, and public accounting firms setting strategies to achieve audit quality.

Sitting Requirements and the CPA Exam

2015 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jared S. Soileau ◽  
Spencer C. Usrey ◽  
Thomas Z. Webb
Keyword(s):  
Data Availability ◽  
Graduate Degree ◽  
Pass Rates ◽  
Public Accounting ◽  
Accounting Firms ◽  
Public Accounting Firms ◽  
Cpa Exam ◽  
Potential Benefits ◽  
Educational Requirements

ABSTRACT This study examines the association between jurisdictions' CPA exam educational requirements and exam pass rates, scores, and number of candidates from 2006 to 2013. More specifically, we examine provisional candidacy to sit for the CPA exam. Provisional status allows a candidate to sit for the CPA exam prior to obtaining the required number of hours or graduate degree. Our results indicate that while 150-hour exam jurisdictions outperform 120-hour jurisdictions, provisional jurisdictions outperform both 150- and 120-hour jurisdictions for pass rates and average scores. We also find that the number of candidates sitting for the exam is significantly lower for provisional and 150-hour jurisdictions than for 120-hour jurisdictions. Our study contributes to the literature by considering the potential benefits of sitting in provisional jurisdictions and is likely to be of interest to accounting educators, state boards, and public accounting firms. Data Availability: Data are publicly available from sources indicated in the text.

An Analysis of Cross-Sectional Differences in Big and Non-Big Public Accounting Firms' Audit Programs

2006 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 27-48 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hans Blokdijk ◽  
Fred Drieenhuizen ◽  
Dan A. Simunic ◽  
Michael T. Stein
Keyword(s):  
Risk Assessment ◽  
Empirical Evidence ◽  
Audit Quality ◽  
Audit Fees ◽  
Public Accounting ◽  
Accounting Firms ◽  
Big 5 ◽  
Public Accounting Firms ◽  
Audit Approach ◽  
Control Risk

A significant body of prior research has shown that audits by the Big 5 (now Big 4) public accounting firms are quality differentiated relative to non-Big 5 audits. This result can be derived analytically by assuming that Big 5 and non-Big 5 firms face different loss functions for “audit failures” and is consistent with a variety of empirical evidence from studies of audit fees, auditor changes, and the stock price reaction to audited earnings. However, there is no existing evidence (of which we are aware) concerning the underlying production differences between Big 5 and non-Big 5 audits. As a result, existing empirical evidence cannot distinguish between the possibility that Big 5 audits are simply perceived to be different (e.g., by investors) or actually differ in how they are produced. Our research objective is to identify the production characteristics of audit engagements that may explain the differences in expected audit quality between Big 5 and non-Big 5 firms. In this archival study, we examine the total audit effort and the allocation of effort to four audit phases—planning, (control) risk assessment, substantive testing, and completion—for a cross-section sample of 113 audits of Dutch companies in 1998/99 by 14 public accounting firms. We find that, after controlling for client characteristics: (1) both types of auditors exert about the same amount of total audit effort; (2) Big 5 auditors allocate relatively more effort to planning and (control) risk assessment, and relatively less to substantive testing and completion; and (3) client size, use of the business-risk-based audit approach, and reliance on client internal controls affect audit hours differently for the two auditor types. We conclude that the Big 5 firms actually produce a higher audit quality level, and that this quality difference is related to how audit hours are deployed in a more contextual and less procedural audit approach.

Do Accounting Faculty Characteristics Impact CPA Exam Performance? An Investigation of Nearly 700,000 Examinations

2015 ◽  
Vol 31 (3) ◽  
pp. 291-300 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dennis M. Bline ◽  
Stephen Perreault ◽  
Xiaochuan Zheng
Keyword(s):  
Exam Performance ◽  
Faculty Research ◽  
Pass Rates ◽  
Accounting Faculty ◽  
Research And Teaching ◽  
Faculty Characteristics ◽  
Cpa Exam ◽  
Faculty Research Productivity ◽  
And Performance ◽  
First Time

ABSTRACT While many colleges and universities publicize CPA examination pass rates as evidence of having a high-quality accounting program, some have questioned whether program-specific characteristics are legitimate predictors of examination success. To examine this issue, we empirically investigate the link between accounting faculty characteristics and performance on the CPA examination. We examine the results from nearly 700,000 first-time exam sittings taken during the period 2005–2013 and find that faculty research and teaching specialization has a significant impact on CPA exam performance. That is, when a program has a relatively higher percentage of accounting faculty with expertise in a particular content area tested on the exam (e.g., auditing), graduates achieve higher scores on the related exam section (e.g., AUD). We also find that faculty research productivity and CPA certification status are positively related to candidate exam performance. We believe these results contribute to the existing literature on the determinants of CPA exam success and also provide important insights to those responsible for accounting faculty staffing and development.

scholarly journals Kualitas Audit: Ditinjau dari Fee Audit, Risiko Audit dan Skeptisme Profesional Auditor sebagai Variabel Moderating

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 9
Author(s):  
Muslim Muslim ◽  
Syamsuri Rahim ◽  
Muhammad Faisal AR Pelu ◽  
Alma Pratiwi
Keyword(s):  
Regression Analysis ◽  
Audit Quality ◽  
Audit Fees ◽  
Public Accounting ◽  
Audit Risk ◽  
Accounting Firms ◽  
Professional Skepticism ◽  
Audit Fee ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Positive Effect

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of audit fees and audit risk on audit quality with auditor professional skepticism as a moderating variable. This research was conducted at 8 public accounting firms in Makassar city with 40 respondents. The analytical method used is multiple regression analysis (Moderated Regression Analysis) which is used to measure the strength of the relationship between two or more variables. The results of this study found that the audit fee variable had a negative and not significant effect on audit quality. These results illustrate that the higher the audit fee received by the auditor, the audit quality will decrease. While audit risk is not a significant positive effect on audit quality. The results of this study illustrate that the higher the audit risk, the audit quality will decrease. The auditor's professional skepticism as a moderating variable is not able to strengthen the effect of audit fees on audit quality. Furthermore, auditor professional skepticism as a moderating variable is also unable to strengthen the effect of audit risk on audit quality

Comments by the Auditing Standards Committee of the Auditing Section of the American Accounting Association on the PCAOB Rulemaking Docket Matter No. 31: PCAOB Release No. 2010-005, Application of the “Failure to Supervise” Provision of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and Solicitation of Comment on Rulemaking Concepts

2011 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. C11-C15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph Brazel ◽  
James Bierstaker ◽  
Paul Caster ◽  
Brad Reed
Keyword(s):  
Audit Quality ◽  
Exposure Period ◽  
Public Accounting ◽  
Accounting Firms ◽  
Accounting Firm ◽  
The Public ◽  
Sarbanes Oxley ◽  
Public Company ◽  
Auditing Standards ◽  
Supervision Practices

SUMMARY: Recently, the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (“PCAOB” or “Board”) issued a release to address, in two ways, issues relating to the responsibilities of a registered public accounting firm and its supervisory personnel with respect to supervision. First, the release reminds registered firms and associated persons of, and highlights the scope of, Section 105(c)(6) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (“the Act”), which authorizes the Board to impose sanctions on registered public accounting firms and their supervisory personnel for failing to supervise reasonably an associated person who has violated certain laws, rules, or standards. Second, the release discusses and seeks comment on conceptual approaches to rulemaking that might complement the application of Section 105(c)(6) and, through increased accountability, lead to improved supervision practices and, consequently, improved audit quality. The PCAOB provided for a 91-day exposure period (from August 5, 2010, to November 3, 2010) for interested parties to examine and provide comments on the conceptual approaches to rulemaking that might complement the application of Section 105(c)(6). The Auditing Standards Committee of the Auditing Section of the American Accounting Association provided the comments in the letter below to the PCAOB on the PCAOB Release No. 2010-005, Application of the “Failure to Supervise” Provision of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and Solicitation of Comment on Rulemaking Concepts.

PCAOB International Inspections and Audit Quality

2016 ◽  
Vol 92 (5) ◽  
pp. 143-166 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jagan Krishnan ◽  
Jayanthi Krishnan ◽  
Hakjoon Song
Keyword(s):  
Audit Quality ◽  
Value Relevance ◽  
Accounting Firms ◽  
The Public ◽  
Public Company ◽  
Accounting Numbers ◽  
Abnormal Accruals ◽  
Relevance Measure ◽  
The Impact ◽  
First Time

ABSTRACT We investigate the impact of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board's (PCAOB) first-time inspections of foreign accounting firms by examining abnormal accruals around the inspection year, and the value relevance of accounting numbers around the inspection report date, for their U.S. cross-listed clients. We document lower abnormal accruals in the post-inspection period, and greater value relevance of accounting numbers in the post-report period for clients of the inspected auditors, compared with non-cross-listed clients or clients of non-inspected auditors within the inspected countries. Comparisons of the PCAOB's joint inspections with PCAOB stand-alone inspections indicate that while both experience lower post-inspection abnormal accruals, the former benefit more than the latter. The value relevance measure, in contrast, shows greater increases for the PCAOB stand-alone inspections than for joint inspections. Comparing the inspection effects for auditors with and without deficiency reports, we find no systematic differences for accruals or for value relevance.

scholarly journals Pengaruh Kompleksitas Tugas, Tekanan Anggaran Waktu Dan Pengalaman Auditor Terhadap Kualitas Audit

2019 ◽  
pp. 1231
Author(s):  
Ni Luh Dwi Ariestanti ◽  
Made Yenni Latrini
Keyword(s):  
Quantitative Research ◽  
Audit Quality ◽  
Task Complexity ◽  
Time Budget ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Public Accounting ◽  
Accounting Firms ◽  
Analysis Technique ◽  
Time Budget Pressure ◽  
A Company

At this time competition between companies is increasing accompanied by various problems faced by companies in Indonesia. In dealing with this problem, the company managers need accountant services, especially public accounting services. Audit quality is one of the important things in approaching the existence of a company. This study aims to prove empirically the effect of task complexity, time budget pressure and auditor experience on audit quality. This research is associative quantitative research. The data used in this study is primary data obtained by distributing questionnaires to each auditor at 9 Public Accounting Firms (KAP) in Province of Bali. The analysis technique used in this study is multiple linear analysis. The test results aimed at task complexity have a negative and significant effect on audit quality. Time budget pressure has a positive and significant effect on audit quality. The auditor's experience has a positive and significant effect on audit quality. Keywords: Task complexity, time budget pressure, auditor experience, audit quality

scholarly journals DOES AUDITOR INDEPENDENCE, SKEPTICISM, AND PROFESSIONALISM INFLUENCE AUDIT QUALITY?

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 251
Author(s):  
Putri Puspitarani ◽  
Supeni Anggraeni Mapuasari
Keyword(s):  
Empirical Evidence ◽  
Cognitive Dissonance ◽  
Audit Quality ◽  
Auditor Independence ◽  
Professional Organizations ◽  
Survey Method ◽  
Public Accounting ◽  
Accounting Firms ◽  
The Stability ◽  
High Sense

Riset ini menyajikan bukti empiris faktor-faktor yang mempengaruhi kualitas audit yang bersumber dari kognisi auditor. Faktor kognisi yang diujikan antara lain independensi, skeptisme, dan profesionalisme. Independensi didefinisikan sebagai kemauan auditor untuk netral dan tidak bias dalam mengambil keputusan. Skeptisme adalah kemauan auditor untuk mempertanyakan dan melakukan prosedur audit tambahan ketika terjadi keraguan dalam penentuan pertimbangan audit. Profesionalisme merepresentasikan pemahaman dan sikap auditor atas hak dan kewajibannya yang diatur oleh organisasi profesi. Untuk menguraikan logika hipotesis, riset ini menggunakan teori disonansi kognitif. Auditor tentu mengalami berbagai dinamika dalam menjalankan tugasnya. Dinamika ini terkadang mengandung ketidaksesuaian antara kognisi yang dimilikinya dengan apa yang ditemukannya. Dalam kondisi tersebut, penelitian ini menduga bahwa auditor yang memiliki rasa independensi yang tinggi akan lebih mampu menghasilkan kualitas audit yang baik. Auditor dengan skeptisme yang semakin tinggi tentu akan mau untuk mengeluarkan upaya tambahan demi meraih kualitas audit yang sesuai. Sementara itu, profesionalisme mampu mendukung kemantapan auditor dalam mengupayakan kualitas audit yang tinggi. Dengan menggunakan metode survei yang disebarkan pada para auditor di kantor akuntan publik di kota jakarta, riset ini menemukan bahwa independensi, skeptisme, dan profesionalisme secara signifikan mendukung persepsi kualitas audit. Ini artinya, kantor akuntan publik dapat mempertimbangkan faktor-faktor ini dalam perumusan kebijakan rekrutmen dan pelatihan.  This research presents empirical evidence of the factors that influence audit quality sourced from auditor cognition. Cognition factors tested included independence, skepticism, and professionalism. Independence is defined as the auditor's willingness to be neutral and not biased in making decisions. Skepticism is the auditor's willingness to question and carry out additional audit procedures when there is doubt in determining audit considerations. Professionalism represents the auditor's understanding and attitude towards his rights and obligations governed by professional organizations. To outline the logic of the hypothesis, this research uses the theory of cognitive dissonance. Auditors naturally experience various dynamics in carrying out their duties. This dynamic sometimes contains a mismatch between the cognition it has and what it finds. Under these conditions, this study suspects that auditors who have a high sense of independence will be better able to produce good audit quality. Auditors with increasing skepticism will certainly want to spend additional effort to achieve appropriate audit quality. Meanwhile, professionalism can support the stability of auditors in seeking high audit quality. Using a survey method distributed to auditors at public accounting firms in Jakarta, this research found that independence, skepticism, and professionalism significantly support the perception of audit quality.

scholarly journals Pengaruh Kompetensi, Independensi, Emotional Quotient dan Audit Tenure terhadap Kualitas Audit (Studi Empiris pada Auditor di Kantor Akuntan Publik Riau dan Kepulauan Riau)

2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 49-60
Author(s):  
Nugraha Tasya Ramadhanty ◽  
Hardi ◽  
Meilda Wiguna
Keyword(s):  
Regression Analysis ◽  
Linear Regression ◽  
Audit Quality ◽  
Linear Regression Analysis ◽  
Multiple Linear Regression Analysis ◽  
Public Accounting ◽  
Accounting Firms ◽  
Emotional Quotient ◽  
Negative Effect ◽  
Positive Effect

This study aims to test and empirically prove the effect of competence, independence, emotional quotient, and audit tenure on audit quality. The sample of this study was 45 auditors from 15 public accounting firms in Riau and Riau Islands. The method of analysis in this research is multiple linear regression analysis. The results showed that (1) Competence has a positive effect on Audit Quality (2) Independence has a positive effect on Audit Quality (3) Emotional Quotient has a positive effect on audit quality (4) Audit Tenure has a negative effect on Audit Quality.

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