Global Opportunities for CPA professionals Open the door to a brilliant career

07 February, 2025
by Ansa Antony

In 2024, the CPA and management consulting market was valued at $102.9 billion and is expected to reach $148.75 billion by 2031.

The changing dynamic of accounting professions over the globe calls for highly skilled certified public accountants. If you’re a CPA professional today, you can be earning huge given the rapid increase in market size projected over the years.

It’s not just in the US. A CPA professional is in high demand across countries and geographies like Canada, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.

As most finance professionals would put it, you won’t even have to work in packed office cubicles in 2025. You could be working on a beach in Bali or Goa and still deliver the goods.

This blog will cover the global opportunities awaiting skilled CPA professionals. It will also give you an outline as to how to open the door to becoming a certified public accountant.

A Global Certification Meeting the Accountant Demand

Founded in 1887, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) issues the CPA i.e. certified public accountant certification. The board has 597,000 members as of now, registered across 188 countries. The certification is unparalleled when it comes to obtaining a globally recognized batch for accounting and tax regulation. A professional possessing this golden batch can easily make his way to the pinnacle of the finance corporate ladder.

It takes rigorous effort and practice to clear the CPA exam. The certified public accountant certification is very much associated with the CA batch offered by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) due to its meritorious character.

The Massive Demand for CPAs Worldwide!

As the world progresses towards an increasingly complex system of business and economic transfers, qualified professionals are sought after to administer the necessary injection.

Who else better than the CPA professional to oversee complex tax reforms and economic regulations? It requires quite the mettle of the skilled accountant to handle the frantic commotion in the offices of NYC or Silicon Valley, California.

Let’s look at a few of the key factors why CPAs are in great demand today, in 2025.

1. Global Expansion of Businesses

Companies and organizations across the globe are consistently evolving and as a result, spreading across borders and geographical jurisdictions. Also, in the wake of the technological era, wherein AI models are used to interpret financial data, qualified CPAs can ensure that the valuation is correctly estimated.

Skilled CPA professionals who have in-depth knowledge of matters of auditing, financial accounting, and tax assessment can easily handle the wayward eruptions in the modern financial landscape.

They ensure regulatory compliance by attending to global accounting measures such as IFRS (International Financial Reporting Standards) and GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles).

CPAs with cross-border expertise who can manage mergers, acquisitions, and other global reform requisites are growing in huge demand.

2. Regulatory and Compliance Requirements

Government policymakers are consistently changing business compliance parameters as per the infusion of modern-day technologies and other factors. For a company to operate smoothly without being disrupted by compliance measures, regular auditing and development of compliance checklists need to be done.

That’s where a skilled CPA comes in and looks after business compliance measures. They can interpret the complexities within accounting standards and regulations and understand the essentials needed to accurately prepare a company’s financial report.

They also analyze operations and areas where there’s a risk associated with compliance and delegate teams to mitigate the risks. CPAs take a step forward and establish internal controls and policies to keep regulatory compliance in check.

3. Incorporation of Technology in Accounting

Several top public and private accounting firms are using AI and ML algorithms to interpret financial reports and even perform advanced calculations.

CPAs who have in-depth knowledge of the latest technologies and software used to implement key accounting principles add immense value to an organization’s growth.

By delegating AI models to take over accounting work that involves strategic patterns and within the scope of its conjecture, certified public accountants can spend their time in the management of internal teams and establishing internal controls.

Top 5 Career Paths for CPAs

There’s immense career scope for a CPA in 2025. Depending on your skill set, interests, and career goals, you can take any of these 5 paths.

1. Public Accounting

CPA professionals who love to perform audits and work their way up to providing advisory services can follow the line of public accounting.
They can make their way to the Big Four firms (Deloitte, PwC, EY, KPMG) and also work for other multinational companies across the world.
A large part of the work goes into analyzing financial statements and ensuring regulatory compliance by conducting periodic auditing. You can operate either as an internal or external auditor.

2. Corporate Finance and Accounting

At the top of the ladder, you can make it to become the CFO (Chief Financial Officer), or Finance Director.
As an expert in corporate finance laws and regulatory compliances, you steer forward the future of your company via planning, reporting, and proper allocation of company resources.
There’s the flexibility of working across multiple sectors such as Banking, Manufacturing, Health Care, Technology, etc and providing top-layer services of budgeting and forecasting.

3. Taxation and Compliance

CPAs with an adept understanding of tax measures and knowledgeable in handling cross-border tax regulations can boost a company’s fiscal objectives.
Various roles such as Tax Consultant, International Tax Analyst, and Tax Manager are available to suitable professionals.
MNCs will require tax consultants who have expertise in international tax laws and business taxation to give them strategic advice in lowering the tax as much as possible.

4. Financial Advisory & Consulting

Businesses looking to expand globally bank on CPAs for professional financial advice and data on specific geographic financial climates concerning industry/sector.
A periodic business valuation is performed by the certified public accountant, suggesting the management of profitable mergers and acquisitions.
Investment banks and angel investors also seek CPAs to give them clarity on various financial charts and projections.

5. Entrepreneurship and Business

After gaining significant experience in various aspects of accounting and taxation, CPAs can proceed to start their ventures if they are interested.
They can also form mergers with existing startups and companies to act as a partner in their business.
By hiring a team of other public accountants, you can start your consultancy firm and draw international clients.

Future Growth Prospects & Salary Trends

Globally, the CPA profession is expected to grow by 6–7% due to increased business complexity.

Salaries for CPAs vary by region:

United States: $80,000–$150,000 annually (senior roles can exceed $200,000).
Canada: CAD 75,000–130,000 per year.
UK: £50,000–120,000 annually.
Australia: AUD 90,000–150,000.
UAE & Middle East: $100,000+ tax-free salaries for experienced professionals.

*Source - https://naibuzz.com/10-countries-with-the-highest-chartered-accountant-salaries-in-the-world

How To Become a CPA Professional?

The integral question is how one becomes a CPA professional. As stated by Becker, there are three E’s to becoming a CPA batch holder.

The three E’s are as such: Education, Experience, and Exam.

1. Education

A bachelor’s degree in a suitable program and 150 hours of credit are a primary requirement to be eligible for the CPA exam.

2. Experience

Every accountant with a bachelor's degree needs to work under a qualified CPA for a minimum of a year to be eligible for the exam. Check your state requirements to know whether part-time employment is also possible to make up for the required number of hours.

3. Exam

The Unified CPA Exam administered by the AICPA and NASBA, is the hallmark exam you need to pass to get the CPA batch. Four sections make up the exam: Three Core Sections, which all candidates must take, and one Discipline Section of your choice. The key topics covered in these exams will give you mastery of various accounting principles.

Check out our comprehensive online CPA course here.

Core Sections (all three required)

Financial Accounting and Reporting (FAR)
Auditing and Attestation (AUD)
Taxation and Regulation (REG)

Discipline Section (candidate selects one)

Business Analysis and Reporting (BAR)
Information Systems and Controls (ISC)
Tax Compliance and Planning (TCP)

All four CPA Exam Sections must be passed within your jurisdiction’s established time frame to get the certification.

A Brilliant CPA Career Awaits You!

What do you think? Does the CPA career inspire you? If so, it’s time you start preparing for the CPA exam. All you need is the right course provider and learning partner and we’re here to guide you through the entire duration of the course.

At MyLogic, you can also be assured of placements once you’ve passed the CPA exam.

MyLogic is a pioneer in catering world-class training in financial professional courses like CMA (USA), CPA (USA), ACCA, CIMA, etc to students across the globe. We offer top-class online training videos along with online interactive classrooms that help you crack competitive finance and accounting exams.