What is needed to become a CPA? Is it hard?

Ignore the first answer and listen to the other two. A CPA requires a degree (it does NOT have to be accounting...but that really helps), work under a CPAs supervision for X amount of time (2 years in Texas), take a test (this test is famously hard...they pass rate is under 10%) and pay your dues. After passing, you will take continuing ed hours every year (I think its 40). Salary wise...a CPA starts about 60's maybe higher. The best school for accounting, at least the MPA, is McCombs in Austin.

To get your CPA really depends on the state you live in. Here in Oregon, you need to get your BS in Accounting or Finance (or something similar). Work under an Active CPA for X amount of time doing X amount of things. Study and take a test, which has four parts. Sometimes you can get your CPA by having a CPA firm monitoring your work and approving you to take the exam, if you don't work under an Active CPA. Then you have to keep up your license by taking something like 80 hours class or studying each year. It's a big commitment. As far as pay, it all depends on what you plan to do with it after. Are you just doing taxes for families with it, or are you climbing a corporate ladder and managing departments.