There are 4 accounting & tax credentials in the TestPrepPilot directory: 4 national certifications awarded by a single body, and 0 licences issued by individual state boards across 0 states.
CPA, Enrolled Agent, management accounting, bookkeeping and payroll credentials.
Verified figures for 2 of the national accounting & tax credentials, drawn from each awarding body's published material. Fees change — confirm with the body before you book.
Ranked by the median annual wage published for the occupation each credential unlocks — the most recent figure per occupation, quoted from the source named in the guide (usually the BLS occupational series). A credential is the entry ticket to an occupation, not a pay guarantee: these are occupation medians, not starting salaries.
$81,680 median annual wage for accountants and auditors (BLS, May 2024)
Section pass rates range ~42% (FAR, BAR) to ~78% (TCP), 2025
Verified 2026-08
$54,920 median for Tax Preparers (BLS OEWS, May 2025) — the closest BLS proxy for EA work
IRS publishes NO official per-part SEE pass rate
$49,210 median for bookkeeping clerks (BLS, May 2024) — in an occupation BLS projects to shrink 6%
AIPB publishes no pass rate. It publishes pass marks: 75% on each Prometric test, 70% on each workbook exam
$49,210 median annual wage for bookkeeping clerks (BLS, May 2024)
Pass mark: 75% on all three exams (no published pass rate)
Across the 2 national accounting & tax credentials we have verified fee data for, exam fees run from $25–$80. Renewal, membership and study-material costs are additional and vary by awarding body — each guide breaks out its own full cost table.
None of the 4 credentials in this field is a state-issued licence — all 4 are national certifications awarded by a professional body. That usually means the certification is not legally mandatory, but employers, insurers or clients may require it as a condition of the work.
Start with the one your target employer or state board names. The most widely recognised national options in this field are Certified Bookkeeper, Certified Public Bookkeeper Licence Exam — each has a full guide with eligibility rules, fees and a week-by-week study plan.
Fees are revised most years and eligibility rules change whenever a state legislature or awarding body acts. Every guide on TestPrepPilot links to the primary regulatory source it was verified against, and the "Sources" section is the authoritative place to confirm current figures before you book.