Herald Journal
Oct. 16, 2009
By Kim Burgess

Looking for an accountant? A Utah State University alum would probably be a good bet.

Aggies are among the best in the country at passing the Certified Public Accountant exam on their first try — ranking eighth with a 71 percent pass rate, according to a recent report from the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA).

Brigham Young University took the No. 1 spot with 84 percent of its students passing. University of Utah came in at No. 21. Nearly 62 percent of its students succeed at the exam, according to the NASBA.

A passing grade on the CPA test is required for students who have earned a master’s degree to be licensed as accountants.

Larry Walther, head of the School of Accountancy at USU’s Jon M. Huntsman School of Business, called the ranking “a significant accomplishment.”

He credited the students’ strong work ethics and close relationships with faculty for the success. The program had 35 students last year — when the most recent CPA exam was taken — a class size that allows for individual attention, Walther said.

This year there are 45 students.

In addition, USU’s curriculum also stresses technical skills in accounting, an emphasis that probably helps with the exam, he added.

Asked if Utah State feels competitive with BYU over the CPA test results, Walther said that he is glad to be able to “replicate what they’ve done” because the Provo-based school has a much larger and more established program.

“BYU has a strong national reputation, and I think we also deserve a strong national reputation,” Walther said.

“Right now we are focused on creating national awareness of the quality of what we do.”

The rankings on CPA tests have shifted around over time as well, with USU beating BYU in 2008.

That year, the Huntsman School of Business students were ranked fifth in the country with 80 percent passing the exam. Ohio State came in first with BYU coming in at No. 7.

USU, BYU and University of Washington were the only three schools rank in the top 10 during 2008 and 2009.
“We’re really proud we’re getting the same results as they are,” Walther said.

E-mail: kburgess@hjnews.com