Side-by-side license comparison
| Metric | CPA (Certified Public Accountant) | Security Guard |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Finance | Public Safety |
| Median Salary | $86,080 | $36,970 |
| Avg Initial Fee | $398 | $74 |
| Difficulty | Very High | Low |
| Education | 150 credit hours + 1-2 years experience | Guard Training (8-40 hours) |
| Exam | CPA Exam (4 parts) | State Guard Card Exam |
| Time to License | 5-6 years | 1-2 weeks |
| Renewal Period | Every 2 yr | Every 2 yr |
| CE Hours / Cycle | 40 hrs | 8 hrs |
| States Requiring | 53 of 53 | 35 of 53 |
CPA (Certified Public Accountant) earns $49,110 more per year on average. Over a 10-year career span, that adds up to approximately $491,100 in additional earnings.
The LicenseWize editorial team aggregates and verifies licenses data from Bureau of Labor Statistics & State Licensing Boards. Every statistic on this site is cross-referenced against the official source before publication, with quarterly re-verification cycles.
Read our full methodology or contact us with corrections.