It’s no secret that every CPA needs a certain number of Continuing Professional Education hours to maintain their certification (per state requirements and at the request of their individual accounting firms). But it can be hard for many students to find a good resource of CPE for CPAs.
Many educators and platforms offer online CPE credits, but their courses can be confusing, outdated, or inefficient. Fortunately, there are excellent programs to help tax professionals like you obtain CPE certificates. Surgent CPE is one of them, but is it the best for you? Keep reading to find out my thoughts.
How do you rate Surgent CPE Review?
Overview of Surgent
Surgent is well-known for their review courses that have helped thousands of financial professionals pass their CPA and CMA exams. Much like their other courses, Surgent’s continuing education content is hosted on an online platform that primarily offers live and on-demand webinars.
Alternatively, they also have a more affordable but limited self-study program. However, the main appeal of this resource is its ability to offer countless live and on-demand courses that are frequently updated for no additional cost. Students are big fans of this feature specifically because it ensures that there’s always updated content relevant to the modern accounting industry.
Surgent CPE Course Features:
- Live Webinars
- Self-Study Downloads
- On-Demand Webcasts
- 7,500+ CPE Credits
- 1 Year Access Period
What’s Included:
Surgent Webinars
The real meat of Surgent’s content lies in their live and on-demand webinars. Each of these conveys a specialized CPA topic in a brief and efficient manner. Since there’s such a wide range of materials available, you’re able to easily pick and choose the best ones for your career.
There’s no need to settle for topics that never pop up in your workplace— focus on whatever is specifically geared towards CPAs, CMAs, enrolled agents, or other financial professionals.
But any course is only as good as the instructor— so how are the presenters for Surgent’s live content?
Each Surgent webinar is delivered by a highly experienced professional who actively works in the field they teach. Most instructors have over 20 years of accounting experience and are licensed CPAs, meaning they bring practical, real-world insights to every session. They’re uniquely qualified to create effective, relevant lessons—and can even help you avoid the kinds of career missteps they’ve encountered themselves, just by answering a thoughtful question.
While my top pick, Becker CPE offers more structured, textbook-style instruction, Surgent’s strength lies in the depth of its instructors’ hands-on experience and their ability to connect course content directly to day-to-day challenges in the accounting field.
Self-Study Courses and Downloads
Another avenue of learning with Surgent is their self-study downloads. These are PDF textbooks that can be read through at any pace you like. Much like the webinars, it uses plenty of visuals to teach you about specific subjects in detail while still being easy to follow. They’re also written by the same people who create the webinars— so you can expect the same level of quality across the board.
Once you’ve downloaded one of these lessons, here’s how it works:
Each PDF textbook comes with a short exam covering what you’ve learned. Completing these helps reinforce the material and gives you a chance to apply new concepts in a real-world context. Once you pass the exam, you earn the associated CPE credits.
That said, if you’re looking for more structured learning paths or interactive features alongside self-study materials, platforms like Illumeo may offer a more guided experience—especially for professionals who prefer a bit more direction.
Convenient Course Dashboard
Surgent provides plenty of quality-of-life features for PC users. All of your CPE credits are tracked automatically and easily downloadable right from your account dashboard. You can also browse courses and set up a schedule to help you stay on track.
When I was demoing the platform, I appreciated the functionality—but I did find the dashboard layout a little cluttered at first. It took a few clicks to figure out where things were. Still, once I got used to it, the scheduling feature came in handy. It may seem like an optional extra, but don’t skip it—it really helps balance your CPE hours with everything else on your calendar.
Surgent Options and Value
Surgent offers several subscription plans to accommodate different learning preferences and budgets, with annual pricing ranging approximately from the mid-$500s to the high $800s:
- Unlimited PLUS: This top-tier plan provides access to Surgent’s full content library across all formats, including premium and gamified courses, catering to those seeking a comprehensive and engaging learning experience.
- Unlimited Webinars: Ideal for professionals who prefer live instruction, this plan offers access to over 2,000 live webinars annually, featuring interactive Q&A sessions and covering a broad spectrum of timely topics.
- Unlimited Self-Study: Suited for independent learners, this option includes hundreds of downloadable PDF courses, allowing for flexible, self-paced study to fulfill CPE requirements.
Each plan supports unlimited credit-earning potential and is designed to help you stay compliant while fitting seamlessly into your professional development goals.
Frequently Asked Questions
Check out this FAQ section for the answers you need if you still have questions about Surgent’s CPE package.
Every payment tier for Surgent CPE grants you a full year of access to the materials on offer.
You can purchase some of Surgent’s CPE webinars and downloads separately, although this is more costly if you’re planning on buying multiple courses.
Surgent fully stands by the quality of all their educational packages. If you have any issues then they will make it right for you, guaranteed.
Ideal Customer
Still on the fence about this course? I recommend buying it if any of the following applies to you.
- If you prefer live content, this is the course for you.
- If you like being able to learn on the go, this is the course for you.
- If you enjoy multiple course formats, this is the course for you.
But…
- If you want to learn in a classroom setting, this isn’t the course for you.
- If you struggle with self-motivation or prefer a more guided, in-person experience, this might not be the best fit.
- And if you’re looking for highly interactive, hands-on activities, you may find some of the formats a bit passive.
Final Recommendation
Surgent CPE offers an impressive catalog of courses, standout live webinars, and timely content that’s especially valuable for tax professionals and those keeping up with industry trends. The flexibility to learn on your own schedule and choose from multiple formats is a definite plus.
That said, the platform isn’t without its drawbacks. The dashboard can be unintuitive, and the adaptive learning system—while innovative—may feel more confusing than helpful at first. Pricing is on the higher end, and there’s limited support for those who prefer a more structured or interactive classroom experience.
If you’re tech-savvy, self-motivated, and willing to invest in a premium platform, Surgent can be a solid choice. But for those who want simplicity, hands-on guidance, or more budget-friendly options, it may fall short of expectations.
