An accountant with a CPA would have years of experience under their belt to get to where they are. You can bet that they won’t be fresh eyed graduates or junior accountants. To be a CPA, an accountant would need to complete the CPA program, have professional working experience for a number of years and maintain their qualification every year.
 
There’s another well-respected certification called Chartered Accountant or CA. Generally, both will be good at growing or turning around businesses and handling complex cases.
 
Naturally, their cost will range in the hundreds per hour. You should expect upwards of $200 per hour if you are consulting. Make sure you understand whether your business needs an accountant with a CPA or CA and who best to hire and engage with.