Washington, D.C. (October 20, 2025) – A recent survey conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) revealed that three quarters of Americans (74%) believe accounting courses should be designated as a Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education program. The AICPA is advocating for legislation to establish the accounting profession as a STEM career pathway and to support long-standing efforts to bring awareness of the opportunities accounting can provide to young people who are considering their future careers.
The Accounting STEM Pursuit Act, which was introduced in both chambers during the last Congress, would enable federal K-12 funding to support accounting education for students from all backgrounds. If enacted, these bills would allow educators to secure STEM funding to teach foundational accounting skills, introducing young students to accounting as a viable career and fostering a workforce that reflects the communities the profession serves.
The AICPA survey found that more than half (54%) of Americans ages 18-34, and 59% of Americans ages 35-44 believe that students would be more likely to enter an accounting education program if it were designated as a STEM education program.
STEM roles generally provide higher earning potential, with an average salary of $100,900 compared to $55,260 for non-STEM fields. To date, 56 accounting programs have received an official STEM designation from the federal government, enabling schools to broaden their student bodies.
“The role of an accountant has been significantly transformed by technology, which now goes beyond adopting advanced tools to innovating systems that support clients in making better decisions and enhancing service quality,” said AICPA President & CEO Mark Koziel, CPA, CGMA. “STEM legislation would highlight the clear and logical integration between accounting and technology – emphasizing the value of accounting professionals, including CPAs, as technological leaders. It would also help expose students from all backgrounds to the profession, strengthening the accounting pipeline and improving access for more students.”
“We urge members of Congress to support STEM legislation to allow students greater access to accounting programs and ensure that the accounting profession is reflective and inclusive of the communities it serves,” continued Koziel.
Survey Method:
This survey was conducted online within the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of AICPA from August 21 - 25, 2025 among 2,087 adults ages 18 and older. The sampling precision of Harris online polls is measured by using a Bayesian credible interval. For this study, the sample data is accurate to within +/- 2.5 percentage points using a 95% confidence level.
For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables and subgroup sample sizes, please contact the AICPA.
About the American Institute of CPAs
The American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) is the world’s largest member association representing the CPA profession, with 397,000 members and a history of serving the public interest since 1887. AICPA members represent many areas of practice, including business and industry, public practice, government, education, and consulting. A founding member of the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants, the AICPA sets ethical standards for the profession, attestation standards, and U.S. auditing standards for private companies, not-for-profit organizations, and federal, state, and local governments. It develops and grades the Uniform CPA Examination, offers specialized credentials, partners across the profession to build future talent, and drives continuing education to advance the vitality, relevance, and quality of the profession.
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BACKGROUND:
April 15, 2025 – AICPA signaled strong support for legislation recognizing accounting as STEM.
July 30, 2024 – Joined by every state CPA society and numerous other accounting stakeholders, the AICPA sent a letter to the Department of Homeland Security asking that accounting be added to the department’s STEM Designated Degree Program List.
July 30, 2024 – Accompanying the letter, the AICPA also submitted a white paper, which makes the argument that accounting education programs exceed some programs already on the DHS list in terms of STEM-related content.
September 27, 2023 – The AICPA voiced strong support for bipartisan, bicameral legislation establishing the accounting profession as a STEM career pathway and supporting long-standing efforts to diversify the future accounting workforce.
December 16, 2021 – The AICPA expressed support for the bipartisan STEM Education in Accounting Act, introduced by Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Jacky Rosen (D-NV).
June 10, 2021 – The AICPA voiced its strong support for the Accounting STEM Pursuit Act of 2021 because it establishes the accounting profession as a STEM career pathway.
The AICPA has the following resources which provide additional information about proactive steps the accounting profession is taking to provide technology education and support: