Thank you for your interest in 2026 Trends: A Report on Accounting Education, the CPA Exam, and Public Accounting Firms' Hiring of Recent Graduates. This report, provided in PowerPoint format, offers insights into accounting degree completions, accounting enrollments, CPA Exam participation, and the hiring of recent graduates within public accounting firms. The report is designed to help educators, firms, state CPA societies, boards of accountancy, and other stakeholders better understand the evolving landscape of the profession.
This year's report contains several encouraging developments for the accounting profession's talent pipeline. Most notably, the number of students earning bachelor's degrees in accounting increased during the 2024–25 academic year, marking the first increase in recent years. While masters programs reported a decline in degree completions during this period, combined bachelor's and master's degree completions increased, reflecting positive movement in the supply of accounting graduates entering the profession.
The increase in graduates builds upon a broader trend of strengthening student interest in accounting. Undergraduate accounting enrollments have now grown for three consecutive years, suggesting that larger cohorts of students are progressing through accounting programs and may contribute to future increases in accounting graduates. Together, these indicators point to renewed momentum in the accounting talent pipeline.
The data also continue to demonstrate strong employer demand for accounting talent. Accounting graduates remain the majority of new graduate hires reported by participating firms. These expectations reflect continued confidence in the value accounting professionals bring to organizations, communities, and the public interest.
This year's report also includes updated CPA Exam candidate data through 2025. Several CPA Exam metrics showed encouraging gains, with first-time CPA Exam candidates reaching their highest level since 2018, excluding the temporary surge associated with the CPA Evolution transition. The number of unique candidates and CPA Exam passers also reached multi-year highs, providing additional evidence of growing engagement with the profession and a strengthening path toward CPA licensure.
While challenges remain, including ongoing changes in higher education, workforce expectations, and licensure pathways, the collective efforts of educators, firms, state CPA societies, boards of accountancy, and professional organizations continue to make a meaningful impact. Through career awareness initiatives, scholarships, support for accounting education, and workforce development efforts such as the Profession Ready Initiative, stakeholders across the profession are working together to attract, develop, and retain the next generation of accounting professionals.
We remain committed to supporting the future of accounting and look forward to collaborating with stakeholders across the profession to continue strengthening the CPA pipeline and expanding opportunities for students pursuing rewarding careers in accounting and finance.
Should you have questions regarding the contents of this publication, please contact our team at Academics@aicpa-cima.com.
Sincerely,
Jan Taylor, CPA, CGMA, Ph.D.
Senior Director - Academic in Residence
Association of International Certified Professional Accountants
2026 Key Insights
Bachelor's degree completions increased 8.5% in 2024–25, marking the first increase in recent years and signaling positive movement in the accounting talent pipeline.
Accounting enrollments continued to grow for a third consecutive year, including strong growth among four-year undergraduate accounting programs, suggesting a favorable outlook for future graduating classes.
Combined bachelor's and master's degree completions increased, although master's degree completions declined as licensure pathways and employer preferences continue to evolve.
Accounting graduates remain in high demand, representing the majority of new graduate hires reported by participating public accounting firms.
CPA Exam participation strengthened in 2025, with first-time candidates, unique candidates, and CPA Exam passers reaching multi-year highs and indicating growing engagement with the profession.
Collaborative pipeline initiatives are gaining traction, as educators, firms, state CPA societies, and professional organizations continue investing in career awareness, scholarships, workforce development, and student success.