Student enrollment in accounting continues to rise, data shows
June 12, 2026
A recent data analysis report found that accounting undergraduate enrollment in the U.S. is on the rise for the third consecutive year.
Spring semester enrollment in four-year undergraduate accounting programs rose 8.9% from spring 2025, according to an AICPA analysis of National Student Clearinghouse Research Center data, sitting at 205,180 students. The increase follows a 12.7% rise in spring 2025 and a 4.8% increase in spring 2024.
The number of candidates taking the CPA Exam for the first time and the number passing it increased significantly in 2025, according to the AICPA’s news release.
Aside from a spike in 2023 that typically precedes a change in CPA Exam format, 2025 saw the highest level of first-time CPA Exam candidates since 2018 and the highest level of candidates passing all four sections since 2017. See more highlights.
