Accounting firms have a strong hiring outlook this year, with three-in-four of those that recruited new staffers in 2024 indicating plans to hire the same amount or more in 2025, according to a biennial AICPA report on trends related to accounting graduation rates, the CPA Exam and hiring demand by accounting firms.
Public accounting firms that responded to the survey reported hiring a total of 11,985 new graduates in 2024. Of those new hires, 75% were accounting graduates.
Of firms that hired in 2024, three-quarters (75%) said they expected to add a similar number of staff or more in the current year. Only 18% anticipated lower hiring rates.
This optimistic hiring outlook suggests a robust demand for accounting professionals, reflecting the industry's growth and the increasing complexity of financial regulations.
The survey also found that efforts to boost the number of new accounting graduates continue to face headwinds, with graduates who earned either a bachelor’s degree or master’s degree in accounting dropping 6.6% from the previous year. Read more.