Statistics
Accountant shortage statistics 2026
New CPA Exam candidates fell from 42,626 in 2023 to 28,082 in 2024, accounting graduates have declined three years running to 55,152, and 73% of companies reporting a material weakness in 2025 blamed a lack of accounting staff. Employers are paying more, and more than 30 states have opened a route to the license that does not require 150 credit hours.
Every figure below was read at the document it links to, and the date is the one that document gives. Three different government counts of accountants exist and they measure different things, so each is named. Two numbers you will see everywhere, that 300,000 accountants left the profession and that 75% of CPAs are about to retire, are not here, because neither survives a trip to its source. The questions at the end explain what the data actually shows.
41 figures · 6 charts · 10 sources · checked October 10, 2026
Key figures
55,152
US accounting bachelor's plus master's graduates fell 6.6% to 55,152 in the 2023-24 academic year, the third consecutive annual decline.
AICPA, 2023-24 academic year, provisional
28,082
28,082 new candidates entered the CPA Exam pipeline in 2024, a third fewer than in 2023 and the year the redesigned exam launched.
AICPA, calendar 2024
650,667
There were 650,667 actively licensed CPAs in the United States as of August 27, 2026, aggregated from 53 of the 55 licensing jurisdictions.
NASBA, August 27, 2026
115,300
About 115,300 openings for accountants and auditors are projected each year on average from 2025 to 2035, most of them to replace people who move to other occupations or leave the labor force.
BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2025 to 2035 projections
73%
73% of companies that disclosed a material weakness in fiscal 2025 cited a lack of accounting personnel, resources or expertise, up from 59% the year before; KPMG ties the rise to the profession's pipeline problem.
KPMG, fiscal 2025 versus fiscal 2024
$83,680
The median annual wage for accountants and auditors was $83,680 in May 2025, up 17% from $71,550 in May 2019.
BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, May 2025
The pipeline
Fewer people are studying accounting, and far fewer of those who do are sitting the CPA Exam.
Source: AICPA, 2025 Trends report release (aicpa-cima.com), October 27, 2025. The new CPA Evolution exam launched in January 2024, so 2023 and 2024 straddle an exam-model change.
Source: AICPA & CIMA, CPA Exam scoring and pass rates (aicpa-cima.com), calendar 2025, cumulative
55,152
US accounting bachelor's plus master's graduates fell 6.6% to 55,152 in the 2023-24 academic year, the third consecutive annual decline.
AICPA, 2025 Trends report release (aicpa-cima.com), 2023-24 academic year, provisionalLink
−9.6%
Combined accounting graduates had already fallen 9.6% in 2022-23 and 7.4% in 2021-22 before the 6.6% drop in 2023-24.
AICPA, 2025 Trends report release (aicpa-cima.com), 2021-22 to 2023-24 academic yearsLink
40,817
40,817 students earned an accounting bachelor's degree in 2023-24, down 3.3% on the year before.
AICPA, 2025 Trends report release (aicpa-cima.com), 2023-24 academic year, provisionalLink
14,335
Master's degrees in accounting or taxation fell about 15% to 14,335 in 2023-24, a steeper drop than at bachelor's level.
AICPA, 2025 Trends report release (aicpa-cima.com), 2023-24 academic year, provisionalLink
+12%
Accounting enrollment grew 12% year over year in two consecutive semesters of the 2024-25 school year, the first sign of a turn, according to National Student Clearinghouse data cited by the AICPA.
AICPA, 2025 Trends report release (aicpa-cima.com), 2024-25 school yearLink
42,626
42,626 new candidates entered the CPA Exam pipeline in 2023, the highest tally since 2016.
AICPA, 2025 Trends report release (aicpa-cima.com), calendar 2023Link
28,082
28,082 new candidates entered the CPA Exam pipeline in 2024, a third fewer than in 2023 and the year the redesigned exam launched.
AICPA, 2025 Trends report release (aicpa-cima.com), calendar 2024Link
16,448
16,448 new candidates entered the CPA Exam pipeline in the first six months of 2025.
AICPA, 2025 Trends report release (aicpa-cima.com), January to June 2025Link
−17%
Accounting degree completions fell 17%, from 75,153 in 2017-18 to 62,318 in 2021-22, in federal IPEDS data as reported by the National Pipeline Advisory Group.
National Pipeline Advisory Group, Accounting Talent Strategy Report (accountingpipeline.org), 2017-18 to 2021-22 academic yearsLink
IPEDS counts a wider set of programs than the AICPA's graduate figures, so the two series are not comparable.
42.12%
The 2025 cumulative pass rate was 42.12% for FAR, the lowest core section, against 48.21% for AUD and 63.12% for REG; the discipline sections ranged from 41.94% (BAR) to 77.65% (TCP).
AICPA & CIMA, CPA Exam scoring and pass rates (aicpa-cima.com), calendar 2025, cumulativeLink
11,985
Public accounting firms responding to the AICPA's survey hired 11,985 new graduates in 2024, 75% of them accounting graduates; this is a respondent total, not an industry figure.
AICPA, 2025 Trends report release (aicpa-cima.com), calendar 2024Link
75%
Three in four firms that hired in 2024 expected to hire the same number or more in 2025; only 18% expected to hire fewer.
AICPA, 2025 Trends report release (aicpa-cima.com), surveyed 2025Link
650,667
There were 650,667 actively licensed CPAs in the United States as of August 27, 2026, aggregated from 53 of the 55 licensing jurisdictions.
NASBA, How many CPAs are there? (nasba.org), August 27, 2026Link
How many accountants there are, and who is leaving
The Bureau of Labor Statistics counts accountants three ways, and only one of them shows a drop. Each figure here names its series.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 13-2011 (bls.gov), May 2019 to May 2025. Excludes the self-employed. The May 2024 page is no longer published.
Source: BLS Current Population Survey, Table 11 (bls.gov), annual averages, 2019 to 2025. BLS says 2020 onward is not strictly comparable with earlier years because occupation codes changed in January 2020. This is the series behind the '300,000 left' claim.
1.6 million
Accountants and auditors held about 1.6 million jobs in 2025 (1,595,200, including the self-employed).
BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, Accountants and Auditors (bls.gov), 2025Link
115,300
About 115,300 openings for accountants and auditors are projected each year on average from 2025 to 2035, most of them to replace people who move to other occupations or leave the labor force.
BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, Accountants and Auditors (bls.gov), 2025 to 2035 projectionsLink
+5%
Employment of accountants and auditors is projected to grow 5% from 2025 to 2035, adding 79,400 jobs, faster than the average for all occupations.
BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, Accountants and Auditors (bls.gov), 2025 to 2035 projectionsLink
1,449,500
The BLS employer survey counted 1,449,500 wage-and-salary accountants and auditors in May 2025, up from 1,280,700 in May 2019; this series shows no exodus.
BLS Public Data API, OEWS series for occupation 13-2011 (api.bls.gov), May 2025Link
1,964,000
The BLS household survey counted 1,964,000 employed accountants and auditors in 2019, 61.7% of them women.
BLS Current Population Survey, 2019 annual averages, Table 11 (bls.gov), 2019 annual averageLink
1,630,000
The same household survey counted 1,630,000 in 2021, 334,000 fewer than in 2019, across a change in occupation codes that BLS says makes the years not strictly comparable.
BLS Current Population Survey, 2021 annual averages, Table 11 (bls.gov), 2021 annual averageLink
1,766,000
By 2025 the household survey count had recovered to 1,766,000 employed accountants and auditors.
BLS Current Population Survey, 2025 annual averages, Table 11 (bls.gov), 2025 annual average, 11 monthsLink
No. 1
Finding qualified staff was the number one issue for every size of accounting firm except sole practitioners in the AICPA's 2024 survey of 667 firms.
AICPA, 2024 PCPS CPA Firm Top Issues Survey release (aicpa-cima.com), surveyed April 22 to May 27, 2024Link
629 firms
In the AICPA's 2026 survey of 629 firms, hiring experienced staff was still the top current issue for firms with 11 to 30 professionals, while managing change from technology and AI ranked as the top five-year issue overall.
AICPA, 2026 PCPS Top Issues Survey release (aicpa-cima.com), surveyed April 20 to May 22, 2026Link
1,800+
In the Center for Audit Quality's 2023 study of more than 1,800 students and recent graduates, the main reasons business students avoid accounting were lack of interest, higher starting salaries in other majors, and reluctance to complete 150 credit hours.
Center for Audit Quality, 2023 pipeline research release (thecaq.org), fielded October 2022 to May 2023Link
+15%
In a Center for Audit Quality survey of 3,487 high school and college students, messaging about accounting's financial rewards raised interest in the field by 15%, the most of any message tested.
Center for Audit Quality, Expanding the Accounting Profession Pipeline: 2024 Update (thecaq.org), surveyed November 12 to December 3, 2024Link
$69,999
After that messaging, two-thirds to three-fourths of students in every demographic group said they would accept an entry-level accounting job paying $69,999 a year.
Center for Audit Quality, Expanding the Accounting Profession Pipeline: 2024 Update (thecaq.org), surveyed November 12 to December 3, 2024Link
What the shortage is costing
73%
73% of companies that disclosed a material weakness in fiscal 2025 cited a lack of accounting personnel, resources or expertise, up from 59% the year before; KPMG ties the rise to the profession's pipeline problem.
KPMG, Trends in material weaknesses, 2025 (kpmg.com), fiscal 2025 versus fiscal 2024Link
238
Of 3,307 annual reports in KPMG's fiscal 2025 window, 238 companies (7%) disclosed a material weakness in internal control.
KPMG, Trends in material weaknesses, 2025 (kpmg.com), fiscal years ending through June 30, 2025Link
39%
The PCAOB's aggregate audit deficiency rate across inspected firms fell to an estimated 39% in 2024 from 46% in 2023; the PCAOB does not attribute the rate to staffing, so this is context rather than a shortage measure.
PCAOB, Staff Update on 2024 Inspection Activities (pcaobus.org), 2023 and 2024 inspection yearsLink
The pay response
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 13-2011 (bls.gov), May 2019 to May 2025
$83,680
The median annual wage for accountants and auditors was $83,680 in May 2025, up 17% from $71,550 in May 2019.
BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, Accountants and Auditors (bls.gov), May 2025Link
$94,750
The mean annual wage for accountants and auditors was $94,750 in May 2025.
BLS Public Data API, OEWS mean wage series for occupation 13-2011 (api.bls.gov), May 2025Link
$76,500
Robert Half's 2027 national midpoint salary is $76,500 for a staff accountant and $96,750 for a senior accountant, with ranges of $67,000 to $89,500 and $81,500 to $111,250.
Robert Half, 2027 Finance and Accounting Salary Guide (roberthalf.com), 2027 guideLink
+1.8%
Robert Half projects an average salary increase of 1.8% for US finance and accounting positions in 2027.
Robert Half, 2027 Finance and Accounting Salary Guide (roberthalf.com), 2027 projectionLink
69%
69% of finance and accounting leaders say they are offering salaries above their planned range and 67% are making more competitive offers, in a Robert Half survey that does not disclose its sample size or dates.
Robert Half, 2027 Finance and Accounting Salary Guide (roberthalf.com), 2027 guideLink
What is changing
The 150-credit-hour requirement is the part of the pipeline that states can change, and most now have.
Source: AICPA news and advocacy releases; Journal of Accountancy (journalofaccountancy.com), May 2025 to June 2026. Counts come from three AICPA publications on three dates; 'half of the states' is drawn as 25. Passed is not the same as effective.
May 14, 2025
On May 14, 2025 the AICPA and NASBA approved model law adding a CPA licensure pathway of a bachelor's degree with an accounting concentration, two years of experience and the CPA Exam, alongside the existing 150-hour routes.
AICPA, model legislation approval release (aicpa-cima.com), May 14, 2025Link
14 states
When the model change was approved, 14 states had already enacted an additional pathway to the license.
AICPA, model legislation approval release (aicpa-cima.com), May 14, 2025Link
22 states
By late November 2025 half of the states had adopted the third pathway and 22 more planned to introduce legislation in their 2026 sessions.
AICPA Advocacy, State policy trends shaping accounting in 2026 (aicpa-cima.com), November 26, 2025Link
30+ states
More than 30 states had passed new education pathways adding a bachelor's-degree option with two years of supervised experience by June 2026.
Journal of Accountancy, Our ongoing work across key issues (journalofaccountancy.com), June 8, 2026Link
NASBA keeps the live state list at nasba.org/pathways; passed is not the same as effective, and many effective dates run into 2026 and 2027.
7,950+
The AICPA's National Pipeline Advisory Group based its six-strategy plan on surveys of more than 7,950 students and professionals and focus groups with more than 1,600 people; the plan sets no numeric targets.
National Pipeline Advisory Group, report page (accountingpipeline.org), released July 31, 2024Link
84%
84% of students surveyed by the National Pipeline Advisory Group rated a bonus or raise after passing each exam section as very effective, 84% said the same of paid study time, and 69% liked employers paying exam fees upfront.
National Pipeline Advisory Group, Accounting Talent Strategy Report (accountingpipeline.org), surveyed early 2024Link
105 students
The AICPA-NASBA Experience, Learn & Earn program, which lets employed graduates earn up to 30 university credits toward the 150 hours, had 105 students from more than 50 employers enrolled in fall 2024.
AICPA, Experience, Learn & Earn expansion release (aicpa-cima.com), fall 2024Link
Common questions
Is there really an accountant shortage?
The supply side is unambiguous: accounting graduates have fallen three years running to 55,152, new CPA Exam candidates dropped from 42,626 in 2023 to 28,082 in 2024, and fewer than half of graduates now sit the exam. Employment has not collapsed, though: the BLS employer survey counts more accountants in 2025 than in 2019. The shortage shows up as firms ranking staffing their top problem and 73% of companies with a material weakness blaming a lack of accounting staff.
Did 300,000 accountants really leave the profession?
That figure comes from a paywalled 2023 newspaper analysis of the BLS household survey, which fell from 1,964,000 employed accountants in 2019 to 1,630,000 in 2021. BLS itself warns that 2020 onward is not strictly comparable with earlier years because occupation codes changed, and its employer survey rose over the same period. By 2025 the household count was back to 1,766,000. Quote the yearly BLS figures rather than the 300,000.
Are 75% of CPAs about to retire?
No current source supports it. The claim traces to a 2015 AICPA document estimating that about 75% of its members would be eligible to retire by 2020, which is an eligibility estimate for one organization's members, not a forecast of retirements. The document is no longer published. What the BLS does project is about 115,300 openings a year through 2035, most of them replacement demand.
How many CPAs are there in the United States?
NASBA counted 650,667 actively licensed CPAs as of August 27, 2026, from 53 of the 55 licensing jurisdictions. That is a count of licenses, not of working accountants: the BLS counts about 1.6 million accountant and auditor jobs, most of them held by people without a CPA.
What is replacing the 150-hour rule?
In May 2025 the AICPA and NASBA added a model pathway of a bachelor's degree with an accounting concentration, two years of experience and the CPA Exam. Fourteen states had already enacted something similar; by June 2026 more than 30 had passed a version. The 150-hour routes remain, and many of the new laws take effect in 2026 or 2027.
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