Strengthening the Accounting Pipeline: CAQ Talent Updates

The accounting profession continues to face a significant talent pipeline challenge, in part due to common misperceptions about careers in audit and accounting. However, new data from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center shows positive momentum, with undergraduate accounting enrollment increasing 12% in both fall 2024 and spring 2025 – reaching 267,278 students in fall 2024, the highest level since fall 2020. This represents nearly 29,000 additional students compared to the previous year, proving that our profession’s efforts to draw in new talent are attracting students to accounting.

At the Center for Audit Quality (CAQ), we know that a career in accounting leads to endless opportunities. We also know that to attract and retain the best talent, we must tackle long-held misconceptions about the profession and connect students to real-life professionals. Our Accounting+ campaign has been a platform for progress. Backed by our member firms and supported by a coalition of non-profits and state CPA societies, Accounting+ continues to reach students in the classroom and online with research-backed messages about the possibilities of a career in accounting. The CAQ is also advancing important conversations about the talent pipeline and how we can all play a role in driving change.

In 2024, we released our newest student research, published the Accounting+ Annual Report, hosted exciting events with our partners at EVERFI and the Pittsburgh Steelers, and met with other talent leaders to discuss the state of the talent pipeline. Read on for the latest updates on our efforts to attract the next generation of leaders in audit and accounting.

Annual Student Research: Stability and Flexibility Remain Key

The accounting profession is facing a pivotal moment. With a number of experienced professionals nearing retirement and a new generation of students lacking meaningful exposure to accounting, the talent pipeline has struggled to keep pace with demand.

When the CAQ launched Accounting+ in 2021, we set out to change perceptions, especially among high school and early college students, by showcasing the exciting, diverse, and high-reward career paths accounting offers. While momentum has grown in recent years – as evidenced by the National Student Clearinghouse data showing consecutive semesters of growth — the work is far from done. In 2024, the CAQ conducted student research to re-examine where the pipeline stands—and how we can broaden it. Our latest publication on this research, Expanding the Accounting Profession Pipeline, reveals critical insights.

We found that today’s students are choosing college majors earlier than ever- of the approximately 35% of students reporting having decided on their majors in high school, nearly a third of these students are making decisions before high school and 44% during their freshman or sophomore year of high school (this amounts to almost 75% of students deciding on their majors before their Junior year of high school). The window to reach them is narrowing, and the need for earlier exposure to careers in accounting is critical.

Students’ career priorities have also shifted. While passion and purpose remain key drivers, financial security and inclusive work environments are increasingly top of mind for today’s students. When we tested accounting-focused messaging, we found that long-term salary potential and job stability resonates powerfully in today’s uncertain economic climate.

Students also responded well to messaging that highlights how accounting can align with their broader career interests in fields like healthcare, tech, entertainment, and finance. When we help them connect the dots between accounting and the industries they already care about, we expand their view of what’s possible and the endless opportunities the profession offers. For additional takeaways and guidance on how to attract talent, take a look at our research.

Accounting+ Annual Report: Continued Impact in 2024

In 2024, the impact of Accounting+ continued to flourish. By spotlighting real-life accountant stories and the diverse career paths available in the profession, we received over 26 million website visits, garnered 48,000 new subscribers, and reached 122,000 students through classroom engagement programs. These numbers reflect more than just clicks—they represent growing curiosity and connection to a career that students may never have considered before.

We’re meeting students where they are, on digital platforms and in the classroom, with messaging that resonates with academic and career priorities Gen Z and Gen Alpha students care about most. Our campaign is also connecting them to tangible opportunities at our partner firms, including programs, internships, and scholarships, making Accounting+ a valuable resource to return to.

Our Accounting Careers: Limitless Opportunities course, developed in partnership with EVERFI, has engaged over 122,000 students and reached over 5,600 teachers since its inception. The impact of the course has been extraordinary. After completing the program, 67% of students reported an increased interest in pursuing accounting careers. Additionally, 70% recognized the value of accounting skills—an increase from 57% before taking the course. Most notably, 81% of students discovered accounting career paths they had not known about previously, and 89% agreed that accounting skills are essential for achieving their professional goals.

As we look ahead, one thing is certain: Accounting+ is driving real change. By continuing to evolve our messaging, deepen our partnerships, and create inclusive, student-led experiences, we are reimagining what the future of accounting can look like. I encourage you to explore our 2024 achievements and our goals for 2025 here.

Accounting for Your Future: In-Person Events

As part of our partnership with EVERFI, we host a series of “Accounting for Your Future” signature events across the country during the school year. January’s events took place in Washington, D.C. and featured speakers from KPMG, BDO, and members of the Virginia Society of CPAs, giving students a chance to hear from and connect with accounting professionals.

Former NFL linebacker turned entrepreneur and philanthropist Dhani Jones moderated each event, and fireside chats with NFL players Jelani Jenkins, Cam Johnson, and Jehu Chesson II highlighted how accounting skills helped them transition from professional sports to business. These engaging and relatable speakers helped us reiterate the real-life impact of careers in accounting and the multitude of opportunities available in the profession.

We wrapped up the school year in Chicago and Indianapolis with Crowe, Grant Thornton, RSM, and members of the Indiana CPA Society, reaching even more students with our dynamic messaging and storytellers. And expanding these scaling efforts, we launched our inaugural Classroom Connect virtual event, featuring representatives from Becker, Crowe, and RSM, and reached nearly 200 high school classrooms and more than 3,600 students.

Steelers Showcase: Exposing Pittsburgh Students to Accounting

The second year of Accounting+’s partnership with the Pittsburgh Steelers informed and engaged a new group of Pittsburgh-area students about accounting and how it plays a role in the sports industry.

Our “Steelers Showcase” program, a series of 3 events during the school year, wrapped up in April at Acrisure Stadium. At this event, students were tasked with solving a financial mystery alongside representatives from our member firms, exposing them to what a career in forensic accounting could look like. For the first two events, students heard from our partners at the Steelers v. Ravens game and the Steelers’ practice facility about how to get started in accounting and prepare for academic and professional success. This partnership continues to help us spotlight diverse career paths in accounting, especially in industries students are passionate about.

You can watch our 2024-2025 wrap up video on the Steelers’ website.

The Power of Collaboration: Amplifying Our Impact

The success of Accounting+ demonstrates the transformative power of strategic partnerships with over 60 partners spanning member firms, state CPA societies, educational institutions, and professional organizations. These collaborations allow us to reach students through multiple touchpoints and create a cohesive message about accounting opportunities.

Just this month, we interviewed more than 50 students and accounting professionals at the NABA Inc. Convention in Las Vegas, with content from these filmed interviews being developed for our social media channels. These conversations capture diverse perspectives on accounting careers and provide relatable content that resonates with prospective students, and we expect our partners will continue amplifying our content across their own networks and platforms, exponentially expanding our reach.

A Look at the Talent Pipeline: Capital Markets Pulse Podcast

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that there are more than 1.5 million open accountant positions as of 2023 and the demand for accountants will grow 6% through 2033, but job growth overall is only expected to grow at 4% during the same period. Professional organizations and state CPA societies have been working diligently to identify and address pipeline challenges, and the CAQ’s latest Capital Markets Pulse podcast dives into some of these examples.

Our CEO, Julie Bell Lindsay, sat down with Sue Coffey, CEO of the American Association of Certified Public Accountants, and Anna Durst, CEO of the Nevada Society of CPAs, for this important conversation about how our profession can tackle the pipeline challenge and understand the evolving role of technology like AI in accounting.

As we look to the future, the path forward is clear: meet students earlier in their academic journey, connect with them where they are—in the classroom and on the platforms they use the most, continue to and help them foster relationships with professionals who can show them what’s possible. Whether on social media or in the classroom, we must continue to break down misconceptions and show the next generation what’s possible in accounting.

Follow the CAQ on LinkedIn and visit Accounting+ to stay up to date on our talent efforts.