Accounting Degrees See Steepest One-Year Decline in Decades (1)

The number of accounting majors who earned their undergraduate or graduate degree plunged more than 7% in 2022, the steepest single-year decrease in nearly three decades, according to figures the profession’s largest association published on Thursday.

The drop-off in graduates underscores the deepening drought of qualified accountants entering the profession since numbers peaked in 2016. To respond to the crisis, the American Institute of CPAs has launched a series of initiatives to market the profession to younger students and to help college students and recent graduates complete the education required to earn their license.

Data included in the AICPA’s latest ...