Small firms losing accounting talent
CPA Practice Advisor reported that small accounting firms are struggling to compete for talent as demand rises and the candidate pipeline tightens, forcing them to rethink recruitment strategies. The piece outlines how smaller employers face disadvantages versus larger rivals and must rely on speed, clarity, and targeted candidate experiences. (cpapracticeadvisor.com)
Small accounting firms are losing recruiting battles as hiring demand stays high and the supply of new accountants stays tight. (cpapracticeadvisor.com) CPA Practice Advisor reported on April 14 that Ken Bills of Michigan State University found small firms are trying to recruit students in a market dominated by Deloitte, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Ernst & Young, and KPMG. Bills said smaller employers are hurt by weaker brand recognition, fewer recruiting resources, and less access to students on campus. (cpapracticeadvisor.com) The hiring pressure is real across the profession. The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants said on October 27, 2025, that three in four firms that hired in 2024 expected to hire the same number or more in 2025, even as accounting graduates fell to 55,152 in the 2023-24 academic year, down 6.6% from a year earlier. (aicpa-cima.com) Federal labor data point the same way. The Bureau of Labor Statistics said accountants and auditors held 1,579,800 jobs in 2024, with employment projected to grow 5% from 2024 to 2034 and about 124,200 openings a year, while median pay reached $81,680 in May 2024. (bls.gov) The pipeline problem has been building for years, not months. Bills told CPA Practice Advisor that the number of Certified Public Accountant candidates has dropped by more than 25% over the last decade, while the profession is also nearing a large retirement wave. (cpapracticeadvisor.com) The profession has been trying to respond at the national level. In August 2024, the National Pipeline Advisory Group urged changes in six areas, including lowering the time and cost of education, improving the first five years of work, expanding access for underrepresented groups, and giving Certified Public Accountant exam candidates more support. (accountingpipeline.org) There are early signs the student pipeline may be stabilizing, but not fast enough to ease near-term hiring pressure. The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants said accounting enrollment rose 12% year over year in two straight semesters during the 2024-25 school year, even as degree completions kept falling. (aicpa-cima.com) For small firms, that leaves tactics rather than scale. Bills said they need faster hiring decisions, clearer communication, and a more targeted candidate experience if they want to win students before larger rivals do. (cpapracticeadvisor.com)
