Professional Issues

The AICPA releases the results of its annual survey to assess the supply of new accounting graduates and public firms’ demand for their services ( www.aicpa.org/members/div/career/edu/sagdpar.htm ). Conducted in 2003 the poll found the number of bachelor’s degrees awarded had dropped while the level of master’s degrees had increased, matching public accounting firms’ hiring trends, which reflected greater interest in holders of advanced degrees than in their undergraduate counterparts. Other findings were that in the 2001–2002 period women earned more bachelor’s and master’s degrees than men but fewer doctorates, while members of minority groups earned nearly one-quarter of bachelor’s and master’s degrees and approximately one-third of PhD degrees. In 2002 almost 75% of the graduates hired accepted accounting or auditing positions, more than 20% took assignments in taxation and 2% began work in management consulting positions.