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.
Professional Issues
