4 reasons why CAS offers a compelling career path

The chatter in recent years about needing to rewrite the accounting narrative to attract more students does not tell the whole tale. There’s a larger story that faculty can cite to pique the interest of potential accounting majors.   

Stated simply, accounting is rapidly changing. The profession now offers dynamic, technology-driven career paths that extend far beyond traditional tax and audit work. One of the most promising paths is client advisory services (CAS), a rapidly growing niche in which accountants combine financial expertise, technology, and business insight to help organizations grow. Let’s look at some of the key plot points in the CAS story.

The evolution of client advisory services

Today’s CAS practice — where financial expertise meets data-driven strategy — represents one of the most exciting frontiers in accounting. A decade ago, CAS emerged to fill the need unmet by bookkeeping and “write-up” work focused on recording transactions and compiling reports for tax preparation.

As technology has evolved from paper ledgers to software and now to cloud-based automation tools supported by AI, the nature of accounting has changed. Routine data entry and reconciliation tasks now take far less time, allowing accountants to focus on analysis and advisory. This evolution has created greater need for strategic business advisory roles that appeal to students today .

Defining CAS: From financial management to business insight

AICPA subsidiary CPA.com, a key driver of the development of CAS, defines it as a continuum that extends from transactional accounting, through controller and CFO services, to business insights.

At one end of the spectrum, financial CAS includes core accounting services such as transaction processing, reconciliations, payroll, and monthly closings. Moving across the spectrum, services evolve into controllership and CFO-level work, including budgeting, forecasting, and cash flow management. At the opposite end from financial CAS, business insights CAS focuses on financial modeling, analytics, and strategic planning — functions traditionally associated with strategic CFOs and data analysts.

For accounting graduates, CAS represents a career path that blends technology, analysis, and client interaction — providing both depth and variety early in their professional journey. Here are four reasons why CAS offers a compelling career path:

1. Rapid industry growth

CAS is one of the fastest-growing service lines in accounting. According to CPA.com’s 2024 CAS Benchmark Survey, firms offering CAS services experienced median 17% growth — continuing a streak of double-digit expansion since the survey launched in 2018. Firms expect this pace to continue as client demand for data-driven insights accelerates.

2. Diverse, engaging work

CAS operates year-round, offering steady, varied work versus the seasonal intensity of tax or audit. Managing several clients simultaneously, accountants develop time management, problem-solving, and adaptability — skills essential for career advancement. In addition, a CAS career can provide exposure to different industries and business models, providing opportunities for CAS professionals to gain valuable knowledge that will help them become better advisers over time.

3. Technology-forward opportunities

CAS attracts professionals who enjoy working with technology and are eager to take advantage of the time savings and new opportunities for analysis that automation and other technologies can provide — e.g., accountants using data-focused software can offer client insights that would be difficult to glean without the technology. The development of technology and analytical proficiency can open doors for early-career advancement.

4. Flexibility and work/life balance

Many CAS firms offer remote work, hybrid models, and predictable monthly cycles. This flexibility allows professionals to balance career and personal commitments while engaging in meaningful, intellectually challenging work. For nontraditional students and career changers, CAS can be an especially appealing fit.

Together, these factors make CAS a dynamic, future-ready path — one that combines the rigor of accounting, the creativity of problem-solving, and the flexibility of modern work.

Implications for accounting education

Accounting education must evolve alongside the profession. As automation and AI reshape entry-level work, students need a broader mix of technical, analytical, and interpersonal skills.

To succeed in CAS, students need three interconnected skill sets:

• Technical and functional expertise: This is a solid grounding in accounting principles and fluency in tools such as Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets, and business accounting software.
  
  
• Analytical and technological fluency: This is the ability to interpret data, use automation tools, and critically assess AI-generated insights.
  
  
• Communication and business skills: These include listening, curiosity, empathy, storytelling and the ability to turn financial data into strategic advice clients can act on.
  

Many schools are beginning to adapt their programs to address these skill sets. Green River College in Washington launched a Bachelor of Applied Science in Accounting that integrates QuickBooks Online and Excel coursework with required internships. Utah Valley University and Bentley University are developing CAS-focused curricula designed to bridge technical accounting with advisory practice.

These innovations demonstrate how educators can prepare students not just for accounting jobs, but for accounting careers that lead — in business strategy, technology, and innovation.

Preparing students for the future

AI and automation are changing what entry-level accounting looks like. Instead of spending their early years entering data, young professionals in CAS will review AI-generated results, assess accuracy, and deliver actionable insights to clients.

That’s why accounting programs must emphasize listening and communication, critical thinking, process design, and digital literacy. Students need to know how to perform accounting tasks, but also how to evaluate, improve, and explain them in a technology-enabled environment.

Process design involves the development of process and system thinking skills such as being able to learn and teach processes and write standard operating procedures. Successful CAS firms scale using technology and standardized services offerings. It’s not enough to be able to follow processes. Students need to be able to document and teach processes to demonstrate knowledge and look for opportunities to improve workflows.

Education is undergoing a major transformation — and accounting is no exception. As AI, automation, and shifting workforce expectations converge, educators have an opportunity to redefine how students see their future in the profession.

Accounting’s next chapter

A generation ago, accounting was viewed as a steady, traditional career. Today, through evolving opportunities like CAS, it’s becoming one of the most innovative and impactful fields in business.

By helping students build the technical, analytical, and human skills that CAS demands, educators can ensure that the next generation of accountants thrives — not just as recordkeepers of the past, but as architects of the future.

— Jean Zick, CPA, is CEO and founder at Juna Financial Solutions and an advocate for modernizing accounting education to prepare students for advisory-focused careers.To comment on this article or to suggest an idea for another article, contact Jeff Drew at Jeff.Drew@aicpa-cima.com.