Undergraduate enrollment in accounting continues to rise

Undergraduate enrollment in college accounting programs during the fall semester rose for the third consecutive year, a year-over-year increase of 7.3% from the 2024 fall semester.

According to data from the National Student Clearinghouse, the longtime not-for-profit partner to U.S. colleges and universities, the rise in accounting enrollment significantly outpaced the 1.2% enrollment increase observed across all majors last fall.

“Three straight years of growth is energizing for the profession,” Sue Coffey, CPA, CGMA, the AICPA’s CEO–Public Accounting, said in a news release. “The fact that enrollment was up this fall versus competitive fields of study signals that students are seeing the purpose, trust, value, and financial security that accounting delivers — and they’re choosing it.”

One in eight undergraduate business students majored in accounting in the fall of 2025, an increase from one in nine in 2023. Graduate program enrollment increased nearly one-half percent year over year, the first increase since 2019.

Also of note:

• Total postsecondary accounting enrollment in 2025 was 313,397 students, compared with 293,759 the previous year. The figure includes enrollment at four-year colleges and universities, community colleges, hybrid institutions that primarily offer associate’s degrees, and graduate schools.
• Four-year undergraduate accounting enrollment rose 7.4% to 204,283 in fall 2025, and enrollment in graduate programs rose just under 0.5% to 25,580 students.
• Undergraduate enrollment increased in fall 2024 by 11.3% and in fall 2023 by 1.9%.

The AICPA continues to work with educators, accounting firms and other employers, state CPA societies, and other accounting bodies to promote workforce development and career opportunities in the profession. Students can visit ThisWaytoCPA.com to discover resources and information about accounting careers.

“Workforce development and talent readiness are a significant focus for us,” Coffey said. “Partnering with stakeholders to make our profession more accessible and rewarding remains a critical priority.”

— To comment on this article or to suggest an idea for another article, contact Bryan Strickland at Bryan.Strickland@aicpa-cima.com.