In 2024, there were a record amount of accountants and auditors working in the United States, with a workforce that totaled roughly *** million people. This was an increase of approximately ******* when compared to 2012.Accountants and auditorsAuditors and accountants are responsible for preparing financial records, examining these records to ensure their accuracy and compliance, and ensuring that the correct amount of tax is paid. While most companies employ in-house accountants to maintain financial records, to guarantee independence audits are generally conducted by third-party consultancy firms. The leading accounting and audit firms in the United States by some distance are the aptly colloquialized "Big Four" – PwC, Deloitte, EY and KPMG. Accountants in the U.S.The number of accountants in the United States can be expected to continue to rise over the short term, with around one quarter of accountancy businesses planning to hire new staff in 2024. California was the state with the highest employment level in accounting and auditing, totaling around ******* people as of May 2024. The state with the highest wages for accountants, however, was New York, with a median annual wage considerably higher than the national average. Nationally, salary ranges for finance and accounting professionals vary greatly depending on experience and seniority. This can fluctuate from around ****** U.S. dollars at the low end to as high as ******* for Chief Financial Officers.

Number of Businesses statistics on the Accounting Services industry in the US

Graph and download economic data for Total Revenue for Offices of Certified Public Accountants, Establishments Subject to Federal Income Tax, Employer Firms (REVEF541211TAXABL) from 1998 to 2022 about public, employer firms, accounting, revenue, establishments, tax, services, and USA.

The revenue generated by accounting services in the United States reached ***** billion U.S. dollars in 2025, up from roughly ****** billion U.S. dollars in 2024. The revenue generated by this service was the highest it had ever been in ****.

In 2024, the racial group with the largest representation in accounting services in the United States were Hispanic where almost ** percent of the total workforce was represented. African Americans represented ***** percent of those working in accounting services in the United States.

United States - Total Revenue for Offices of Certified Public Accountants, All Establishments, Employer Firms was 132248.00000 Mil. of $ in January of 2022, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Total Revenue for Offices of Certified Public Accountants, All Establishments, Employer Firms reached a record high of 132248.00000 in January of 2022 and a record low of 39557.00000 in January of 1998. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Total Revenue for Offices of Certified Public Accountants, All Establishments, Employer Firms - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on July of 2025.

Graph and download economic data for Total Revenue for Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll Services, Establishments Subject to Federal Income Tax (REV5412TAXABL157QNSA) from Q1 2004 to Q1 2025 about accounting, revenue, payrolls, establishments, tax, federal, income, rate, and USA.

With a total revenue of over 67 billion U.S. dollars, Deloitte was the largest of the Big Four accounting firms in 2024. The combined revenue of the firms increased steadily in the last decade and exceeded 212 billion U.S. dollars in 2024. The Big Four accounting firms The leading accounting firms in the world are Deloitte, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), Ernst & Young (EY), and Klynveld Peat Marwick Goerdeler (KPMG). The firms provide their clients with various professional services that include auditing, corporate finance, and legal advice. Consulting revenue accounted for around 40 percent of Deloitte’s record total in 2024, whereas PwC and EY received most of their revenue from auditing services. International firms with workforces to match When broken down by geographical region, the three biggest firms generated most of their revenue in the Americas region – KPMG’s most lucrative region was its network of firms in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (including India). The United States has remained a major market for all four firms, where Deloitte generated nearly half of its total revenue in 2024. In terms of the number of employees, the four firms had a combined global workforce of more than one million people, as Deloitte once again led the way in 2024.

In 2024, Deloitte was the largest accounting firm in the United States with a revenue of 33 billion U.S. dollars. Leading accounting firms - additional information Deloitte was the third largest tax firm in the United States in 2023 behind PwC and Ernst & Young. Worldwide, the company generated a revenue of roughly 67 billion U.S. dollars in 2024. When broken down by region, the largest source of revenue for Deloitte came from the Americas. The number of employees at Deloitte totaled 460,000 people in the same year. Accounting services in the United States The number of accountants and auditors in the United States has remained steady between 1.3 and 1.5 million people over the last several years. In 2024, there were 1.4 million people employed in these professions. Although the sector is expected to flourish in terms of numbers, there has been a considerable gender wage gap within the accounting and auditing industry. In 2021, men earned around 230 U.S. dollars more per week than women doing the same job.

United States - Total Revenue for Offices of Certified Public Accountants, Establishments Subject to Federal Income Tax, Employer Firms was 132248.00000 Mil. of $ in January of 2022, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Total Revenue for Offices of Certified Public Accountants, Establishments Subject to Federal Income Tax, Employer Firms reached a record high of 132248.00000 in January of 2022 and a record low of 39557.00000 in January of 1998. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Total Revenue for Offices of Certified Public Accountants, Establishments Subject to Federal Income Tax, Employer Firms - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on June of 2025.

Graph and download economic data for Total Revenue for Other Accounting Services, All Establishments, Employer Firms (REVEF541219ALLEST) from 1998 to 2022 about employer firms, accounting, revenue, establishments, services, and USA.

Unsurprisingly the Big Four accounting firms – Deloitte, PwC, EY and KPMG – maintained the largest workforces of the accounting firms in the United States in 2024, ranging from Deloitte with approximately ******* employees to KPMG with their workforce of roughly ******. Outside of the Big Four there is a significant drop to the next-largest U.S. accounting firm, RSM, who employed ****** U.S. staff. Accounting firm structure Most accounting firms divide their employees into partners, professional staff and administrative staff. Partners sit atop the hierarchy, and can be either equity partners or salaried partners. Equity partners do not receive a fixed salary, instead owning part of the business. This entitles them to a proportion of the distributable profits. Conversely, salaried partners receive a fixed remuneration like other employees, but are often entitled to bonuses based on the firm’s profitability. Next in the hierarchy are professional staff, who are qualified to provide the specific services offered by the firm (for example, accountancy services or taxation advice). Finally there are administrative staff, who provide support to professional staff and partners. Generally the majority of employees are professional staff. In 2023, for example, Deloitte comprised of roughly ** percent professionals. The Big Four versus the rest The distance between the Big Four accounting firms and the others is also reflected in revenue figures , where the gap is even greater than for employee numbers. However, this gap can sometimes mask the size and success of the smaller accountancy firms. RSM reported a global revenue of 9.4 billion U.S. dollars in 2023, and have grown consistently for each of the last six years. Similarly, BDO reported a global revenue of ** billion U.S. dollars in 2023, following a period of consistent growth.

The Forensic Accounting Services industry has benefited from a mounting focus on the impact of fraud among domestic corporate clients. Industry companies provide services that apply accounting concepts and techniques to legal problems, investigate financial fraud and provide litigation support to attorneys and law enforcement agencies. Many forensic service providers specialize in fraud prevention, detection and response services. As improved internal controls and audit functions are essential to prevent this economic crime, forensic accountants are often employed to ensure fraud is not committed. Companies have increasingly relied on outside consultants, instead of in-house personnel, to investigate on their behalf. During the recent economic downturn, reported fraud reports rose significantly as online businesses mounted, increasing demand for industry services. As a result, industry revenue has grown at a CAGR of 2.4% to $8.7 billion from 2029 to 2024, including an estimated 3.6% jump in 2024 alone, when profit is set to total 17.2%. However, not all forensic accounting companies have grown simultaneously, with several distinctions between the average and most prominent companies, notably the Big Four professional services firms. Given their size and reputations, the Big Four can broadly invest heavily in skilled talent and technological platforms to differentiate their services. Also, their established reputations have helped them gain clients at the expense of smaller companies. Industry revenue is expected to increase at a CAGR of 2.0% to $9.6 billion from 2024 to 2029. The acceptance of the industry's services, including those related to valuation, fraud and economic damages, is expected to continue its ascent. Also, an anticipated hike in business bankruptcies over the next five years will spur demand for forensic accounting services. Although the industry's key economic drivers indicate an expansion, an increasingly uncertain macroeconomic environment represents a fundamental threat.

In 2023, women made up almost 60 percent of accountants and auditors in the United States. This was a slight decrease when compared to the previous year. Women have, however, made up the majority of accountants and auditors in the United States between 2020 and 2023.

Graph and download economic data for Total Revenue for Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll Services, Establishments Subject to Federal Income Tax (REV5412TAXABL144QNSA) from Q4 2003 to Q1 2025 about accounting, revenue, payrolls, establishments, tax, federal, income, and USA.

United States - Total Revenue for Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll Services, Establishments Subject to Federal Income Tax was 0.70000 % Chg. in October of 2024, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Total Revenue for Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll Services, Establishments Subject to Federal Income Tax reached a record high of 15.50000 in July of 2020 and a record low of -9.50000 in April of 2020. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Total Revenue for Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll Services, Establishments Subject to Federal Income Tax - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on June of 2025.

Graph and download economic data for Employed full time: Wage and salary workers: Accountants and auditors occupations: 16 years and over (LEU0254475600A) from 2000 to 2024 about occupation, accounting, full-time, salaries, workers, 16 years +, wages, employment, and USA.

United States - Total Revenue for Other Accounting Services, All Establishments, Employer Firms was 29644.00000 Mil. of $ in January of 2022, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Total Revenue for Other Accounting Services, All Establishments, Employer Firms reached a record high of 29644.00000 in January of 2022 and a record low of 7167.00000 in January of 1998. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Total Revenue for Other Accounting Services, All Establishments, Employer Firms - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on June of 2025.

In 2024, Deloitte roughly 21 billion U.S. dollars in revenue from its assurance segment, making it the leader in the assurance market among the Big Four. The Big Four worldwide The Big Four consist of PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), Deloitte, Ernst & Young (EY), and KPMG. These companies are the four largest accounting and audit firms worldwide. In 2024, they brought in more than 212 billion U.S. dollars in global combined revenue. Out of the four, Deloitte had the highest number of employees. Second in the list was Ernst & Young, followed by PwC, and KPMG. The majority of revenue generated by Deloitte came from the Americas region, as was the case with PwC and EY. The Big Four in the U.S. These four companies have the most influence in the accounting and audit sector in the United States, auditing over 80 percent of U.S. public companies. Out of the Big Four, Deloitte brought in the highest gross revenue in the United States. Following Deloitte was PwC, bringing in 22.75 billion U.S. dollars, then Ernst & Young, that brought in 21.46 billion U.S. dollars. KPMG brought in the least, generating 12.2 billion U.S. dollars the same year.

United States - Total Revenue for Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll Services, Establishments Subject to Federal Income Tax was 54203.00000 Mil. of $ in January of 2025, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Total Revenue for Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll Services, Establishments Subject to Federal Income Tax reached a record high of 54974.00000 in October of 2024 and a record low of 21570.00000 in January of 2004. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Total Revenue for Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll Services, Establishments Subject to Federal Income Tax - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on July of 2025.