Last updated by
Charles Hall
on
June 10, 2022
Accounting graduates dream of working for a top accounting firm. While everyone knows the Big Four, there are ten prestigious accounting firms in the US.
Accounting graduates dream of working for a top accounting firm. While everyone knows the Big Four, there are ten prestigious accounting firms in the US.
Accountants and fresh accounting graduates aspire to work for one of the top accounting firms in the US. These top 10 firms include the BIG Four, i.e., Deloitte, PwC, KPMG, and Ernst & Young. Other accounting firms are BDO, Grant Thornton, CBIZ, CliftonLarsonAllen, McGladrey, and Crowe Horwath.
In order to pursue a career in accountancy and work for the top 10 firms in the sector, you will have to fulfill specific requirements. These prerequisites are pre-set standards by the boards in each state. For example, you will need a minimum of a bachelor’s degree in Accounting along with at least two years of experience. Therefore, do not forget to check the exact requirements in your state of residence. That said, if you wish to apply for any of the top 10 accounting firms in the US, you must learn a bit about them, and this article will help you get started. Employers prefer candidates who know about the company as it shows their passion and interest in the job they are applying for.
When we started our research to come up with this insightful guide for you to learn about the top-tier accounting companies in the country, we found that the Big Four alone hire a workforce of over 200,000 employees in the US. Plus, the experts predict the accounting job sector to grow by 4 percent by the end of 2029. This means you have an increased chance to secure a job at one of these firms.
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Table of contents
If you are interested in pursuing a career in accounting, you will be surprised to know that there are over 138,000 accounting firms in the US alone. The accounting sector generated a whopping $110 Billion revenue in 2020. However, some have gained the prestige to be the best to work for in the industry.
The top-tier accounting firms gained their rightful status through regular acquisitions, mergers, and international growth. Therefore, if you wish to pursue a job position at one of these firms, you must remember that their rankings may move several places in a matter of months.
Are you an accounting student, an aspiring accountant, or an experienced public accountant who wishes to work for the best? In that case, continue to read about the accounting firms that are the epitome of success in the accounting industry.
However, before you begin your journey towards seeking employment with any of the top-tiered accounting firms in the United States, you must know your ultimate goal. You must do some research and investigation into the history of these companies.
This will help you decide which one would be an ideal place for you to work and have flourishing personal and professional growth opportunities.
Ask yourself these questions first.
The answer to these questions may help you decide which of the below-mentioned companies you would like to work with someday.
Let us look at the top 10 accounting companies in the US that have managed to stay on top of the competitors and stood the test of time.
Deloitte or Deloitte LLP is the number one accounting firm in the country right now. The company has its base in New York, NY. You can imagine the scale of its operations and service that Deloitte generated revenue of $47.6 billion in 2020.
This is one of the reasons why it stays on top amongst the Big Four. However, Deloitte is not only present in the US, but it also provides accountancy services and solutions across the world. Therefore, if you wish to work for an accounting firm with a multinational outreach and professional services network, Deloitte will be your summit.
The accounting firm has two headquarters in two countries, i.e., New York within the United States and London, England. Deloitte opened its doors almost 200 years ago in 1845 in London and never looked back.
According to Statista, Deloitte LLP currently has a workforce of more than 335,000 employees worldwide. The company currently offers accounting services from more than 80 offices in the US, headed by Punit Renjen as the CEO.
No matter which aspect of accounting you wish to pursue a career, Deloitte does it all. From taxes to audit, risk advisory to financial advisory and legal services to consulting, the company offers a comprehensive range of accounting services to some of the biggest giants and companies of all sizes from a multitude of industries.
It cannot get any bigger and better than Deloitte when it comes to the accounting firms in the U.S or worldwide.
As of 2021, PrivatewaterhouseCoopers, most commonly known as PwC, is one of the four biggest accounting firms in the United States. The company hails from New York, NY and generated revenue of $ 43 billion in the year 2020.
According to Statista, the company currently employees more than 284,000 workers on a global scale. Moreover, the PwC is one of the Big Fours in the accounting world because it has a presence in 157 countries and conducts its operations from 742 different locations.
Just like Deloitte, PwC is also a true centurion as it started offering accountancy services in 1854. However, the PwC we know now in its modern form has been making noise since 1998. Robert Mortiz is the guy who is currently behind running the operations as the chairperson for this prestigious accounting organization.
The professional services and solution portfolio of PwC include consulting, assurance, actuarial, data and analytics, and legal services. If you wish to work for a company with a global presence and one of the world's most influential and powerful accounting networks, then PwC is the Holy Grail.
Ernst & Young is also well-known and one of the most respected accounting firms in the United States. It is also one of the Big Fours that every accountant wishes to work for someday. If you are one of those aspiring accounting graduates, here are some facts and figures for you to remember.
Ernst & Young is a New York-based company, and it generated a staggering $37.2 billion in revenues in 2020 alone. According to Statista, this accounting firm currently employees a whopping number of workforce that stood at 298,965.
The company has one of the most powerful and established global presence offering accounting services and solutions to a wide array of companies and industries. Ernst & Young operates from 150 countries and with over 700 offices across the globe.
As Ernst & Young or EY is a multinational accounting firm, it has two headquarters, i.e., one in New York, the US, and the other is in London, United Kingdom. Carmine Di Sibio is currently heading this accounting giant as a CEO and chairperson.
If you wish to pursue a career with Ernst & Young, they work with accounting domains, including assurance, consulting, advisory, legal services, and digital strategy.
Klynveld Peat Marwick Goerdeler, most commonly and popularly known by its abbreviation KPMG is one of the Big Fours in the world of accounting. The company runs its operations from New York in the United States.
KPMG generated an astounding revenue of $29.22 billion in the year 2020. The company has the Anglo-Dutch origins and it has the main headquarters in two countries: the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. That said, the company still has a massive presence in the US and operates for a multitude of locations nationwide.
Unlike some of the other giants in the accounting business, KPMG is relatively new and started its operations in 1987. The company currently hires an impressive workforce of 227,000 employees conducting their job duties from regional bases in 147 countries.
Bill Thomas is the current chairperson sailing this ship with immense discipline and integrity. The forte of KPMG as one of the top 10 accounting firms includes actuarial work, assurance, legal, finance, consulting, and tax advice.
RSM has been around since 1926, and it is one of the leading accounting organizations in the United States that currently employs over 11,000 employees nationwide. According to Statista, this accounting giant generated $2.7 billion in revenue in 2020 alone.
The company runs its operations from the main headquarters in Chicago, Illinois. While it may not be one of the Big Four’s rankings right out, RSM US still maintains the status of one of the major and most influential firms in the accounting sectors, and its annual revenues are more than enough to prove this claim.
The company currently holds several offices in approximately 86 cities within the United States. However, RSM US also has a strong international presence with operations in 120 countries running 800 offices. RMS US has an international workforce of 43,000 employees.
Joe Adams is the man heading RSM US as a CEO. The company currently offers accounting services and solutions, including tax, auditing, and consulting services to a wide array of clients in the US and on a global scale.
Grant Thornton is one of the top 10 accounting firms in the United States that manages its operations from Chicago, Illinois. The company first appeared on the horizon of the accounting landscape in 1924 means it is about to become a centurion in its own right. Not many accounting firms have the prestigious and glorious history to back their claims.
According to Grant Thornton’s financial report, the accounting firm generated astonishing revenue of $5.76 billion in 2020. The company has more than 550 partners and 59 offices on a national scale. There are over 8,459 people working for Grant Thornton in the US.
That said, the company also has a strong international presence in 130 countries with a regional headquarter in London, United Kingdom. The total number of international employees hired by Grant Thornton stood at a whopping figure of 56 229 by the end of 2020.
Bradley J. Preber is the current CEO of Grant Thornton LLP. This accounting firm offers accounting services in various domains. Moreover, they also specialize in mergers and acquisition,
BDO USA, LLP is another accounting firm in the United States that stays in competition as one of the 10 leading accounting firms. The company has its headquarters in Chicago, Illinois, and has been operational since 1910.
The company announced its global revenues of $10.3 billion in September 2020, while its revenues in the US despite the COVID-19 pandemic stood at a staggering $1.8 billion. BDO USA LLP currently has 670 partners with workforce numbers reaching 8,063
BDO is also a well-known and respected accounting entity on a global scale with a presence in 167 countries. This accounting firm currently has approximately 1,658 offices worldwide, where its workforce accounts for more than 91,000 employees.
Wayne Berson is the current Chief Executive Officer of BDO USA LLP. The company excels in offering accounting services such as tax, consultation, and other professional solutions to a myriad of clients and industries.
One of the top accounting firms, CliftonLarsonAllen LLP, hails from Minneapolis, Minnesota. The company may not be as big as the other giants on the list, but it has made its mark as one of the newest kids on the block in the accounting domain.
CliftonLarsonAllen LLP first opened its doors for business in 2012, resulting from a merger between two companies, i.e., LarsonAllen and Clifton Gunderson. Fast forward to 2020; the company posted revenues of $1.2 billion.
As of 2020, the company has a workforce of 6314 employees in the United States while operating from 90 offices nationwide. Denny Schleper is the current CEO of the company. The firm offers services including accounting, taxes, audits, consulting, and advisory.
Crowe Horwath LLP is number nine on our list of top 10 accounting firms in the US to work for. The company operates from the headquarters in Chicago, Illinois, and has been around since 1942. That said, the company has come a long way and reported revenue of over $ 4 billion in 2020.
The company comprises more than 220 individual accounting firms with a whopping 42,000 strong workforce globally in 130 countries. Crowe Horwath LLP offers tax, management, consulting, audit, risk advisory, and financial advisory services.
David Mellor is the current Chief Executive Officer of this well-reputed and respected accounting firm in the United States.
This accounting firm may be the last on the top 10 list, but it is in the top tier ranking for a reason. CBIZ & MHM was a result of a merger between two of the well-known accountancy firms of their time in 1998.
The company's headquarters is in Cleveland, Ohio and Andy Burczyk is the current president of the company. The Company generated revenue of $824 million in 2020 and currently employs more than 3,867 workers at 133 offices nationwide.
CBIZ & MHM is a well-known accounting firm in the United States providing various accounting services and solutions to the manufacturing sector, software industry, financial and government institutions.
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