Here are this year’s top accounting firms to work for, according to employees

There’s a reason they’re called the Big 4.

On Monday, Vault came out with its Accounting 25—the best 25 accounting firms to work for, according to more than 13,000 professionals the career intelligence company surveyed—and the top spots are likely unsurprising to anybody. PwC, KPMG, and EY took first, second, and third place, in that order.

Deloitte, the fourth of the Big 4 accounting firms, wasn’t ranked this year because the company chose not to distribute the survey to employees, Derek Loosvelt, Vault’s editorial director, told CFO Brew. Deloitte ranked second overall last year, Loosvelt noted.

Rounding out the Top 10 were BDO USA, Plante Moran, CohnReznick, Baker Tilly, RSM, Schellman, and Moss Adams.

Vault ranks firms based on criteria including prestige, company culture, compensation, diversity, and work/life balance. Respondents ranked PwC as the most prestigious accounting firm. Next were Deloitte, EY, KPMG, Grant Thornton, BDO, RSM, Baker Tilly, Crowe, and CohnReznick. Deloitte appeared on this list because Vault asks respondents to rank the prestige of companies other than their own, Loosvelt explained.

Recruit and retain. It’s no secret that there’s a shortage of accountants, and companies are feeling the pain. For instance, Tupperware said last month that it would delay filing its annual report due in part to a lack of accounting staff. Recent research from on-demand talent firm Business Talent Group and parent company Heidrick & Struggles found that demand for interim CFOs increased 46% year over year in 2023; requests for interim controllers and heads of FP&A shot up 114%; and requests for accounting, financial controls, and audit talent increased 33%.

According to Vault, accounting pros said a firm’s culture was their top consideration when choosing an employer. Other important factors were compensation, the ability to work remotely, the kind of work, and work-life balance.

“The findings from our accounting survey are especially important for firms right now as the entire industry faces a talent shortage,” Eric Stutzke, Vault’s SVP and general manager, said in a press release. “Fewer students are graduating with accounting degrees and a smaller number are opting to sit for the CPA exam, while tenured accountants are voluntarily leaving the field or retiring.”

Interested in connecting with the industry's leading CFOs about how to future proof for tomorrow? Come to our May 2 IRL event in NYC. Click here for tickets.