After years of concern about the accounting talent pipeline, recent data offers a reason for optimism.
Enrollment in four-year accounting programs increased 8.9% year over year in spring 2026, marking the third consecutive year of growth, according to AICPA & CIMA.
That is meaningful progress for the profession. However, it does not immediately solve the talent challenges finance organizations are facing today.
The students entering accounting programs now will need years to graduate, develop technical expertise, lead teams, and gain experience navigating complex business environments.
At the same time, the number of accounting degrees awarded declined 6.6% during the 2023–2024 academic year. That leaves employers with a smaller group of recent graduates progressing toward the manager, controller, and director levels.
The pipeline may be recovering, but the impact has not yet reached the experienced end of the workforce.
That disconnect helps explain what many finance executives are seeing in the current labor market. Hiring may feel more measured than it did several years ago, but experienced accounting and finance talent has not suddenly become abundant.
Companies may receive a high number of applications and still struggle to find professionals with the right combination of:
- Technical accounting or finance expertise
- Leadership and team management experience
- Relevant industry knowledge
- Strong communication skills
- Experience supporting growth, transformation, or change
The broader labor market reinforces this challenge.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects approximately 124,200 openings for accountants and auditors each year from 2024 through 2034. Many of those openings will result from retirements, career changes, and other workforce exits, rather than business growth alone.
This means companies are not only hiring to expand their teams. They are also competing to replace experience, leadership, and institutional knowledge that is steadily leaving the market.
For many organizations, the most significant risk may be developing in the middle of the finance function.
Common warning signs include:
- A controller, director, or accounting manager with no clear successor
- Critical reporting, close, or system knowledge concentrated in one employee
- Strong technical professionals who have not yet led teams or major initiatives
- Important projects delayed because the current team lacks capacity
- Open roles that remain unfilled because candidates meet most, but not every, requirement
These gaps become even more visible during an ERP implementation, acquisition, audit, system upgrade, or period of rapid growth.
These initiatives require more than additional headcount. They require experienced professionals who can apply sound judgment, communicate across departments, and lead through uncertainty.
The most effective approach is to assess talent needs before they become urgent. Finance leaders should identify critical roles with limited coverage, evaluate where internal employees can be developed, and determine which upcoming projects may require outside expertise. In some cases, the right solution may be a permanent hire. In others, interim or project-based support can help close immediate gaps while creating time to make a thoughtful long-term decision.
Improving enrollment is encouraging news for the long-term future of accounting. For finance executives today, the priority should be strengthening succession plans, developing internal talent earlier, and building flexibility into their workforce strategy.
Whether the need calls for a strategic permanent hire or experienced interim support, Brilliant helps organizations strengthen accounting and finance teams with the talent needed to keep important business priorities moving forward.
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Sources: AICPA & CIMA and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.