The CPA Candidate Pipeline in 2026
New CPA exam candidates fell to a record low of 27,994 in 2024, and exam completions dropped with them. Accounting enrollment is now rebounding. This page charts the pipeline year by year using data from NASBA and the AICPA Trends Report.
27,994
New candidates in 2024 (record low)
48,004
New candidates in 2016 (peak)
+12.4%
Accounting enrollment, Spring 2025
55,152
Accounting degrees, 2023-24
New CPA Exam Candidates by Year
First-time candidates entering the exam pipeline. The 2023 spike reflects candidates rushing to test before CPA Evolution took effect in January 2024, which left 2024 at a record low.
Source: AICPA Trends Report new-candidate series. NASBA's parallel count puts 2024 at 27,994.
The decline is not new. There were 48,004 new candidates in 2016, so 2024 sits roughly 42% below the peak. The temporary jump to 42,626 in 2023 was a timing artifact, not a recovery, and the drop to about 28,082 the next year confirmed it.
Candidates Completing the Exam by Year
Candidates who passed their final (fourth) section. This is exam completion, not licensure, which also requires the education and experience requirements.
Source: NASBA. Passing the fourth section does not by itself grant a CPA license.
Completions fell from 20,036 in 2023 to 13,070 in 2024. Part of that drop reflects the 2023 pull-forward, and part reflects the smaller candidate pool working through the exam.
The Leading Indicator: Enrollment Is Rebounding
Total U.S. postsecondary accounting enrollment. Enrollment leads exam entry by a few years, so this is the first place a recovery shows up.
Source: AICPA Trends Report. Total postsecondary accounting enrollment.
Accounting program enrollment rose 12.4% in Spring 2025 to 266,506 students, the highest since 2020, and four-year undergraduate accounting enrollment reached 204,283 in Fall 2025. Degrees conferred are still catching up: accounting degrees totaled about 55,152 in 2023-24, down 6.6% year over year, compared with 65,305 in 2021-22.
What This Means for Candidates
A smaller pipeline means firms are competing harder for the candidates who do finish. That shows up as higher starting salaries and more flexibility for people who pass. States have also moved to lower the barrier to entry with 120-credit licensure pathways and individual mobility, both of which are designed to bring more people into the profession.
If you are on the fence, the numbers cut in your favor. For the policy changes reshaping entry, see our 120-credit pathway tracker and our explainer on individual CPA mobility. For the narrative behind these numbers, see our pipeline analysis, and for pass rates by section see our pass rate guide.
Sources
- NASBA — Explore the Numbers Behind CPA Exam Success (2024 Report)
- NASBA — 2020-2023 CPA Exam Statistics Now Available
- Journal of Accountancy — The Accounting Graduate Pipeline: Where Do Things Stand? (Oct 2025)
- AICPA & CIMA — U.S. Accounting Undergraduate Enrollment Rises for Third Straight Year
- AICPA — 2023 Trends Report (accounting degrees conferred)
Citing This Data
Journalists and researchers are welcome to reference this page. Please credit Atlas CPA Index and link to atlascpaindex.com/research/cpa-candidate-pipeline as the source.
Source: Atlas CPA Index, “The CPA Candidate Pipeline in 2026,” atlascpaindex.com/research/cpa-candidate-pipeline. Compiled from NASBA and the AICPA Trends Report. Accessed [date].
Frequently Asked Questions
How many new CPA exam candidates were there in 2024?
NASBA reported 27,994 new CPA exam candidates in 2024, the fewest since it began tracking, which the AICPA Trends Report counts as 28,082 using a slightly different methodology. Both describe 2024 as a record low. For comparison, there were 48,004 new candidates in 2016 and a temporary surge to about 42,000 in 2023 as candidates rushed to test before CPA Evolution took effect in January 2024.
Is the CPA pipeline recovering?
The leading indicator is recovering. Accounting program enrollment rose 12.4% in Spring 2025 to 266,506 students, the highest since 2020, and total postsecondary accounting enrollment reached 313,397 in 2025, up from 293,759 in 2024. New exam candidate counts lag enrollment by a few years, so the enrollment rebound has not yet fully shown up in exam-entry numbers.
How many people complete the CPA exam each year?
NASBA reported that 13,070 candidates passed their final (fourth) exam section in 2024, down from 20,036 in 2023. Passing the final section is exam completion, not licensure. Becoming a licensed CPA additionally requires meeting the 150-hour education requirement (or a 120-credit pathway) and the experience requirement, which vary by state.
Why did the pipeline shrink?
Several forces overlapped: the cost and time of the 150-hour requirement, competition from higher-paying fields, and the one-time distortion of CPA Evolution, which pulled candidates into 2023 and left 2024 depressed. States have responded by adopting 120-credit licensure pathways and individual mobility to lower the barrier to entry.
Brennan Kolar
Founder, Atlas CPA Index
Brennan Kolar is the founder of Atlas CPA Index, an independent CPA review comparison platform covering all 55 U.S. jurisdictions. With over 10 years of experience with CPA review, he built Atlas to help candidates find the right review course based on how they actually learn, not which provider has the biggest ad budget.
Learn more about the authorThinking about joining the pipeline? Find the CPA review course that fits your learning style and budget.
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