Tim V. Eaton, EY Teaching Scholar and Arthur Andersen Alumni Professor, worked with the 2024 EY Student Scholar, Anastasija Mladenovska (Class of 2026), on multiple research projects during the summer thanks to a generous grant from EY to support the EY Teacher-Scholar program. While exploring multiple areas of interest the team completed a paper titled, “It’s a Great Time To Be an Accountant! The Resiliency of the Accounting Careers” that was recently submitted to a journal for review.
In this study, the authors demonstrated how over many decades of the last century, the accounting profession has faced numerous challenges but has proven itself to be a resilient profession, and discussed why it will continue to thrive in the future even as new challenges emerge.
While job growth in accounting is projected to slow until late 2025, the field is expected to grow by 4% from 2022 to 2032. This stability is evident from historical precedents where accounting roles remained crucial even during economic crises like the 2008 financial crash and the COVID-19 pandemic, illustrating the profession’s ability to adapt and thrive despite challenges.
Increased diversity and the rise of specialized areas such as forensic accounting and ESG reporting are expected to aid in the evolution of the field, aided by technology advances that allow accounting to integrate new tools and methods to enhance efficiency and strategic decision-making. The current job market reflects strong demand for accounting professionals, driven by a shortage of qualified candidates and high placement rates for graduates. Thus, accounting remains a dynamic and promising career choice, offering stability and growth opportunities for the future.
This paper is currently under review at the journal New Accountant.
The team will also continue to work on other projects this academic year, including an in-depth study on mitigating student dishonesty.