pay Archives - CPA Trendlines

Profit Squeeze: Billing Rates Rebound, but Staff Costs Are Rising Faster

January 21, 2026

Accountants show renewed pricing power as rates gain 5.7%.

**Mind the gap:** CPA firms are raising billing rates at about a 6% rate, not quite enough to match the rising costs of staff.

By CPA Trendlines

CPA firms are raising prices again as they enter 2026, even as hiring remains weak and wage pressures show little sign of easing. The combination is tightening margins across the profession.

MORE Outlook 2026, Pay, Hiring, Pricing

A CPA Trendlines analysis of new pricing data shows that billing rates for core CPA firm services are rebounding sharply, reversing an earlier soft patch and vaulting fees to near record highs. At the same time, employment growth across accounting firms has stalled, while wage growth remains elevated, underscoring the growing imbalance between pricing power and labor costs.

Outlook 2026: Can Tax & Accounting Payrolls Keep Surging to New Highs?

January 7, 2026

By CPA Trendlines Research

**Record High:** Tax and accounting industry hits 1,163,600 jobs, an annualized growth rate of 2%, and a new all-time high.

By CPA Trendlines Research

The full tax and accounting industry—which includes accounting, tax preparation, bookkeeping and payroll services—has hit a new record high with 1,163,600 jobs, representing an annualized growth rate of 2%, which is measurably stronger than the year-over-year 1.23% gain, according to new data examined by CPA Trendlines. But a choppy economy and political volatility have accountants and observers alike wondering if the trends can continue in 2026

MORE Staffing and Pay Trends

CPA offices managed to add 1,700 jobs over the past year, keeping the segment on a slow but positive trajectory. Employment at offices of certified public accountants is holding steady at 544,300 positions, matching the month-before figure. The revision from the previous estimate of 544,600 marks a modest 0.06% downgrade. The year-over-year trend improved slightly to 0.3%, up from 0.2% in the prior report. READ MORE →

Cornerstone Report: CPA Billing Rates, Tax Return Fees, and Client Accounting Pricing at CPA Firms | 2026

January 1, 2026

By CPA Trendlines Research

CPA Trendlines Research Cornerstone Reports deliver instant situational awareness on the day’s hottest topics.

By CPA Trendlines Research

Tax return pricing in 2026 is best understood as a structural repricing rather than a routine inflation adjustment. Firms are charging more, charging differently, and narrowing capacity.

MORE on Pricing.

In this Cornerstone Report, CPA Trendlines finds a 45.7% rise in the national average base fee for a 1040 with Schedules 1–3 (2023 to 2025); benchmark add-on prices for common schedules; national averages for entity and fiduciary returns; fee-increase cadence and the dominant 6%–10% increase band; a median typical-client fee level of $1,263; a common unbilled-work leakage estimate of 6%; and large-firm benchmarking metrics that show how higher rates interact with realization and income per partner.

New 20-Year Low in College Accounting Graduates

December 1, 2025

By CPA Trendlines Research

But are trends already on the upswing again?

By CPA Trendlines

The pipeline of U.S. accounting graduates has fallen to its lowest level in roughly 20 years, capping a decade-long slide of about 17% in completions even as demand from public accounting firms remains strong, according to the latest release of a much-watched study.

In this report:

The tension between shrinking supply and resilient demand

Bachelor’s degrees: From mid-2010s peak to current lows

Master’s degrees: A steep 15% drop in the last academic year

CPA Exam Trends: The new baseline

Potential Turning Point? New growth in enrollments

In addition, the CPA exam pipeline has thinned over the past 10 years, with new candidates and successful passers both down from earlier peaks, though 2023 saw a temporary surge tied to the rollout of the CPA Evolution exam.

New research is also revealing that while auditors remain in steady supply, the tax profession is facing a severe and deepening talent drought.

And yet, new enrollment data point to a possible turning point, with accounting program enrollments up double digits in 2024–25 and firms signaling plans to keep hiring as many or more graduates in the year ahead.

CPA Pricing Power Falters as Salaries March Upward

August 17, 2025

By CPA Trendlines Research

The tax and accounting sector shows signs of accelerating change.

By CPA Trendlines

Salaries at CPA firms are entering their second year of marked year-over-year gains, even as billing rate increases remain few and far between, according to a new analysis by CPA Trendlines.