Nearly three-quarters (72%) of Master of Accounting programs in the U.S. reported increased application levels in 2024, according to a study by the Graduate Management Admission Council.
The GMAC surveyed 297 business schools, representing 1,090 programs, for its latest report on trends in graduate business school programs.
This figure represents a five-year peak in applications and is up from 43% of programs in 2023. Meanwhile, the data found that 2% of Master of Accounting programs reported that application levels were flat, and 26% reported declined applications.
“The resurgence in applicant interest in master of accounting programs is another encouraging sign for the accounting profession’s workforce development efforts,” Susan Coffey, CEO of public accounting for the Association of International CPAs, said in a statement. “In today’s competitive talent landscape, efforts to attract new entrants to accounting remain a top priority.”
Comparatively, only 55% of Master of Finance programs reported increases.
“Stable degrees like the Master of Accounting and Master in Management had banner years while avoiding the more lackluster application trends seen among other business master’s programs,” the report states.
In 2024, the median of total applications for accounting master’s programs was 97, up from 75 applications in 2023. Class size also increased year-over-year, from 30 students in 2023 to 24 students in 2024. The mean percentage of female applicants declined by four percentage points, reaching 46% in 2024, while the mean percentage of first-generation applicants increased three points to 22%.
