We’re a bit behind combing through the National Pipeline Advisory Group (NPAG) Accounting Talent Strategy Report released a couple days ago (it’s almost 100 pages, that’s a lot of reading for the burnouts on our staff) so while we continue to do that with the finest of fine-toothed combs, check out this chart from page 59:
Immediately following this chart the report says:
If 2022 starting salaries were the primary determinant for business students choosing a major, accounting would be their last choice among this slate of options.
With the proliferation of salary information and ChatGPT at their fingertips, students and parents are savvy enough to understand and consider this as a factor. In a recent Journal of Accountancy interview with academic leaders, Professor Nancy Bagranoff of the University of Richmond said, “One change we have noticed is increased salary transparency. Students make use of online tools to compare salaries and are more aggressive in negotiating terms.” As these tools and pay transparency become more common, new recruits and experienced accountants are expecting higher salaries, and employers must respond.
Quote from National Pipeline Advisory Group’s Accounting Talent Strategy Report, page 59