25 Best Accounting Firms to Work For in 2026

Today, on Tax Day, we’re extremely excited to release the 2026 Vault Accounting 25, a ranking of the best accounting firms to work for. The ranking is based on our survey of approximately 10,000 accounting professionals who were asked rate their firms in several workplace categories, including benefits, compensation, culture, hours, training, work/life balance, wellness, and more. They were also asked to rate firms other than their own in terms of prestige.

Based on those ratings, here are the top 10 firms in the 2026 Vault Accounting 25:
 
1. PwC
2. EY
3. KPMG
4. Plante Moran
5. BDO USA
6. CohnReznick
7. Baker Tilly
8. RSM US
9. PKF O’Connor Davies
10. CBIZ

No. 1 PwC Offers “Unlimited Learning Opportunities and Professional Development”

This year, Big 4 firm PwC again ranks No. 1 in the Accounting 25, while also again taking the No. 1 spot in our Prestige Rankings. In addition, PwC ranks No. 1 in all three Practice Area Rankings (Audit & Assurance, Tax Accounting, and Forensic Accounting). PwC staff members tell us that the firm is filled with “the best and brightest people” and offers “great work/life balance outside of busy season,” “the ability to work remotely,” and “unlimited learning opportunities and professional development.”

PwC also ranks among the top firms in both Formal Training (No. 6) and Informal Training (No. 8). According to one PwC insider, “The firm has a massive online library of virtual trainings, from how to use Excel to how to perform the most technical aspects of our jobs (across all service lines). We also have an apprenticeship model, fostering an environment that promotes and encourages on-the-job training.”

No. 2 EY Has “Incredibly Talented Team Members Who Care About Your Development”

EY, another Big 4 firm, jumps one place this year to rank No. 2 in the Accounting 25, while holding onto its No. 3 ranking in Prestige and No. 3 spot in all three Practice Area Rankings. EY insiders tell us that the best parts about working for the firm are the “smart, motivated, incredibly talented team members who care about your development”; “training, mentoring, and career growth opportunities”; and “schedule flexibility and ability to work remotely.”

In addition, EY insiders rave about the firm’s PTO offerings. One insider summarizes the flexibility and vacation offerings, saying, “The firm has an unlimited vacation policy, and I’ve never had an issue taking that unlimited vacation around my filing deadlines. As long as you work hard, the firm is happy to give you time off to recharge. The flexibility of being able to work from home a couple of days a week is great too.”

No. 3 KPMG Offers “Early Responsibility” and a “Nonstop Learning Experience”

KPMG slips one spot this year to rank No. 3 in the Accounting 25, while holding onto its No. 4 ranking in Prestige. KPMG accounting professionals tell us that the firm has “great people” and “a great supportive culture” and offers a lot of “early responsibility and career development opportunities.” It’s a “nonstop learning experience” at KPMG, which “invests heavily in the development of its people, including providing significant formal training and opportunities to grow through informal training.”

KPMG insiders also say the firm is very “flexible with scheduling” and “continually focuses on improving work/life balance through several initiatives.” According to one KPMG insider, “The firm supports employees wherever they can. I feel like I can take any day or week off as long as it doesn’t conflict with client needs.”

No. 4 Plante Moran Is Best for Culture, Training, Promotion Policies, Vacation Policies, Wellness, Supervisor Relationships, and Internal Mobility

Metro Detroit-based Plante Moran rises one place to rank No. 4 in the Accounting 25, while also taking home eight No. 1s in our Quality of Life Rankings: Culture, Formal Training, Informal Training, Internal Mobility, Promotion Policies, Relationships with Supervisors, Vacation Policies, and Wellness. The firm also ranks among the top five in three out of four of our Diversity Rankings, ranking No. 3 for LGBTQ+ Diversity, No. 4 for Overall Diversity, and No. 5 in Diversity for Women.

According to one Plante Moran accountant, “We stress the importance of being a ‘whole person’ and that the ‘whole person comes to work.’ For us, that means meeting team members where they are and helping them find ways to fit in both the things they need to do (childcare, elder care, personal health) and the things they love to do (sports clubs, vacation/travel, gardening, etc.).” In addition to the “amazing culture” and “amazing people,” insiders rave about the “flexible work arrangements,” “ability to work remotely,” and numerous “growth opportunities.”

No. 5 BDO Is Filled with “Kind, Intelligent, Supportive, Hardworking” People

This year, Chicago-headquartered BDO slips one place to No. 5 in the Accounting 25, while holding onto its No. 6 ranking in Prestige, No. 6 ranking in Tax Accounting, and No. 6 ranking in Forensic Accounting. BDO insiders tell us that they very much appreciate working alongside their “kind, intelligent, supportive, hardworking coworkers” in the firm’s “collaborative culture.” They also rave about the “ability to work remotely,” “flexible work schedules,” and “professional development and growth opportunities.”

According to one insider, “Career development is a focal point of the firm. They want to help you succeed and make sure you have all the tools and support to do so. Career advisors provide coaching and support and are assigned to every professional, including interns. And there’s no rush to move up within a certain timeframe, allowing you to advance at your own pace.”

Accounting Insiders Tell Us About Staffing Shortages, Taxing Tax Seasons, Private Equity Ownership Stakes, and More

In addition to releasing our new rankings, we’re pleased to release our new in-depth accounting firm profiles, which include direct quotes from accounting professionals about how their satisfaction with their roles is changing, about their firms’ responses to various macroeconomic events affecting the public accounting industry, and more. Here are some of the industry-wide trends that accounting professionals told us about this year:

• Staffing shortages still remain, and the busy tax seasons are still very taxing—which means long hours, deadline pressure, and no PTO during this time. However, professionals’ overall satisfaction with their hours has stabilized, and outside of busy season, work/life balance is excellent and vacation is easy to take.
• Flexibility when it comes to where and when you work is still one of the best aspects of working in accounting. However, firms are increasingly squeezing remote-work options, requiring more in-person workdays each week. As a result, some insiders worry about their work/life balance going forward and are re-thinking their overall job satisfaction.
• Various private equity firms have taken significant ownership stakes in various accounting firms. This has resulted in some insiders feeling optimistic about the future growth of their firms, but the majority of accountants worry about the future of their work/life balance, job security, and respective firm’s workplace culture and employee morale.

Accounting 25 Methodology

This past winter, from December 2024 through February 2025, Vault asked approximately 10,000 accounting professionals to rate their own firms in various Quality of Life Categories (such as Culture, Hours, Compensation, and Work/Life Balance). They were also asked to rate their peer firms in terms of Prestige (accountants couldn’t rate their own firms and were asked to only rate those firms with which they were familiar). The Accounting 25 was compiled using a weighted formula based on the following: 35 percent Prestige, 20 percent Culture, 10 percent Satisfaction, 10 percent Compensation, 10 percent Work/Life Balance, 5 percent Business Outlook, 5 percent Formal Training, and 5 percent Informal Training.

View the entire 2026 Vault Accounting Rankings.