April 25, 2017

The Best Accounting Firms: 2017 Rankings

Each year, Vault ranks the best accounting firms in the U.S., using several metrics, along with "insider information" from actual employees of the firms. The result is the Vault Accounting 50, which "reflects the issues accounting professionals care ...

What makes the culture of some accounting firms better than others? Is working at a large firm for a few years worth the pay and prestige, which accompany often arduous long hours?

Each year, Vault ranks the best accounting firms in the U.S., using several metrics, along with “insider information” from actual employees of the firms.  The result is the Vault Accounting 50, which “reflects the issues accounting professionals care most about, combining quality of life […] and overall prestige.”

For 2017, the Big 4 again top the list:

  1. PwC
  2. Deloitte
  3. Ernst & Young (EY)
  4. KPMG

The rest of the top 10 are major national firms, as well:

  1. Grant Thornton
  2. BDO
  3. Plante Moran
  4. Moss Adams
  5. Crowe Horwoath
  6. RSM US

The full rankings and methodology can be found here.

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Firm Management February 26, 2026 

CPE Webinar: Building economic resilience: How accounting firms can stay profitable when markets shift

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