There are thousands of accounting firms in the USA. But which are the biggest and most popular? This post ranks some of the top accounting firms in the USA.

Deloitte

Deloitte is the biggest accounting firm in the world. It operates in multiple countries around the world – including the US.

Deloitte’s US headquarters is located in New York. The firm has a further 80 offices located around the country and a workforce of 56,000 employees.

The firm’s annual revenue is estimated to be over $13 billion. Some of their largest clients include Berkshire Hathaway, Microsoft and Procter & Gamble. The company is known for its long-standing innovation within accounting and has a strong reputation.

PwC

PwC stands for PricewaterhouseCoopers. They are the second biggest accounting firm in the US, taking in an annual revenue of more than $9.5 billion.

The firm’s US headquarters is located in New York led by Robert Moritz. The company currently employs 35,000 employees across 73 offices.

Some of PwC’s biggest clients include IBM, Goldman Sachs and Ford Motor Co. PwC have taken great steps to prepare for the future – The New Equation is one of their latest strategies which aims to prepare companies financially for events such as technological disruption, climate change and social tension.

Ernst & Young

Ernst & Young comes third place when it comes to top accounting firms in the USA. Their annual revenue is about $8.2 billion.

Chief Executive Steve Howe is currently head of the firm. They have their headquarters located in New York and employ roughly 29,000 employees.

EY has some pretty major clients including the likes of Coca Cola, Hilton and Verizon. Their financial services include tax, assurance, consulting and strategy. The company is known for having a good work culture and is the youngest of the ‘big four’, having only been founded in the 1980s. They also offer a lot of support to entrepreneurs, hosting the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award.

KPMG

KPMG is the fourth biggest of the top accounting firms in the USA. Together, Deloitte, PwC, Ernst & Young and KPMG make up what is known as the ‘big four’. KPMG stands for Klynveld Peat Marwick Goerdeler. The firm’s annual revenue is thought to be $5.8 billion.

Headquartered in New York, KPMG sports 90 offices across the USA. Their workforce consists of about 24,000 employees.

Some of KPMG’s most well-known clients include Rolls-Royce, PepsiCo and General Electric. KPMG offers a very streamlined service compared to some of its rivals, while still catering to multiple industries. The firms regularly wins awards when it comes to its tax services.

RSM US

Formerly known as McGladrey, RSM US is an American-owned accounting firm headquartered in Chicago. They are the biggest firm outside of the ‘big four’, generating an annual revenue of about $2.8 billion.

Their workforce consists of just over 12,500 employees. They currently own 84 offices across the US.

RSM US focuses mainly on middle-market clients, although they do have some big clients including Moderna, Lyon and Apache. The company is very quick at embracing new tech – in the early 2010s they had already developed their own app and given all of their employees an iPad to work from on the go.

Grant Thornton

Grant Thornton’s US annual revenue is about $1.2 billion, making them the sixth biggest firm in the country.

Grant Thornton has their headquarters in Chicago along with RSM. They employ about 6000 employees across 54 offices.

The firm’s services cater to a range of industries of all sizes. They do a lot of work for government agencies and departments. Alongside their accounting, they are known for their award-winning financial advice – particularly in the healthcare sector.

CBIZ/Mayer Hoffman McCann

CBIZ and Mayer Hoffman McCann’s recent merger puts them 7th place in the top accounting firms in the USA.

The firm currently employs over 4000 people. They are headquartered in Cleveland and have about 133 offices across the US.

CBIZ/Mayer Hoffman McCann take on thousands of clients of all sizes in a range of industries. On top of accounting, they provide services such as insurance and HR. They run many awards aimed at business owners including the Women Transforming Business Awards.

BDO

BDO stands for Binder Djiker Otte. The firm reports an annual revenue of $618 million, making them the eighth biggest firm in the US.

BDO owns 42 offices nationwide and employs 2,771 people. They are led by chief executive Wayne Berson and have a headquarters in Chicago.

The company’s size is partly due to their merger with Salibello & Broder. Over the last few years, the firm has won various awards. They have a range of clients under their belt including some big international companies like Apple, Facebook and Michelin.

Crowe

Crowe (formerly Crowe Horwath) is the ninth biggest accounting firm in the US, sporting an annual revenue of $595 million.

They have 28 offices across America and a workforce of about 2,600 employees. The firm’s headquarters is located in Oak Brooke Terrace, Illinois.

Crowe was named one of the 100 best companies to work for in 2020. They have a huge client base and cater to a variety of industries.

CLA

CLA (CliftonLarsonAllen) just scrapes into the top ten with an annual revenue of $568 million.

The firm is headquartered in Milwaukee led by chief executive Krista McMasters. The company owns 90 offices across the US and employs 3,220 people.

Various mergers have helped CLA to grow in size. They currently serve a range of clients from various industries. A few of their biggest names include Lowes, BB&T and Hanesbrands.