It’s a getting a tad boring at the atop of the list of best accounting firms in America, as the three upper top-placed firms have remained static since last year's results were published.
This from the latest results of an annual assessment of the best accounting firms, compiled by Vault.com, a multi-industry intel, search and ranking firm based in New York City. Just as in last year’s rankings (and the one before that), PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), Deloitte and Ernst & Young made up the first, second and third spots respectively on Vault’s list this year, showing that top firms’ reputations and culture have not altered drastically.
For a closer look at the full top-10 firms in the country, check out our slideshow below.
This is the fifth year in a row that PwC has topped Vault.com’s list. The New York-based firm operates in 157 countries, employing more than 223,000 people worldwide.
Employees for the firm speak highly of PwC’s company culture and flexible hours, with one worker declaring there are “Learning opportunities every day—you get to work with large clients on complex issues and get a ton of responsibility at an early age.”
Downsides, though, include crazy hours, stress and compensation lower than competing firms.
PwC will continue to oversee the ballots for the Academy Awards – as it has done for 83 years – despite a much publicized mix-up of envelopes during the announcement of Best Picture at the award ceremony last February.
Workers with Deloitte, the New York-based firm that came in second in the ranking, touted the company’s prestige, learning opportunities and talent. One employee spoke of enjoying “Working with some of the best and most talented people in the industry, who are motivated and driven to succeed.”
Downsides for Deloitte include long hours, stress (of course), and office politics and red tape. According to Vault’s data, the firm is part of an international network composed of dozens of member firms that operate in more than 150 countries and employ more than 244,000 people.
Chicago-based Ernst & Young holds third place, and employees there mentioned exposure to well-known clients and leadership, as well as career-valuable experiences as high points of the job. Downsides include a demanding work environment, unpredictable hours and “Old, stagnant thinking.”
Two firms that made big leaps on this year’s roster are Moss Adams – which placed eighth – and Crowe Horvath, which came in ninth. Moss Adams, based in Seattle, jumped up from the eleventh spot last year and employees with the company touted the ability to do interesting work for great compensation, and positive vacation policy. One worker said: “The people are fantastic, and everyone works together to create a collaborative and engaging environment.” Downsides, they said, include long hours, some leadership quality issues and the need for a better 401K matching plan.
Crowe Horvath, last year’s #24, offers great leadership at all levels, said employees, as well as flexible work hours and locations. One worker said the firm was made up of “talented people who genuinely like one another and enjoy working together.” Downsides? Long hours, compensation and too much office red tape.
In compiling its ranking, Vault.com took information from a survey of employees of top accounting firms throughout the industry and scored the feedback these professionals gave on their own and other firms. Vault.com weighted the information given, placing the most importance on prestige (40%), followed by company culture (20%), work/life balance (10%), compensation (10%), job satisfaction (10%), business outlook (5%) and formal training (5%).
