Local accounting firms, like Ernst & Young, say \u201cstrong momentum\u201d in the local business community has fueled hiring in 2026.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cOur growth is a direct result of that investment and our belief in the innovative companies doing business here,\u201d EY Office Managing Partner Mary Garrett told the Business Journal. \u201cWe\u2019re also seeing strong demand, particularly from high-growth and (private equity)-backed companies, which has reinforced the need to scale locally.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
This year, the Business Journal ranked Orange County\u2019s largest accounting firms by the number of certified public accountants (CPAs) employed locally, replacing the previous methodology based on total local employees. As a result, year-over-year comparisons of firms\u2019 rankings are not applicable.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Across the 37 companies on the list, over 2,000 CPAs are employed in local offices as of April; this marks a 5.8% increase compared to the 1,963 reported a year ago.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Deloitte topped the list this year with 259 CPAs as of April. Ernst & Young ranked No. 3 with 184 CPAs in Irvine.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cClient needs are extending beyond traditional CPA services, presenting firms with an opportunity to be more than just an auditor or tax preparer for their clients,\u201d Thomas Bennett, managing principal at Baker Tilly, told the Business Journal.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The No. 2-ranked firm, with an office in Irvine, had 201 locally based CPAs as of April.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have the chance to serve as a trusted advisor, helping clients address both their current needs and future challenges,\u201d Bennett added.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Irvine-based Haskell & White, with 54 CPAs, is one of 17 firms headquartered in Orange County. Its CPA headcount increased by 17%.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Orange County accounting landscape is undergoing significant transformation, with many local and regional firms pursuing mergers, outside investment, or private equity transactions as they respond to succession planning challenges, technology demands, talent pressures, and changing client expectations,\u201d Managing Partner Wayne Pinnell said (See page 14).\u00a0<\/p>\n
CPA Increases\u00a0<\/p>\n
Baker Tilly reported a 12% increase in CPAs to 201 in Orange County. Last year, the firm merged with Moss Adams and now employs 490 in OC as of April.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Bennett said Baker Tilly \u201crefined its strategy\u201d for the region following the merger.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAs part of this effort, we expanded and strengthened our campus recruiting programs, increasing our engagement with emerging talent,\u201d Bennett said. \u201cWe also enhanced the resources and support available to our CPA professionals to help them successfully pursue licenses that would enable them to advance their careers.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
No. 13 Eide Bailly counted 52 CPAs in its Tustin office, nearly tripling the 18 the firm reported a year ago.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve seen increased demand across key service areas, particularly in advisory and specialized industry services, which has required us to expand our team with both experienced professionals and emerging talent,\u201d Market Leader Ryan Svoboda told the Business Journal. \u201cAs organizations look for more integrated accounting and advisory support, we\u2019ve expanded our capabilities and team to deliver that value.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The accounting firm reported 137 employees in Orange County, up 13% from last April.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAt the same time, we\u2019ve remained intentional about investing in the Orange County market \u2014 hiring locally, developing our people, and strengthening relationships within the business community,\u201d Svoboda added.\u00a0<\/p>\n
PwC, at No. 4, reported 175 CPAs in Orange County, an almost 16% increase from last year.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIncreasing our CPA exam bonus to $10,000 for eligible entry-level hires who complete all four parts of the CPA exam before joining or within their first year reflects our continued focus on encouraging early CPA completion and building a strong pipeline of credentialed talent,\u201d Office Managing Partner Ryan Smith said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The New York-based accounting firm has 364,000 employees companywide.\u00a0<\/p>\n
BDO USA currently has 86 CPAs at its Costa Mesa office as of April, up from 74 a year ago. The firm reported 198 employees in OC out of a firmwide total of 14,626.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Managing Principal Kristen McCarthy credited the Chicago-based company\u2019s employee stock ownership plan for \u201cempowering\u201d its associates.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThat sense of ownership is a powerful differentiator in a competitive market,\u201d she said. \u201cIt helps us attract purpose-driven professionals and retain the talent that\u2019s hardest to replace. Our growth in Orange County is a testament to that.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Twelve accounting firms reported decreases in Orange County CPAs as of April, including CLA, Redwitz Inc., Gelman LLP, Skinner Fouch & Olson LLP and Kieckhafer Schiffer LLP.\u00a0<\/p>\n
McCarthy, as well as Garrett from Ernst & Young, noted that recent increases in the enrollment of accounting students has also been encouraging for future recruitment.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Local accounting firms, like Ernst & Young, say \u201cstrong momentum\u201d in the local business community has fueled hiring…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":361972,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[36],"tags":[163,165,164],"class_list":["post-361971","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-anaheim","tag-anaheim","tag-anaheim-headlines","tag-anaheim-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/361971","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=361971"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/361971\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/361972"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=361971"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=361971"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=361971"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}