News & Updates

A practitioner-led initiative to spark high school students’ interest in an accounting career is showing promising results.

The ruling says the Education Department violated Congress’s instructions by adding criteria strictly limiting which degrees qualify for higher federal student loan borrowing caps. The CPA profession has actively lobbied against the rule because accounting was not labeled under the 'professional degree' designation.

New Wharton research reveals how personalizing AI tutors for students can improve learning without increasing instruction time or teacher workload.

Spring semester enrollment in four-year undergraduate accounting programs rose 8.9% from spring 2025, according to an AICPA analysis of National Student Clearinghouse Research Center data, sitting at 205,180 students.

New federal student loan limits taking effect in July will change how students finance undergraduate and graduate education.

Today’s college students say that picking a major that’s “AI-proof” feels like shooting at a moving target as they prepare for a job market that could be fundamentally different by the time they graduate.

Attorney General Jay Jones (D) called a new rule from President Donald Trump’s administration limiting access to student loans “unlawful,” as Virginia joined a multistate lawsuit against the Department of Education (DOE) challenging the policy.

The VSCPA joined all other state societies and the AICPA to urge legislators to cosponsor the Accounting STEM Pursuit Act.

The new CPA Evolution licensure format is an imperative classroom focus. Accounting professors serve as tip-of-the-spear resources to help students understand the new format and should be adjusting both curriculum and classroom learning approaches.

New regulations going into effect July 1 put annual and lifetime caps on federal student loans and create new guidelines for repayment. Graduate students in accounting, engineering, nursing, and a host of other professions are subject to an annual borrowing limit of $20,500, with an aggregate lifetime limit of $100,000.

The largest year-over-year rise in job mentions that require artificial intelligence or machine learning capabilities is the role of accountant, according to a new report.

On April 6, 2026, Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger signed legislation into law to establish Inactive and Emeritus CPA license statuses.

While the pipeline of CPA-credentialed accounting talent is getting stronger, accounting educators are trying new approaches to attract students, motivate them to take the exam, and help them pass.

As entry-level tasks are automated, the focus of training will shift to judgment, simulation, and continuous upskilling.

The Profession Ready Initiative is designed to identify the skills that early-career CPAs need to succeed today and over the near term. The academic community is a vital partner in the success of this initiative and in the success of early-career talent.

Despite an evolving business landscape and the rapid rise of automation and analytics, the core reasons for choosing accounting remain stronger than ever — and in many ways, more compelling.

On Feb. 26, 2026, the VSCPA submitted comments on the U.S. Department of Education’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, “Reimagining and Improving Student Education.”

The accounting profession is sending a clear message on skills: workforce readiness at the early-career level has become a pivotal challenge as the business environment grows more complex and technology continues to reshape how CPAs work.  To address the skills gap, the American Institute of CPAs is launching an important effort to develop and strengthen young CPA talent: the Profession Ready Initiative.  

While H.R. 1, P.L. 119–21, known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), extended and instituted a wide range of tax provisions, a number of its provisions directly and indirectly affect higher education.

https://www.journalofaccountancy.com/news/2026/feb/aicpa-supports-accounting-stem-pursuit-act-legislation