AICPA

What AICPA does

AICPA & CIMA is the unified global professional body for the accounting and finance profession, formed by the 2017 alliance between the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (founded 1887) and the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (founded 1919). Headquartered in Durham, NC with offices in New York, Washington DC, Ewing (NJ), London, and Kuala Lumpur, the organization serves 580,000+ members, candidates, and registrants across 150+ countries and is the primary US authority on CPA licensure, auditing standards, and tax guidance. Its portfolio includes the globally co-branded CGMA designation (137,000 holders), certificate programs in cybersecurity, blockchain, and data analytics, and a new AI Accelerator Skills Programme offering 42 NASBA-accredited CPE credits.

The organization monetizes through five recurring revenue streams: membership dues, CPE subscriptions (CPExpress at $385-$569 and Annual Webcast Pass at $575-$695), conferences and events (ENGAGE, CFO Summit, Success Skills for Emerging Leaders, National Tax Conference), credential and exam fees, and corporate training solutions. Its technology stack centers on a cloud-based learning management and digital membership platform (aicpa-cima.com) and the Dynamic Assurance Solution (DAS), an audit workflow platform co-developed with Caseware featuring risk assessment, internal controls, and PCAOB engagement capabilities.

Go-to-market is hybrid: direct-to-consumer for individual members via the unified platform, event-driven demand generation through flagship conferences, community-led growth via state CPA society partnerships, and inside/field sales for enterprise training engagements (team sizes 5-200+). Strategic priorities include modernizing the CGMA curriculum around AI and business partnering, expanding into emerging markets (UAE, India, Sri Lanka), and addressing the profession's workforce pipeline challenge (75% of CPAs eligible to retire within 15 years). Recent AI-focused initiatives and the Caseware DAS partnership signal repositioning toward technology-enabled credentialing and standards leadership rather than content commoditization.

Name

AICPA

Legal name

Association of International Certified Professional Accountants

Website

https://www.aicpa-cima.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1887

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

AICPA & CIMA is a global nonprofit professional body serving 580,000+ accounting and finance members across 150+ countries, issuing the CPA track and CGMA designation, delivering CPE subscriptions and credentials, and setting US auditing and tax standards.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Accounting Membership and Credentials

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Accounting, Audit & Tax (CPA/CA/ACCA CPE) (EDAAALAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Continuing Education (CE/CPD) & Provider Accreditation Bodies (EDADACAF), Finance, Accounting & Risk (CFA/CPA/FRM) Certifications (EDAAANAD)

Keywords

• Professional accounting membership
• CPA exam preparation
• Continuing professional education
• CGMA management accounting
• Audit and assurance standards

Headquarters

HQ city

Durham

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees for AICPA and CIMA professional members, providing access to resources, credentials, and member benefits.
2. CPE Subscriptions and Courses: Revenue from CPExpress online subscriptions ($385-$569), Annual Webcast Pass ($575-$695), individual course purchases, and CPE self-study products. Continuing professional education credits required for license maintenance.
3. Conferences and Events: Registration fees for major conferences including ENGAGE, Success Skills for Emerging Leaders, and industry-specific events. Conference pricing varies by event with member discounts available.
4. Professional Credentials and Exams: CGMA designation qualification fees, CPA exam-related services, and credential examination registrations. The CGMA Finance Leadership Program and Certificate in Business Accounting generate exam and certification revenue.
5. CGMA Qualification: Revenue from the upgraded CGMA Professional Qualification syllabus covering business partnering, strategic thinking, and generative AI integration, drawing on Gartner research and Fortune 500 CFO advisory inputs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

AICPA & CIMA is a professional membership association that grants the CPA and CGMA credentials, delivers continuing professional education (CPE) through online subscriptions and live events, sets auditing and assurance standards, and provides conferences, research, and advocacy for 580,000+ accounting and finance professionals across 150+ countries. Revenue is generated primarily through membership dues, CPE subscriptions (CPExpress, Annual Webcast Pass), conference registrations, credential and exam fees, and corporate training programs.

Product overview

AICPA & CIMA operates as a unified professional organization offering a comprehensive portfolio of products and services for accounting and finance professionals. The core offerings include CPExpress (online CPE subscription) and Annual Webcast Pass for continuing professional education, the CGMA Professional Qualification for management accountants, and various certificate programs in cybersecurity, blockchain, data analytics, and personal finance planning. The organization hosts major conferences including ENGAGE (10th anniversary in 2026) and the Success Skills for Emerging Leaders conference. Strategic initiatives include Rise2040 (examining AI's transformation of the profession by 2040) and the AI Accelerator Skills Programme. The Dynamic Assurance Solution (developed with Caseware) provides audit workflow capabilities. The CGMA designation is complemented by the CPA credential, with the organization serving 580,000 members across 150 countries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CGMA Professional Qualification: The Chartered Global Management Accountant professional qualification, a globally recognized designation for finance and management accounting professionals.
• CPExpress
• ENGAGE
• Rise2040
• AI Accelerator Skills Programme
• AICPA Town Hall Series
• Dynamic Assurance Solution (DAS)

Products and services

• CPExpress Comprehensive online CPE subscription offering hundreds of self-study courses in tax, accounting, ethics, IT, and personal development, providing unlimited CPE access with 1-2 credit courses for CPAs and finance professionals.
• Annual Webcast Pass Subscription providing unlimited access to hundreds of interactive webcasts on critical accounting and finance topics presented by industry leaders, regulators, and experts.
• CGMA Professional Qualification Globally recognized professional qualification distinguishing professionals in finance, operations, strategy, and management; established in 2012 by AICPA and CIMA with over 137,000 designation holders worldwide.
• AICPA & CIMA Certificate Programs Suite of professional certificates covering cybersecurity, blockchain, data analytics, personal finance planning, and other specialty areas to demonstrate competency and expand career opportunities.
• AI Accelerator Skills Programme Three-tiered learning initiative designed to help accounting and finance professionals build mindset, skills, and governance structures needed for responsible AI transformation; offers up to 42 NASBA-accredited CPE credits.
• AICPA & CIMA ENGAGE Conference Annual accounting and finance professional conference featuring keynote speakers, educational sessions, and networking; celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2026 with the theme 'the next wave'.
• Dynamic Assurance Solution (DAS) Audit workflow platform developed in partnership with Caseware, designed to help audit firms improve quality, streamline execution, and reduce complexity across the audit lifecycle with capabilities for risk assessment, internal controls, and PCAOB engagements.
• AICPA Town Hall Series Award-winning live webcast series hosted twice-monthly by leaders of the accounting and finance profession, providing insider insights on critical topics.
• Success Skills for Emerging Leaders Conference Online conference designed to address skills gaps for emerging accounting and finance leaders, offering 12 CPE credits.

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• CasewarecoreTechnology or Integration · 8 June 2026Caseware's Dynamic Assurance Solution (DAS) developed in partnership with AICPA, featuring enhanced capabilities for risk assessment, internal controls, and PCAOB engagements. DAS is powered by a methodology developed by the AICPA in partnership with audit professionals from leading firms.
• Salesforce, Accenture, Cyient, PassIndia (SustainXchange)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 May 2026SustainXchange Climate Impact Accelerator program reports existing collaborations with Salesforce, PassIndia, Cyient, Accenture, and AICPA/CIMA, as well as partnerships with academic institutions and UN networks for ESG compliance and climate training.
• PLM Financial AdvisorycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 April 2026Launched Finance Emiratisation Think Tank to support the Emirati Finance Academy, a CIMA-powered programme designed to increase Emirati representation in senior finance roles in the UAE. The Think Tank will seek formal endorsement from UAE Ministry of Education and Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation over the next 12 months. First year targets: 1,000 Emirati professionals and 5,000 school-age learners across six programme levels.
• North Carolina State University - Enterprise Risk Management InitiativecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 February 2026Global survey of 1,735 executives revealing AI adoption gaps, conducted in partnership with North Carolina State University's ERM Initiative. Survey covered eight regions and eight industries with findings on AI readiness, talent, and governance.
• Gartner, Future of Finance Leadership Advisory Group, World Economic ForumcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 June 2025CGMA Professional Qualification syllabus upgrade for 2026 draws on research from Gartner, the Future of Finance Leadership Advisory Group of Fortune 500 CFOs, and the World Economic Forum's Future of Jobs Report 2025. New curriculum shifts from traditional accounting education toward business partnering, strategic thinking, and generative AI integration.
• Oxford University Saïd Business SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 June 2025Oxford Saïd Business School partnered with AICPA & CIMA to launch an executive program on sustainability reporting and ESG data management. The course covers TCFD, ISSB, and ESRS frameworks and aims to prepare senior finance professionals for evolving sustainability standards and regulations.
• Workday and MIT Sloan Management Review ConnectionscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 October 2024Partnership to produce 'Intelligent Finance: A New Framework for Finance Excellence' eBook presenting the FAME framework (Finance Assessment Model for Effectiveness). The framework covers Business, Technical, Digital, People, and Leadership capabilities, drawing on two years of research by the Future of Finance Leadership Advisory Group of Fortune 500 and Global 1000 CFOs.
• SLID (Sri Lanka Institute of Directors)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAICPA and CIMA joined the SLID initiative to improve corporate governance among Sri Lankan companies through collaborative governance enhancement efforts.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• ISACA: Global professional body issuing CISA, CISM, and CRISC credentials in information systems audit, cybersecurity, and governance — comparable professional-association structure and a partner/competitor for AICPA's cybersecurity certificate and IT audit curriculum.
• CFA Institute: Global not-for-profit that administers the CFA charter and investments-related credentials to investment professionals, offering a parallel model of globally portable credentials, CPE, and standards — overlapping with CGMA finance audiences.

Others

• SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management): Large US professional membership organization that monetizes credentials (SHRM-CP/SCP), certification, advocacy, and learning products — a structural analog rather than a direct competitor, useful for benchmarking member-economics.
• Project Management Institute (PMI): Global not-for-profit issuing the PMP credential with chapter network, conferences, and learning products — comparable membership-association structure and monetization playbook for professional credentials and CPE.
• NASBA (National Association of State Boards of Accountancy): US association of state accountancy licensing boards that sets CPE acceptance and licensure policy — adjacent regulatory body whose actions directly shape AICPA's exam, CPE, and credentialing revenue.

Direct peers

• Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA): Global professional body that grants the CIA (Certified Internal Auditor) credential and serves a closely adjacent audit and assurance community, with overlapping CPE and standards-setting functions versus AICPA's audit practice offerings.
• Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada (CPA Canada): Canadian national accounting body that administers the CPA designation and provides CPE, standards, and advocacy — a direct cross-border analog to AICPA's US-focused mandate and most comparable in mission and revenue mix.
• IMA (Institute of Management Accountants): US-based professional body for management accountants that issues the CMA (Certified Management Accountant) credential, the principal US competitor to AICPA-CIMA's CGMA designation. Operates CPE, certifications, and advocacy in the same target market.
• ICAEW (Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales): UK chartered accountancy body that issues the ACA credential, sets audit and accounting standards, and provides CPE/qualifications — directly comparable to AICPA's role in the US and a natural partner/competitor within the global alliance landscape.
• ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants): Global chartered accountancy body operating in 180+ countries with the ACCA qualification, competing directly with CIMA's geographic footprint and overlapping on management-accountancy training and credentials.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aicpa
• Xx.com/AICPANews
• Facebookfacebook.com/AICPA

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A2 records

Investments1 record

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about AICPA