Schneider Downs

What Schneider Downs does

Schneider Downs & Co., Inc. is a Top 60 independent CPA and professional services firm headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with additional offices in Columbus, Ohio, and McLean, Virginia. Founded in 1956 and operating with 501-1,000 employees, the firm delivers audit and assurance, tax compliance and advisory, business consulting, risk advisory and cybersecurity, SOC examinations, wealth management, retirement plan administration, investment banking, and digital solutions across 15+ industry verticals including manufacturing, healthcare, financial services, higher education, automotive dealerships, not-for-profit, and government.

The firm's technology stack is led by SD Digital and includes LumenFI, an AI-driven finance platform using generative AI and machine learning to provide real-time financial insights; simpLEASE, proprietary lease accounting software addressing ASC 842 / IFRS 16 compliance; SD inSITE for performance evaluation; Solver for extended financial planning and analysis; Microsoft Dynamics ERP implementation support; and ADAPT data analytics methodology. The firm also maintains a Responsible AI Solutions practice covering AI audit, governance, monitoring, and risk management, and partnered with FusionAIrre in June 2026 to integrate the Ape-X agentic AI platform into external-party assurance engagements.

Revenue is generated through project-based professional services engagements priced on quote-based engagement terms, organized across seven core service streams: audit and assurance, tax services, consulting (business advisory, risk advisory, IT risk, process improvement, transaction advisory), private client services, SDAdvantage retirement solutions, SD Digital (technology and AI solutions), and SD Capital (investment banking). The firm sells exclusively through direct shareholder-led engagement across the U.S. East and Midwest with international coverage via its founding membership in the PrimeGlobal association. Customer base spans enterprise and mid-market accounts (including PNC, Federated Hermes, XTI Aerospace, Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh, and a long tail of regional manufacturing, automotive dealership, construction, higher-education, and nonprofit clients) with no disclosed revenue concentration figures.

Name

Schneider Downs

Legal name

Schneider Downs & Co., Inc.

Website

https://schneiderdowns.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1956

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Schneider Downs & Co., Inc. is a Top 60 independent CPA firm headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, providing audit, tax, consulting, risk advisory, wealth management, retirement, and investment banking services across 15+ verticals via three U.S. offices and a global PrimeGlobal network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Services / Accounting & Advisory

NAICS

Offices of Certified Public Accountants (541211)

akta.pro primary industry

Security Governance, Risk & Compliance (GRC) Advisory (BPAKADAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Regulatory Change, Governance & Compliance Management (GRC) (FSACAJAK)

Keywords

• Audit and assurance
• Tax consulting services
• Wealth management advisory
• Cybersecurity advisory
• Investment banking

Headquarters

HQ city

Pittsburgh

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Audit and Assurance Services: Independent financial statement audits, ERISA/employee benefit plan audits, SOC examinations (SOC 1, SOC 2, SOC 3, SOC for Cybersecurity, SOC for Supply Chain), international assurance, and compliance services for public and privately held entities.
2. Tax Services: Tax compliance and consulting for business tax, individual tax, not-for-profit tax; state and local tax (SALT); international tax; managed tax services; R&D tax credits and incentives; tax transaction advisory including due diligence and transaction cost analysis.
3. Consulting Services: Business advisory including accounting advisory, transaction advisory, forensics and litigation, valuation services, managed accounting, business restructuring; risk advisory services including internal audit, IT risk advisory, cybersecurity, ESG consulting, third-party risk management, SOX compliance; and process improvement consulting.
4. Private Client Services: Wealth management, estate and succession planning, private family office, tax and personal financial services, and philanthropy services for high-net-worth individuals.
5. Retirement Solutions: Retirement plan fiduciary risk assessment, design, administrative, and advisory services through SDAdvantage Retirement Solutions.
6. SD Digital / Technology Solutions: Digital modernization, intelligent automation, data analytics and Power BI, Microsoft Dynamics ERP implementation, custom development, and AI-powered LumenFI platform.
7. SD Capital (Investment Banking): Full-service investment banking and value advisory services for middle market companies, including M&A advisory, company sales, and transaction support.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Schneider Downs is a Top 60 independent CPA and professional services firm providing audit and assurance, tax compliance and consulting, business advisory, risk management and cybersecurity, SOC examinations, wealth management, retirement plan services, investment banking, and technology consulting through its SD Digital arm. The firm serves public companies, privately held businesses, nonprofits, government entities, and high-net-worth individuals across the U.S. from offices in Pittsburgh, Columbus, and McLean.

Product overview

Schneider Downs offers a portfolio of professional services across accounting, tax, consulting, and digital solutions. SD Digital serves as the technology arm providing AI-powered finance solutions, proprietary lease accounting software (simpLEASE), data analytics tools (ADAPT), intelligent automation/RPA services, and Microsoft Dynamics ERP implementation. Core AI product is LumenFI, an AI-driven finance platform using generative AI and machine learning. The SOC Services practice delivers compliance examinations across multiple frameworks. The Responsible AI Solutions practice provides governance and risk management for AI systems.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• LumenFI: AI-powered finance platform designed to provide real-time, secure financial insights for organizations using generative AI and machine learning.
• simpLEASE

Products and services

• Audit and Assurance Services Independent financial statement audits, ERISA/employee benefit plan audits, SOC examinations (SOC 1, SOC 2, SOC 3, SOC for Cybersecurity, SOC for Supply Chain), international assurance, and compliance services for public and privately held entities, not-for-profits, and government entities.
• Tax Services Tax compliance and consulting for business tax, individual tax, not-for-profit tax; state and local tax (SALT); international tax; managed tax services; R&D tax credits and incentives; and tax transaction advisory including due diligence and transaction cost analysis.
• Consulting Services Business advisory including accounting advisory, transaction advisory, forensics and litigation, valuation services, managed accounting, business restructuring; risk advisory services including internal audit, IT risk advisory, cybersecurity, ESG consulting, third-party risk management, SOX compliance; and process improvement consulting.
• Private Client Services Wealth management, estate and succession planning, private family office, tax and personal financial services, and philanthropy services for high-net-worth individuals, business owners, executives, and families.
• Retirement Solutions Retirement plan fiduciary risk assessment, design, administration, and advisory services through SDAdvantage Retirement Solutions for 401(k), defined benefit, ESOP, and health and welfare plans serving middle-market, closely held businesses.
• SD Digital / Technology Solutions Digital modernization, intelligent automation, data analytics, Microsoft Dynamics ERP implementation, custom development, and AI-powered finance solutions through the proprietary LumenFI platform and simpLEASE lease accounting software.
• SD Capital (Investment Banking) Full-service investment banking and value advisory services for middle market companies, including M&A advisory, company sales, and transaction support led by Peter J. Lieberman.
• SOC Services System and Organization Controls examination services including SOC 1, SOC 2, SOC 3, SOC for Cybersecurity, and SOC for Supply Chain reports delivered by integrated IT, internal audit, and external audit professionals for service organizations across industries.
• Responsible AI Solutions AI consulting practice offering AI Audit Services, AI Governance Framework, AI Monitoring Tools, and AI Risk Management to help organizations identify and manage AI-related risks and anomalies across AI systems.
• Intelligent Automation Automation services including Robotic Process Automation (RPA) technology to help organizations automate manual processes such as billing, data extraction, and back-office operations.
• LumenFI AI-powered finance platform by SD Digital that provides real-time, secure financial insights using generative AI and machine learning to help finance and accounting teams improve performance and reduce decision-making time.
• simpLEASE Accounting Proprietary lease accounting software built to solve FASB ASC 842 and IFRS 16 lease accounting challenges for organizations ranging from those with two to two thousand leases.

Quantifiable outcome

• Identified $900,000 R&D tax credit for a professional services client—nearly twice the amount found in previous years
• +9 more outcomes

Named customers25 records

Segments9 records

Ideal customer profiles8 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability8 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• FusionAIrre, Inc.coreTechnology or Integration · 4 June 2026Schneider Downs partnered with FusionAIrre, Inc. (Raleigh-based agentic AI company) on June 4, 2026, to combine FusionAIrre's Ape-X Assurance AI platform with Schneider Downs' cybersecurity, risk management, and advisory expertise. The collaboration aims to help enterprises modernize how they manage and respond to external-party assessments including customer due diligence, regulatory inquiries, security questionnaires, and compliance reviews—transforming external-party assurance from a reactive, manual process into a faster, more scalable, and defensible business capability that protects revenue and enables growth.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Baker Tilly US: Top 15–20 U.S. accounting and advisory firm with a similar mid-market focus and comparable service mix including audit, tax, consulting, risk, and digital/advisory offerings. Most structurally comparable to Schneider Downs in scale and service breadth.
• Wipfli: Top 20 U.S. accounting firm serving mid-market and closely held businesses with audit, tax, advisory, technology, and outsourcing services. Comparable regional anchors and target customer profile to Schneider Downs.
• Plante Moran: Large independent CPA and advisory firm with strong mid-market and manufacturing/automotive practices. Comparable service breadth and proprietary technology investments, with similar regional concentration in the Midwest.
• CLA (CliftonLarsonAllen): Top 10 U.S. accounting firm with a similarly diversified service portfolio across audit, tax, wealth advisory, and digital, and a comparable mid-market and nonprofit focus. Directly comparable on service mix and customer segments.
• Marcum LLP: Top 20 U.S. accounting and advisory firm serving mid-market and large clients with audit, tax, advisory, and technology services. Highly comparable on service breadth and mid-market go-to-market.
• Withum: Top 25–30 U.S. accounting and advisory firm with a strong technology, life sciences, and emerging-company practice. Comparable middle-market positioning and service diversification.
• Forvis: Top 10 U.S. accounting firm formed from the merger of FORVIS and BKD, with comparable mid-market, healthcare, and nonprofit practices. A meaningful competitor in overlapping geographies and segments.

Broad incumbents

• Crowe LLP: Top 10 U.S. accounting firm with broader national reach and similar risk advisory, SOC, and digital services. Competes head-to-head on mid-market and SEC engagements.
• BDO USA: Top 5–6 global accounting network's U.S. member firm, materially larger but competing in the same upper-mid-market audit, tax, and advisory segments with deeper technology and global resources.
• RSM US: Top 5 U.S. accounting firm focused on the middle market with a closely comparable service mix across audit, tax, consulting, and risk advisory; directly competes for the same Schneider Downs target customer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/SchneiderDowns
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/schneider-downs
• Xx.com/Schneider_Downs

Compliance13 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Schneider Downs