Big 4 Public Accounting Firms
The Big 4 Public Accounting Firms (Deloitte, EY, PwC, KPMG) are privately held professional services networks delivering audit, tax, advisory, and consulting services to large enterprises, governments, and financial institutions worldwide, with combined FY 2023 revenue of $157B+ and 1.3M+ professionals across 150+ countries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1989
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Big 4 Public Accounting Firms does
The Big 4 Public Accounting Firms comprise Deloitte, Ernst & Young (EY), PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), and KPMG — the four largest privately held professional services networks in the world, which emerged in their current form from mergers in the late 1980s and 1990s. They collectively generated $157B+ in FY 2023 revenue (Deloitte $65.8B, PwC $53.1B, EY $49.4B, KPMG $36.4B) and employ more than 1.3 million professionals across 150+ countries, with the Big 4 auditing over 80% of all US public companies and handling 99% of public-company sales. Their core services span audit and assurance, tax strategy and compliance, advisory and consulting (risk, technology transformation, cybersecurity, forensics, ESG), and financial advisory, delivered through dedicated enterprise account teams and partner-led engagements.
Underlying delivery is increasingly enabled by cloud computing, analytics, and artificial intelligence, with selective strategic technology alliances such as KPMG's partnership with BlackLine Systems to embed record-to-report automation. The revenue model is professional services fees billed against multi-year enterprise engagements, with pricing quoted per engagement based on scope, complexity, client size, and geography rather than standardized rates. GTM motion is enterprise field sales through direct account teams, supplemented by professional referrals, thought leadership, and university recruiting pipelines that feed the talent engine underpinning the firms' service delivery.
The associated web property big4accountingfirms.org is a privately held informational portal that publishes firm profiles, career guidance, accounting-school rankings, and reviews of CPA exam preparation products (Becker, Gleim, UWorld, Surgent, Lambers), monetized in part through affiliate partnerships. The portal is not the operating entity of the four firms; it is a content and lead-generation resource adjacent to the Big 4 brand umbrella.
Big 4 Public Accounting Firms firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Big 4 Public Accounting Firms
- Legal name
- Big 4 Accounting Firms
- Website
- https://big4accountingfirms.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1989
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- The Big 4 Public Accounting Firms (Deloitte, EY, PwC, KPMG) are privately held professional services networks delivering audit, tax, advisory, and consulting services to large enterprises, governments, and financial institutions worldwide, with combined FY 2023 revenue of $157B+ and 1.3M+ professionals across 150+ countries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Big 4 Public Accounting Firms industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Accounting and Professional Services
- NAICS
- Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll Services (54121), Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (541)
- SIC
- Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Financial Planning & Analysis Support (Budgeting, Forecasting, Management Reporting) (BPAAAGAJ)
Keywords
Where Big 4 Public Accounting Firms is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Big 4 Public Accounting Firms business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Audit and Assurance Services: Statutory audits, internal audits, and assurance services for public and private companies
- Tax Advisory Services: Tax strategy, planning, compliance, and consulting services across global jurisdictions
- Advisory and Consulting: Risk consulting, financial advisory, technology transformation, forensics, cybersecurity, and management consulting services
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Enterprise professional services engagements |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
Big 4 Public Accounting Firms product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Big 4 are professional services networks that sell audit and assurance, tax advisory, management consulting, risk advisory, financial advisory, technology transformation, cybersecurity, forensics, and ESG/sustainability services to large enterprises, governments, and financial institutions worldwide. They collectively employ 1.3M+ professionals across 150+ countries and audit over 80% of all US public companies. Revenue is generated primarily through professional services fees billed on multi-year contracts.
Product overview
The Big 4 Public Accounting Firms information portal provides comprehensive coverage of the four largest professional services networks (Deloitte, EY, PwC, and KPMG) and serves as a hub for CPA exam preparation resources. The platform features five branded CPA review course products: Becker CPA Review (premium course with AI Newt assistant), Gleim CPA Review (practice-heavy with SmartAdapt), UWorld CPA Review (visual learning with SmartPath), Surgent CPA Review (budget-adaptive with ReadySCORE), and Lambers CPA Review (traditional exam prep). These products are reviewed, compared, and promoted as affiliate partnerships rather than being a unified software platform.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Becker CPA Review
- Gleim CPA Review Practice-intensive CPA exam prep course built around a 12,000+ MCQ and 1,600+ TBS question bank, with SmartAdapt adaptive learning and short video lessons for efficient study. Designed for CPA candidates who prefer question-volume-driven preparation.
- UWorld CPA Review Visual learning-focused CPA exam prep course combining Roger CPA, Wiley, and UWorld content, with SmartPath Predictive Technology, 1,400+ video lectures, and 9,000+ MCQs with detailed answer explanations. Targeted at CPA candidates who prefer visual and explanation-rich study.
- Surgent CPA Review Budget-friendly adaptive CPA exam prep course featuring ReadySCORE exam-readiness tracking, 9,000+ MCQs, and predictive AI that generates personalized study plans based on student performance. Aimed at cost-conscious CPA candidates.
- Lambers CPA Review Traditional CPA exam preparation course with 45+ years of history, offering study materials, video lectures, simulations, audio courses, and a money-back guarantee for students who fail the same exam twice. Targeted at CPA candidates who prefer established, traditional study formats.
- Audit and Assurance Services Statutory audits, internal audits, and assurance services delivered to public and private companies worldwide by the Big 4 member firms. Audits over 80% of all US public companies.
- Tax Advisory Services Tax strategy, planning, compliance, and consulting services delivered across global jurisdictions for multinational corporations, financial institutions, and other large organizations.
- Advisory and Consulting Services Risk consulting, financial advisory, technology transformation, forensics, cybersecurity, and management consulting services delivered to enterprise, government, and institutional clients globally.
Quantifiable outcome
- The Big 4 audit over 80% of all US public companies
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Big 4 Public Accounting Firms
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Big 4 Public Accounting Firms technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Big 4 Public Accounting Firms partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered major and core.
- Booz & CompanymajorPwC completed its merger with Booz & Company, a medium-sized consulting firm, expanding PwC's consulting capabilities and global reach.
- BlackLine SystemscoreKPMG's strategic alliance with BlackLine Systems provides cloud-based record-to-report technologies. Together they help clients apply controls throughout accounting cycles using financial management solutions.
Scale indicators14 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Big 4 Public Accounting Firms competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- BDO International: BDO is the 5th largest global accounting network, directly comparable to the Big 4 in offering audit, tax, and advisory services to mid-market and large corporate clients worldwide. It competes head-to-head with the Big 4 in the upper-mid-market segment where regulatory and complexity requirements overlap.
- Mazars: Mazars is an international audit, tax, and advisory firm operating across 90+ countries, comparable in service mix and client profile to the Big 4 (excluding the very largest FTSE/Fortune 500 audits). It competes directly for multinational mid-market audit and advisory work.
- Grant Thornton International: Grant Thornton is the 6th largest global accounting network, offering audit, tax, and advisory services with comparable client profiles to the Big 4's middle-market and large private company segments. It competes directly for the same multinational audit and advisory engagements.
- RSM International: RSM is a top-10 global accounting network focused on middle-market companies, providing audit, tax, and consulting services comparable in scope to the Big 4's mid-market service lines. It serves as the most direct competitor for cross-border middle-market engagements.
- Baker Tilly International: Baker Tilly is a top-10 global accounting network offering audit, tax, and advisory services with comparable mid-market positioning. It is one of the strongest non-Big 4 alternatives for multinational mid-market audit and advisory work, making it a direct peer for the Big 4's middle-market service lines.
- Crowe Global: Crowe Global is a top-10 international accounting network offering audit, tax, and advisory services with a comparable mid-market focus. It directly competes with the Big 4 for mid-market audit engagements and serves as a viable alternative for clients seeking non-Big 4 assurance providers.
Broad incumbents
- McKinsey & Company: McKinsey is the world's largest management consulting firm, competing with the Big 4's advisory/consulting practices (particularly Deloitte and PwC) for senior-level strategy and operations engagements with Fortune 500 clients. Overlap is concentrated in advisory and consulting rather than audit.
- Accenture: Accenture is a global professional services firm with overlapping capabilities in technology transformation, consulting, and managed services that compete directly with Deloitte, PwC, and EY's consulting practices. It is a major incumbent in the same broader professional services category.
- Bain & Company: Bain & Company is a top-tier global management consulting firm that competes with the Big 4's advisory arms for senior strategy engagements. While focused on consulting rather than audit, it operates in the same broader professional services space and serves overlapping Fortune 500 clients.
- Boston Consulting Group: BCG is a leading global management consulting firm that competes with the Big 4's advisory practices (especially Deloitte and PwC) for corporate strategy and transformation engagements. Like McKinsey and Bain, it overlaps in consulting rather than audit but serves the same enterprise client base.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Big 4 Public Accounting Firms social profiles
Digital presenceBig 4 Public Accounting Firms financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Big 4 Public Accounting Firms leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Big 4 Public Accounting Firms funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Big 4 Public Accounting Firms M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Big 4 Public Accounting Firms
What does Big 4 Public Accounting Firms do?
The Big 4 are professional services networks that sell audit and assurance, tax advisory, management consulting, risk advisory, financial advisory, technology transformation, cybersecurity, forensics, and ESG/sustainability services to large enterprises, governments, and financial institutions worldwide. They collectively employ 1.3M+ professionals across 150+ countries and audit over 80% of all US public companies. Revenue is generated primarily through professional services fees billed on multi-year contracts.
Is Big 4 Public Accounting Firms a public or private company?
Big 4 Public Accounting Firms is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was Big 4 Public Accounting Firms founded?
Big 4 Public Accounting Firms was founded in 1989.
Where is Big 4 Public Accounting Firms based?
Big 4 Public Accounting Firms is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Big 4 Public Accounting Firms make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Audit and Assurance Services are the primary driver. The others are tax Advisory Services and advisory and Consulting.
Who are Big 4 Public Accounting Firms's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are BDO International, Mazars, Grant Thornton International, RSM International, Baker Tilly International and Crowe Global. Broad incumbents are McKinsey & Company, Accenture, Bain & Company and Boston Consulting Group.
Does Big 4 Public Accounting Firms have an API?
No public API is recorded for Big 4 Public Accounting Firms.
What industry is Big 4 Public Accounting Firms in?
Big 4 Public Accounting Firms's product category is Accounting and Professional Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAAAGAJ, Financial Planning & Analysis Support (Budgeting, Forecasting, Management Reporting). Its NAICS code is 54121 and its SIC code is 8700.