The "Big 4" refers to the four largest professional services networks worldwide—Deloitte, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), Ernst & Young (EY), and KPMG. They dominate the industry by auditing over 80% of U.S. public companies and nearly all Fortune 500 firms. Beyond auditing financial statements, they provide extensive tax, consulting, and risk advisory services.
Specifically, as a junior auditor, you'll be responsible for testing accounts (financial records or areas of a business) that are less complex and have a lower chance of significant errors or fraud. Obviously, you can't possibly examine every single transaction or control.
The four are often grouped because they are comparable in size relative to the rest of the market, both in terms of revenue and workforce; they are considered equal in their ability to provide a wide scope of professional services to their clients; and, among those looking to start a career in professional services, ...
The Big 4 are the largest accounting and auditing firms in the world: Deloitte LLP (Deloitte), PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), Ernst & Young (EY) and Klynveld Peat Marwick Goerdeler (KPMG).
AI juggernaut Nvidia, is being audited by PwC for its 2026 fiscal year, ending January 31, 2026, according to the Nvidia Corporation Annual Review. PwC has audited Nvidia since 2004, the report notes.
Professional certifications: Obtaining certifications like the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) is often a prerequisite to work at a Big 4 firm.
What is the starting salary at Big 4 firms?
Landing a highly sought-after position at one of the "Big 4" firms—Deloitte, Ernst & Young (EY), PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), and Klynveld Peat Marwick Goerdeler (KPMG)—is exceptionally challenging due to extremely low acceptance rates (ranging from 0.85% to 4%), but is desirable due to high potential for career ...
4️⃣ 𝐊𝐥𝐲𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐝 𝐏𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐰𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐆𝐨𝐞𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐫 (𝐊𝐏𝐌𝐆) Among the Big 4, KPMG is the oldest firm, with its earliest parent company founded in 1818. In 1911, William Barclay Peat & co merged with Marwick Mitchell & Co to form Peat Marwick.
The 5 Cs of audit (Criteria, Condition, Cause, Consequence, Corrective Action) are a framework for structuring clear, actionable audit findings, explaining what should be (Criteria), what is found (Condition), why it happened (Cause), what the impact is (Consequence/Effect), and how to fix it (Corrective Action/Recommendation) to drive organizational improvement and compliance.
Yes, auditors generally make good money, with U.S. median salaries around $80,000-$100,000+ depending on experience, specialization (like IT or financial auditing), certifications (CPA, CIA), location (major cities pay more), and firm size, with potential for high earnings, especially in senior roles, although it requires dedication, potentially long hours, and continuous professional development for maximum income.
According to the consultants we spoke to, the Big 4 hire from a wide range of degrees. That said, some degrees are more common, especially for more specialized types of consulting. Personally, I had a finance degree and I know there are a lot of people with accounting degrees, finance degrees, and economics degrees.
Accounting is the daily process of recording financial transactions, managing data, and maintaining records. Auditing is a periodic process that focuses on ensuring the accuracy and legality of financial statements.
Ratify the appointment of Ernst & Young LLP as Independent Auditors of the Company to serve for the 2025 fiscal year.
Ernst and Young is the accounting firm that is charged with auditing Apple's public financial statements. Ernst & Young is one of the largest accounting firms in the world.
A. Deloitte & Touche LLP is Microsoft's independent auditor.
To be in the top 1% of US earners, you generally need an income well over $700,000 nationally, with figures around $794,000 cited for recent years, but this varies significantly by state, requiring over $1 million in places like Connecticut and Massachusetts, while being around $400,000-$450,000 in lower-cost states like West Virginia and Mississippi.