Tier 2 accounting firms, often referred to as "mid-tier" or "next-tier," are large international professional services networks that operate just below the "Big Four" (Deloitte, EY, KPMG, PwC). The primary Tier 2 firms are BDO, RSM, Grant Thornton, Crowe, and Baker Tilly. These firms specialize in audit, tax, and advisory services for mid-sized businesses and large private entities.
The most prestigious firms are McKinsey, Bain, and BCG. Next most prestigious are "Tier 2" firms such as Kearney, Accenture, and LEK. This tier also includes the strategy consulting arms of the Big 4 firms, including Deloitte Monitor, EY Parthenon, and PwC's Strategy&.
Grant Thornton US is the seventh largest American tax, audit and advisory firm by revenue, with 46 offices across the country. It is ranked Tier 2 for transfer pricing in the US market by ITR's accreditation title, World Tax, but is otherwise unranked.
The Big Four are the four largest professional services networks in the world: Deloitte, EY, KPMG, and PwC.
The 2nd tier accounting firms all have less than 100,000 employees as well. They offer professional services just like the big 4 do, but they offer them on a much smaller global scale than the big four accounting firms do. 2nd tier accounting firms: BDO.
A: Yes, KPMG is considered a Tier 2 consulting firm. As part of the Big 4, it competes in management consulting and advisory but does not have the same selectivity, consulting firm acceptance rate, or prestige as Tier 1 consulting firms like McKinsey, BCG, or Bain.
Ranking after the Big 4 are: BDO Global, the 5th largest accounting firm with 97,000 employees in more than 150 countries and 2021 revenue of $11.8 billion. RSM International's revenues jumped to $7.3 billion in 2021.
Walt Disney company and PWC. We begin with Disney, in 2023 one hundred years old. At $180 billion, it is the largest entertainment corporation in the world and its auditor, Price Waterhouse Coopers (PwC) is one of the Big 4 global accountant partnerships.
Which big 4 accounting firm pays the most? Well it depends on which practice you want to go into. If you want to make the most money in consulting, Deloitte pays the best. However if you want to make the most money in auditing or tax PwC is likely your best bet.
While Tier 1 firms often land the highest-profile, complex projects with global giants, Tier 2 firms focus more on mid-sized companies or specific industries, delivering specialized expertise. Some examples of well-known Tier 2 firms include Deloitte, Accenture, LEK Consulting, and Oliver Wyman.
Tier 2 consulting firms include Deloitte, Strategy& (PwC), LEK, Oliver Wyman, EY-Parthenon, Accenture, Kearney, and Roland Berger. While these firms have strong brand recognition and prestige, their reputation is a step below the top three management consulting firms of McKinsey, Bain, and BCG.
Tiered support is structured to handle customer issues based on complexity:
Of the Big 4, KPMG is the smallest and also the only one operating outside of London—the firm's headquarters is in Amstelveen, Netherlands.
We're also seeing very high demand for many accounting positions through 2025, from entry-level positions up to senior-level management positions. Staff accountants are essential to the day-to-day accuracy of an organization's financial operations and are often the backbone of an accounting department.
Making $500,000 a year is quite rare, placing you in roughly the top 1% (or slightly below, depending on data) of U.S. earners, with estimates suggesting only about 0.8% to 1% of individuals or households achieve this income, though government data can obscure this; it's a significant financial milestone, yet surprisingly, many high earners still feel financially stretched due to lifestyle inflation and high costs.
The Big 4 are the four largest global professional services networks that dominate audit and assurance, tax, and advisory work for companies and governments worldwide. They are Deloitte, PwC, EY, and KPMG.
PwC is widely considered to be the world's most prestigious and progressive accounting firm. It offers extensive career development opportunities, including formal coaching and mentoring, informal mentoring, excellent trainings, and clear promotion paths.
BDO USA Snags Top-Five Ranking on Vault Accounting 25 for Seventh Year in a Row. CHICAGO, April 23, 2024 – BDO USA, one of the nation's leading accounting and advisory firms, has once again placed in the top five of the 2025 Vault Accounting 25, a ranking of the 25 best accounting firms to work for by Vault.