Calvin University ranked among top accounting programs in the country
Krista Hoek '21 is a certified public accountant (CPA) in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
In the most recent CPA Exam Performance Report published by the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA), Calvin University’s accounting programs ranked 16th among 793 universities and 2nd among 283 mid-sized universities across the country for highest CPA Exam pass rate of candidates taking the CPA Exam for the first time.
“External validations like this reflect the quality of education a student gets at Calvin, and that’s one of the reasons that attracts students to our accounting programs,” said Marilyn Stansbury, CPA, Master of Accounting (MAcc) program director.
Consistent success
Calvin’s rankings this year are impressive, but so too is the university’s consistency. For the past several years, Calvin has regularly appeared in NASBA’s Top 40 rankings across all universities and in the Top 15 rankings across mid-sized universities, besting top-tier accounting programs like Indiana, Penn, USC, Florida, NYU, and Boston College.
“Calvin’s comprehensive liberal arts education pushes accounting students outside of their comfort zone and develops strong problem-solving skills that not only leads to a high CPA exam pass rate, but more importantly, to well-rounded and successful professionals,” said Jeremy Louters ’03, partner at Plante Moran, one of the nation’s largest certified public accounting and business advisory firms.
“As I’ve gone through various internships during my time at Calvin, it has been a constant comment that companies love Calvin students and graduates,” said Anneka Bos ’25, a student in Calvin’s MAcc program.
Personalized preparation
Bos and her peers in Calvin’s accounting programs point to the credentials and care of their professors, the rigorous coursework, and the liberal arts foundation as keys to preparing them for success.
“I really appreciate that each professor has relevant industry experience to each course that they teach,” said Bos. “Calvin professors go out of their way to support their students by teaching difficult concepts well, connecting students with individuals in their personal network, or offering career advice.”
“Calvin’s undergraduate and graduate accounting programs are very hands-on. During my studies I made countless journal entries, learned how to research tax issues, and prepared tax returns. The professors were always very approachable which created a safe learning environment where questions and mistakes were always okay,” said Allison Apol ‘23, a tax associate at Sweeney Conrad in Kirkland, Washington.
“Even outside of the excellent class design and teaching, professors spend time getting to know their students,” said Hunter Winter ’25, a student in Calvin’s MAcc program. “My professors took the time to understand my goals, aspirations, strengths, and weaknesses. Even more importantly, they went above and beyond to challenge me in ways that helped me grow and prepare for the CPA Exam and for the career I have been working towards.”
“Calvin faculty always had the best interest of their students in mind. My advisor, Dirk Pruis, encouraged me to pursue a data analytics minor to complement my accounting degree. The skills I developed in my data analytics courses have opened doors for me at Rehmann,” said Krista Hoek ’21, CPA, assurance and financial reporting senior at Rehmann, a professional advisory firm headquartered in Michigan. “When I started the MAcc program, Marilyn Stansbury recommended that I begin studying for the CPA exams early, so I could complete them before starting my full-time position at Rehmann. Now, seeing some of my coworkers juggle a full-time job in public accounting and studying for the CPA exams, I am so grateful for her advice.”
“I felt well prepared for the CPA Exam,” said Apol. “I don’t remember one topic in my studying that had not been addressed in my education.”
Going beyond expectations
“I originally enrolled at Calvin because it looked good on paper,” said Winter, pointing to ideal class size, high post-graduation employment, competitive CPA pass rates, and a high number of faculty with the highest degrees in their field. “I stayed at Calvin for all the reasons behind these statistics: astounding faculty that go above and beyond, rigorous coursework, meaningful connections, and the ever-evolving accounting programs that truly equip students like me to succeed.”
“I am very proud to be a Calvin alum and am glad the accounting program is getting the recognition it deserves,” added Apol.
Learn more about Calvin’s undergraduate accounting program and its master of accounting program.