Heider accounting students achieve top national CPA performance
Creighton University’s Heider College of Business has been recognized among the strongest accounting programs in the country, earning the No. 2 ranking nationally for 2024 first-time CPA exam pass rates among large programs, according to new data from the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA).
A program on a strong upward trajectory
Maggie Knight, DBA, CPA, CGMA, chair of Creighton’s Department of Accounting, says the ranking affirms the success of years of intentional curricular development.
“Our program has been growing, and we’ve been incredibly intentional about what’s included in the accounting curriculum,” Knight says. “Our goal is to make students better business professionals, and these CPA exam results demonstrate that we’re on the right path.”
Large programs are defined as institutions with at least 60 candidates sitting for the exam. Creighton ranks No. 2 among 204 institutions in this category and No. 7 among more than 700 institutions nationwide when all programs are included.
Faculty who mentor and students who show grit
Knight emphasizes that the achievement reflects a shared commitment between faculty and students.
“The accounting faculty are a close‐knit group of colleagues with deep professional experience who are relentless in their pursuit of student success both academically and personally,” she says. “I think students feel this inside and outside the classroom.”
She adds that the ranking also honors the dedication of Creighton accounting students themselves. “I talk about grit repeatedly in this program, and these students clearly have grit. It takes serious dedication to score this well on such a difficult professional examination. Their years of hard work have paid off and it’s not just a score on a test; it’s proof of their determination.”
Alumni earning top national CPA honors
This year’s results also highlight the success of two recent Heider alumni—members of the first full cohort of Creighton’s accelerated Master of Accounting (MAC)—who earned top national distinctions for their CPA exam performance. Their recognition places them among the highest-scoring candidates in the country, underscoring the strength of both Creighton’s undergraduate accounting major and the MAC pathways (four-year, four-and-a-half-year and five-year options).
Knight says the accelerated MAC structure is already paying dividends. “We’ve seen many more students take advantage of our flexible MAC options, and the additional coursework is clearly helping them more deeply develop both their technical and soft skills.”
Preparing the next generation of business leaders
With a curriculum grounded in professional readiness, one-on-one faculty mentorship and a growing graduate pipeline, Creighton continues to shape the next generation of business leaders. The success of our students reflects a program built on personal support and a commitment to excellence.
Ready to take the next step? Explore Creighton’s undergraduate accounting major and the master of accounting program to see how Heider prepares graduates to thrive in the profession.
