According to the 1996-97 AACSB membership directory, only 122 of the 326 (37
percent) institutions with accredited business schools also held accounting
accreditation. The objective of the research reported in this paper was to
determine why so few accounting programs are accredited. Surveys were
mailed to the accounting program administrator at all 326 accredited institutions.
One hundred sixty-one usable responses (49 percent) were received.

Responses indicated major differences in the attitudes of administrators of
accredited and nonaccredited accounting programs regarding accounting
accreditation. Generally, administrators of accredited programs perceived
significantly more value in accounting accreditation, while administrators of
nonaccredited programs viewed accounting accreditation as a costly process.
Results point to a possible decline in the interest level in accounting accreditation by nonaccredited programs. Perhaps the AACSB needs to increase its effort to promote the benefits of accounting accreditation to this group.