When it comes to crunching numbers, NIU’s accountancy program is one of the nation’s best.

Public Accounting Report, a trade publication for the accounting profession, reported in its yearly survey of professors, that NIU’s undergraduate program is considered seventh best in the nation. The graduate program also received national recognition, placing 16th.

“We work very hard to try and make sure we have a high-quality accounting program here, and this is an external validation of that,” accountancy professor Sally Webber said.

The undergraduate ranking ties the program’s highest ranking, last held in 1996. Professors from across the nation are surveyed yearly to evaluate the accountancy programs offered by U.S. universities. They are asked to “list the five university accounting programs you believe consistently turn out students capable of someday obtaining partner status.”

“I think it’s pretty notable that you only get on someone’s ballot if they think you are one of the top five programs in the country,” said Gregory Carnes, chair of NIU’s accountancy program. Carnes has earned the title of Crowe Chizek Professor of Accountancy, which is given to well-respected accountancy professors.

Carnes believes the program is successful and deserving of national recognition because of department faculty. He thinks the high quality of former and current professors has helped recruit new talented faculty, which increases the prestige of the accountancy program. Producing a program that ranks eighth nationwide for students passing the Certified Public Accountant exam on their first try is also a reason for recognition by professors.

“When they see the type of people we’ve attracted here, I think it causes people to say they must still be doing something good at Northern Illinois,” he said.

Associate Professor Donald Tidrick, a former accountancy professor at the University of Texas, considers the national ranking for the undergraduate and graduate programs important for two reasons.

“Employers make decisions about how to allocate their recruiting resources and students make their decisions on where they want to go to school based on those surveys,” he said.

Tidrick said the ranking is extra special because NIU doesn’t have a doctorate program like other higher-ranked universities.

“We don’t have that kind of advantage, yet people still put NIU on their ballot,” he said.

To keep the program in top form, the accountancy department plans on continuing to hire the best faculty, making adjustments to fit the needs of the profession and bringing in top speakers for students to learn from.

“We are a snowball rolling down a mountain gaining momentum,” Tidrick said.