Accounting continues winning streak

Good news for the accounting industry: it has been ranked No. 1 in private industries in the US over the past 10 years and is still number 1 as of the past 12 months, since May 2009.

The list of this year’s top 10 industries, compiled by Sageworks, includes only service industries; however, the bank industry fell off the list over the past 12 months to below No. 20.

Top 10 privately held industries by net profit margin for past 12 months

Ranking	Net profit margin	Industry
1	15.97%	Accounting, tax preparation, bookkeeping and payroll services
2	15.94%	Offices of dentists
3	13.46%	Legal services
4	11.69%	Offices of other health practitioners
5	11.55%	Offices of physicians
6	11.27%	Activities related to credit intermediation
7	11.23%	Other financial investment activities
8	11.20%	Technical and trade schools
9	10.75%	Nondepository credit intermediation
10	10.19%	Insurance carriers

Top 10 privately held industries by net profit margin for past 10 years

Ranking	Net profit margin	Industry
1	16.11%	Accounting, tax preparation, bookkeeping and payroll services
2	15.23%	Offices of dentists
3	14.26%	Depository credit intermediation
4	13.26%	Legal services
5	12.32%	Offices of other health practitioners
6	11.32%	Lessors of nonfinancial intangible assets (except copyrighted works)
7	11.27%	Offices of physicians
8	11.09%	Rail transportation
9	10.75%	Other financial investment activities
10	10.66%	Agencies, brokerages and other insurance related activities