The numbers.

36,112

The number of accounting graduates hired by public accounting firms in 2007.

--AICPA

65% Number of business-to-business payments made via paper-based checks.

--Aberdeen Group

$400 billion

The deficit for fiscal year 2008, ending

--Treasury Department

61%

Number of companies polled that said they have not begun the process of switching to IFRS.

--AICPA

170

Number of accredited accounting programs in the United States. Ten percent of those programs are turning away qualified candidates due to lack of resources.

--AICPA