Why McClintock & Associates
When you work with a generalist firm, someone on that team is always learning about your industry on your time. We don’t have that problem. Our team is 100% focused on postsecondary institutions: the audits, the compliance requirements, the regulatory changes, and the operational challenges that come with running a school. We’ve served institutions across the country through every major regulatory shift of the past five decades, and we’ve deliberately chosen not to expand into other industries so we can keep doing this work at the highest level.
Meet Our Expert Team
Our team includes certified public accountants (CPAs), FAAC® credentialed financial aid administrators, and compliance specialists who have worked inside higher education institutions. This unique combination of institutional experience plus audit expertise gives you a team that doesn’t need to be educated on your world. We show up ready to work. Many of our team members have spent decades in higher education compliance and here at the firm, a depth of experience which a larger generalist firm typically can’t replicate.
Our Approach
Every engagement we take on follows the same planned, structured approach. Because in higher education compliance, surprises at the end are never acceptable.
Planning
We begin every engagement with a structured planning phase: reviewing prior-year findings, identifying risk areas, and agreeing on a shared timeline before anything moves forward. That means a request list with clear deadlines, an agreed-upon fieldwork window, and no surprises on either side. Nothing starts without a plan.
Fieldwork
Our team conducts thorough, efficient fieldwork. Because our staff already know higher education compliance inside and out, we don’t spend your time getting up to speed.
Reporting
We issue reports well before regulatory deadlines, not at the last minute. The gap between fieldwork and report issuance is something we’ve worked hard to eliminate.
Year-Round Support
Compliance doesn’t end when the audit does. We’re available 365 days a year to answer questions, flag regulatory changes, and support your team through whatever comes next.
Our Culture
We believe exceptional client service starts with an exceptional team. Our culture is built on collaboration, curiosity, and a willingness to embrace challenges as opportunities to grow. We support one another, celebrate successes together, and continually look for better ways to serve our clients—all while staying true to our purpose of anticipating needs, delivering solutions, and providing peace of mind.
Our Careers
We’re always looking for people who are curious, collaborative, and eager to grow. If you enjoy solving complex challenges, building meaningful relationships, and developing expertise in one of the most specialized areas of accounting and advisory work, McClintock could be the place for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Our firm was founded more than 50 years ago, and higher education has been at the core of our practice since the early years. It’s not just one of many specialties; it’s the foundation we’ve built our firm around.
Yes. While we’re headquartered in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area, we serve postsecondary institutions across the country, covering nearly all 50 states. The nature of our work in federal regulatory compliance is consistent nationwide.
Our team includes Certified Public Accountants (CPAs) and FAAC-credentialed (Financial Aid Administrator Certified) audit professionals; an extremely rare presence in the industry.
Larger firms typically bring a generalist staff accountant to your engagement each year — someone who may have limited experience with postsecondary compliance specifically. We bring a dedicated team that does this work every day, for institutions just like yours. The result is less time spent educating us and more time spent actually moving your compliance work forward.
If you’re looking for peace of mind around your institution’s compliance, we’d love to talk. Reach out to our team today and we’ll get back to you promptly.
Let’s Talk About Your Compliance Needs
Connect with our team to discuss how we can support your institution’s compliance and financial health.
Higher Ed Compliance Insights
