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Bookkeepers and Accounting Clerk Training and Jobs


Schools and Degrees

A high school degree is the minimum requirement to become a bookkeeping and accounting clerk. Candidates for this profession, however, are becoming more inclined to earn associates or bachelors degree in business and accounting, as it helps them advance in the profession.

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Training and Education

Employees often find employers are looking for moderate-term on-the-job training. Bookkeepers and accounting clerks, in 16% of cases, have bachelor's degree or higher. After high school, 50% of workers pursued some additional career education. Employees, in 34% of cases, had only a high school education.


Job Overview

Bookkeeping and accounting clerks maintain financial records. This includes updating records of profit and loss, receipts and expenditures and accounts payable and receivable. Their job may involve maintaining the books of an entire company or looking into specific jobs.


Job Requirements

Certification is beneficial for bookkeeping and accounting clerks. It is particularly useful for those who keep records for a company. The American Institute of Professional Bookkeepers awards the designation of certified bookkeeper. This testifies the knowledge and the expertise the candidate has to execute all the functions that are required of a bookkeeper. To get the certificate, a candidate needs to pass an exam, possess 2 years of bookkeeping experience and abide by the ethics code.

Experience and acquiring a higher degree is very useful for bookkeepers and accounting clerks. This helps them take more responsibility and earn promotions within the organization. They may eventually become auditors or accountants.

Bookkeepers and accounting clerks need to be very well organized and have a keen eye for detail. It is important for them to be honest and trustworthy as they deal with confidential accounts. Spotting errors in accounts and not making errors themselves is essential. They undoubtedly need to have a strong affinity for numbers and also should be adept at handling spreadsheet software.


Nature of Work

Bookkeepers and accounting clerks in small firms often have to take care of the general ledger. They document all debits and credits and make financial statements and reports for managers. They also prepare bank deposits and look after purchases, payroll and invoices. In bigger companies, bookkeepers have more specialized functions, including calculating interest charges, maintaining details of transactions and monitoring loans and payments.

Bookkeepers and accounting clerks work in comfortable office environment. They usually work for forty hours in a week and have regular office hours. At times like fiscal year endings they may also be also required to work evenings and during weekends. They are susceptible to problems like eyestrain, headaches and backaches from continuously working with computers.


Area Job Conditions

Bookkeepers and accounting clerks -of-a-feather seem to flock to Great Falls (Montana), Casper (Wyoming), and Missoula (Montana). They are less likely to be found around Warner Robins (Georgia), Ann Arbor (Michigan), and Jackson (Tennessee).

Compensation of workers is best in San Jose (California), San Francisco (California), and Bridgeport (Connecticut), and much worse in McAllen (Texas), Laredo (Texas), and Weirton (West Virginia).


Part-Time and Self Employment

Bookkeepers and accounting clerks employed part-time are 25% of the total. Workers, in about 7% of cases, work for themselves.



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Bookkeepers and Accounting Clerks by Metropolitan Area (city and its surroundings)

In the table below, a Job Density near 0% means the area has an average number of people in this occupation, for its population. A higher or lower Job Density (e.g., +22% or -45%) tells you there are that many more or fewer workers of that type there than in the average US metro area. So, the higher the number, the more common the occupation.

Alabama

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Anniston $30,000 410 -18%
Auburn $32,000 600 +24%
Birmingham $35,000 6,640 +7%
Decatur $30,000 630 +6%
Dothan $29,000 780 +19%
Florence $29,000 470 -19%
Gadsden $31,000 430 +16%
Huntsville $32,000 2,070 -19%
Mobile $30,000 2,090 -2%
Montgomery $32,000 2,020 +2%
Tuscaloosa $31,000 940 -11%

Alaska

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Anchorage $41,000 2,230 +10%
Fairbanks $40,000 590 +73%

Arizona

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Flagstaff $35,000 620 -2%
Kingman $32,000 490 -6%
Phoenix $37,000 20,690 -8%
Prescott $33,000 700 +16%
Tucson $35,000 3,610 -15%
Yuma $30,000 630 +2%

Arkansas

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Fayetteville $31,000 2,660 +7%
Fort Smith $29,000 1,510 +3%
Hot Springs $28,000 450 +16%
Jonesboro $29,000 620 +21%
Little Rock $32,000 4,750 +10%
Pine Bluff $29,000 390 +22%

California

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Bakersfield $36,000 3,010 -7%
Chico $33,000 960 +21%
El Centro $33,000 660 +20%
Fresno $36,000 4,160 +5%
Hanford $34,000 620 +71%
Los Angeles $39,000 54,700 +6%
Madera $35,000 470 +39%
Merced $37,000 650 +2%
Modesto $36,000 1,850 -1%
Napa $45,000 890 +26%
Oakland $44,000 12,180 -4%
Oxnard $40,000 3,710 +0%
Redding $34,000 800 +19%
Riverside $38,000 13,010 -15%
Sacramento $40,000 10,720 -2%
Salinas $40,000 1,780 -8%
San Diego $39,000 15,000 -10%
San Francisco $46,000 12,470 -1%
San Jose $45,000 9,580 -16%
San Luis Obispo $37,000 1,430 +32%
Santa Ana $41,000 18,180 -2%
Santa Barbara $42,000 2,170 +7%
Santa Cruz $42,000 1,170 +16%
Santa Rosa $41,000 2,690 +27%
Stockton $36,000 2,530 -2%
Vallejo $39,000 1,810 +27%
Visalia $36,000 1,310 -19%
Yuba City $36,000 670 +63%

Colorado

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Boulder $37,000 2,010 +9%
Colorado Springs $33,000 2,870 -8%
Denver $37,000 17,040 +8%
Fort Collins $33,000 1,800 +20%
Grand Junction $32,000 880 +38%
Greeley $34,000 980 +18%
Pueblo $31,000 650 +2%

Connecticut

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Bridgeport $45,000 5,420 +1%
Danbury $39,000 1,000 +29%
Hartford $40,000 6,340 -13%
New Haven $39,000 3,470 +3%
Norwich $36,000 1,490 +2%
Waterbury $38,000 650 -16%

Delaware

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Dover $33,000 620 +9%
Wilmington $37,000 4,510 +11%

District of Columbia

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Washington $44,000 23,520 -24%

Florida

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Cape Coral $34,000 3,050 +29%
Deltona $30,000 2,010 +8%
Fort Lauderdale $35,000 9,810 +11%
Fort Walton Beach $31,000 920 +5%
Gainesville $32,000 1,470 +2%
Jacksonville $34,000 7,650 +1%
Lakeland $32,000 3,110 +35%
Miami $33,000 13,610 +10%
Naples $35,000 1,370 +3%
Ocala $31,000 1,170 +15%
Orlando $32,000 11,830 -8%
Palm Bay $31,000 2,160 -11%
Palm Coast $31,000 200 +27%
Panama City $31,000 780 -1%
Pensacola $30,000 2,500 +39%
Port St Lucie $34,000 1,390 -2%
Punta Gorda $28,000 550 +30%
Sarasota $34,000 3,660 +20%
Sebastian $33,000 710 +37%
Tallahassee $32,000 2,240 +15%
Tampa $33,000 15,920 +10%
West Palm Beach $36,000 7,030 +8%

Georgia

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Albany $31,000 770 +10%
Athens $31,000 980 +21%
Atlanta $37,000 29,420 +0%
Augusta $32,000 2,280 -9%
Brunswick $32,000 500 +12%
Columbus $31,000 1,230 -6%
Dalton $32,000 680 -12%
Gainesville $33,000 970 +22%
Hinesville $32,000 190 +46%
Macon $30,000 1,340 +27%
Rome $31,000 490 +31%
Savannah $33,000 1,730 -4%
Valdosta $30,000 710 +29%
Warner Robins $32,000 330 -45%

Hawaii

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Honolulu $36,000 4,970 -10%

Idaho

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Boise $34,000 3,270 +1%
Coeur Dalene $33,000 780 +39%
Idaho Falls $27,000 630 +23%
Lewiston $34,000 410 +73%
Pocatello $27,000 380 +20%

Illinois

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Bloomington $33,000 820 +2%
Champaign $33,000 1,220 +1%
Chicago $38,000 34,860 -27%
Danville $33,000 350 +24%
Decatur $31,000 510 +2%
Kankakee $29,000 520 +17%
Peoria $33,000 1,740 -16%
Rockford $33,000 1,320 -22%
Springfield $33,000 1,670 +31%

Indiana

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Anderson $33,000 520 +27%
Bloomington $32,000 980 +23%
Columbus $31,000 580 +42%
Elkhart $33,000 1,470 +15%
Evansville $32,000 2,240 +8%
Fort Wayne $32,000 2,720 +9%
Gary $32,000 3,540 +6%
Indianapolis $36,000 11,520 +2%
Kokomo $29,000 550 +31%
Lafayette $31,000 1,230 +42%
Michigan City $33,000 650 +46%
Muncie $30,000 660 +32%
South Bend $32,000 1,700 +10%
Terre Haute $29,000 860 +11%

Iowa

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Ames $35,000 480 +20%
Cedar Rapids $32,000 1,890 +13%
Davenport $30,000 2,310 +1%
Des Moines $35,000 4,530 +10%
Dubuque $31,000 630 +6%
Iowa City $34,000 880 +9%
Sioux City $30,000 1,120 +34%
Waterloo $33,000 1,100 +10%

Kansas

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Lawrence $30,000 580 +23%
Manhattan $29,000 810 +40%
Topeka $31,000 1,380 +6%
Wichita $32,000 4,260 +19%

Kentucky

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Bowling Green $30,000 800 +28%
Elizabethtown $30,000 480 -1%
Lexington $33,000 3,080 +4%
Louisville $33,000 7,510 -2%
Owensboro $29,000 690 +32%

Louisiana

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Alexandria $30,000 780 +7%
Baton Rouge $33,000 6,100 +31%
Houma $31,000 1,240 +11%
Lafayette $33,000 2,650 +54%
Lake Charles $33,000 1,150 +12%
Monroe $29,000 1,390 +58%
New Orleans $35,000 6,680 +0%
Shreveport $33,000 2,340 +7%

Maine

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Bangor $32,000 600 -13%
Lewiston $29,000 1,030 +84%
Portland $35,000 2,110 -14%

Maryland

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Baltimore $39,000 13,240 -20%
Bethesda $42,000 6,010 -18%
Cumberland $31,000 310 -22%
Hagerstown $34,000 820 -28%
Salisbury $36,000 600 +0%

Massachusetts

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Barnstable Town $38,000 1,380 +18%
Boston $41,000 22,640 +2%
Brockton $38,000 1,210 +15%
Framingham $41,000 2,080 +5%
Haverhill $38,000 1,090 +15%
Lawrence $42,000 810 +20%
Leominster $37,000 650 +19%
Lowell $40,000 1,330 -7%
New Bedford $33,000 940 +28%
Peabody $39,000 1,170 -2%
Pittsfield $33,000 470 +37%
Springfield $36,000 3,620 -2%
Taunton $40,000 520 +6%
Worcester $38,000 3,560 +14%

Michigan

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Ann Arbor $37,000 1,930 -5%
Battle Creek $34,000 410 -29%
Bay City $31,000 470 +37%
Detroit $37,000 6,820 -19%
Flint $35,000 1,450 -7%
Grand Rapids $35,000 4,520 -4%
Holland $34,000 1,020 -10%
Jackson $32,000 640 +19%
Kalamazoo $33,000 1,350 -17%
Lansing $37,000 2,600 +7%
Monroe $31,000 320 -18%
Muskegon $33,000 610 -3%
Niles $32,000 680 +4%
Saginaw $35,000 1,030 +8%
Warren $37,000 11,890 -13%

Minnesota

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Duluth $32,000 1,630 +5%
Mankato $31,000 730 +16%
Minneapolis $38,000 19,520 -14%
Rochester $35,000 830 -31%
St Cloud $34,000 1,160 +3%

Mississippi

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Gulfport $33,000 1,500 +18%
Hattiesburg $31,000 870 +35%
Jackson $34,000 3,770 +20%
Pascagoula $31,000 710 +40%

Missouri

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Cape Girardeau $30,000 680 +40%
Columbia $32,000 960 +4%
Jefferson City $29,000 1,240 +46%
Joplin $28,000 870 -5%
Kansas City $35,000 12,650 -2%
Springfield $28,000 2,300 -2%
St Joseph $28,000 630 +12%
St Louis $36,000 15,140 -11%

Montana

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Billings $30,000 1,980 +103%
Great Falls $29,000 860 +119%
Missoula $31,000 1,230 +111%

Nebraska

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Lincoln $31,000 2,500 +29%
Omaha $33,000 6,780 +14%

Nevada

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Carson City $35,000 560 +108%
Las Vegas $36,000 10,820 +1%
Reno $39,000 3,230 +38%

New Hampshire

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Manchester $38,000 1,390 +14%
Nashua $39,000 1,530 -7%
Portsmouth $38,000 700 +8%
Rochester $38,000 790 +32%

New Jersey

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Atlantic City $35,000 1,300 -26%
Camden $36,000 6,790 +3%
Edison $40,000 12,000 -8%
Newark $40,000 13,120 +3%
Ocean City $36,000 590 +32%
Trenton $39,000 2,420 -14%
Vineland $36,000 590 -13%

New Mexico

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Albuquerque $33,000 5,720 +18%
Farmington $31,000 820 +50%
Las Cruces $28,000 900 +24%
Santa Fe $38,000 1,110 +58%

New York

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Albany $37,000 6,580 +16%
Binghamton $32,000 1,420 +6%
Buffalo $35,000 8,120 +16%
Elmira $32,000 510 +24%
Glens Falls $32,000 940 +62%
Ithaca $35,000 740 +67%
Kingston $33,000 1,090 +60%
Nassau $41,000 21,770 +35%
New York $42,000 66,090 0%
Poughkeepsie $37,000 3,420 +12%
Rochester $34,000 6,240 -2%
Syracuse $35,000 4,770 +22%
Utica $33,000 2,620 +75%

North Carolina

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Asheville $32,000 2,210 +2%
Burlington $32,000 740 +16%
Charlotte $35,000 10,720 -1%
Durham $37,000 2,540 -26%
Fayetteville $32,000 1,110 -27%
Goldsboro $31,000 350 -20%
Greensboro $33,000 4,000 -10%
Greenville $33,000 630 -18%
Hickory $32,000 1,380 -22%
Jacksonville $28,000 550 +19%
Raleigh $36,000 6,330 -3%
Rocky Mount $32,000 660 +2%
Wilmington $31,000 1,630 -1%
Winston Salem $33,000 2,550 -2%

North Dakota

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Bismarck $31,000 1,180 +59%
Fargo $33,000 1,920 +32%
Grand Forks $32,000 810 +52%

Ohio

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Akron $32,000 3,800 -5%
Canton $31,000 1,550 -24%
Cincinnati $35,000 12,310 -4%
Cleveland $34,000 12,880 -1%
Columbus $36,000 12,070 +3%
Dayton $33,000 3,960 -17%
Lima $31,000 540 -7%
Mansfield $30,000 500 -13%
Sandusky $31,000 340 -8%
Springfield $31,000 550 +4%
Steubenville $27,000 360 -20%
Toledo $33,000 3,510 -4%
Youngstown $31,000 2,620 -6%

Oklahoma

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Lawton $26,000 660 +49%
Oklahoma City $30,000 11,170 +53%
Tulsa $31,000 8,580 +59%

Oregon

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Bend $34,000 1,030 +44%
Corvallis $35,000 440 +57%
Eugene $34,000 2,510 +48%
Medford $32,000 1,260 +41%
Portland $37,000 14,600 +13%
Salem $36,000 2,190 +21%

Pennsylvania

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Allentown $36,000 3,830 -12%
Altoona $29,000 610 -11%
Erie $31,000 1,420 -8%
Harrisburg $37,000 3,550 -11%
Johnstown $27,000 760 +21%
Lancaster $34,000 3,000 +3%
Lebanon $31,000 510 +2%
Philadelphia $40,000 22,640 -7%
Pittsburgh $34,000 13,740 -6%
Reading $34,000 1,980 -2%
Scranton $32,000 3,100 -4%
State College $33,000 720 +1%
Williamsport $32,000 470 -18%
York $35,000 2,040 -5%

Rhode Island

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Providence $37,000 7,860 +12%

South Carolina

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Anderson $31,000 610 -3%
Charleston $35,000 3,970 +11%
Columbia $34,000 4,520 +3%
Florence $32,000 770 -16%
Greenville $32,000 3,540 -5%
Myrtle Beach $30,000 1,270 -2%
Spartanburg $33,000 1,150 -16%
Sumter $31,000 390 +13%

South Dakota

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Rapid City $28,000 1,500 +107%
Sioux Falls $29,000 2,550 +52%

Tennessee

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Chattanooga $31,000 2,400 -15%
Clarksville $32,000 750 -17%
Cleveland $29,000 370 +1%
Jackson $31,000 460 -31%
Johnson City $32,000 750 -9%
Kingsport $31,000 1,400 -3%
Knoxville $31,000 3,830 -8%
Memphis $35,000 6,000 -23%
Morristown $28,000 360 -28%
Nashville $33,000 8,460 -10%

Texas

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Abilene $30,000 740 +3%
Amarillo $30,000 1,490 +18%
Austin $38,000 9,420 -5%
Beaumont $32,000 1,770 -10%
Brownsville $30,000 1,130 -28%
College Station $30,000 850 -21%
Corpus Christi $32,000 1,860 -15%
Dallas $37,000 27,400 +3%
El Paso $29,000 3,050 -10%
Fort Worth $34,000 9,020 -18%
Houston $37,000 30,550 -9%
Killeen $30,000 1,130 -27%
Laredo $26,000 1,190 +31%
Longview $35,000 1,120 0%
Lubbock $31,000 1,750 +16%
Mcallen $27,000 2,270 -20%
Midland $34,000 1,150 +61%
Odessa $32,000 900 +42%
San Angelo $30,000 490 +9%
San Antonio $34,000 9,280 -16%
Sherman $31,000 540 +20%
Texarkana $29,000 590 -3%
Tyler $32,000 1,140 +8%
Victoria $28,000 610 +15%
Waco $36,000 1,320 +12%
Wichita Falls $29,000 910 +47%

Utah

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Logan $30,000 520 0%
Ogden $33,000 2,070 -15%
Provo $30,000 2,150 +4%
Salt Lake City $32,000 7,250 -6%
St George $32,000 470 -6%

Vermont

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Burlington $36,000 1,830 +38%

Virginia

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Blacksburg $31,000 930 +35%
Charlottesville $35,000 1,250 +24%
Danville $29,000 500 +36%
Harrisonburg $32,000 820 +31%
Lynchburg $31,000 1,180 +1%
Richmond $36,000 8,110 +4%
Roanoke $33,000 2,140 +13%
Virginia Beach $34,000 9,070 -6%
Winchester $34,000 640 +16%

Washington

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Bellingham $37,000 1,390 +64%
Bremerton $39,000 1,040 +8%
Kennewick $36,000 1,350 +14%
Longview $34,000 490 +40%
Mount Vernon $36,000 790 +63%
Olympia $36,000 1,270 +9%
Seattle $40,000 18,590 +4%
Spokane $34,000 3,340 +33%
Tacoma $37,000 3,990 +21%
Wenatchee $35,000 700 +67%
Yakima $36,000 1,270 +31%

West Virginia

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Charleston $30,000 1,670 -5%
Huntington $28,000 1,230 -9%
Morgantown $30,000 550 -7%
Parkersburg $31,000 790 +2%
Wheeling $28,000 1,000 +35%

Wisconsin

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Appleton $33,000 1,520 +11%
Eau Claire $31,000 900 +6%
Fond $36,000 490 +5%
Green Bay $33,000 2,070 +1%
Janesville $30,000 720 +0%
La Crosse $33,000 950 +15%
Madison $36,000 4,120 -3%
Milwaukee $35,000 9,120 -13%
Oshkosh $33,000 840 -18%
Racine $34,000 850 -1%
Sheboygan $32,000 620 -1%
Wausau $32,000 890 +18%

Wyoming

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Casper $35,000 830 +113%
Cheyenne $33,000 670 +45%
*FOOTNOTES: Job Facts salary and numbers data is based on US Department of Labor Statistics data for 2011. Other data on page may be from earlier years. Typical salary is given as median salary, where 50% in the job make more and 50% less. Salary range is Job Hunt's estimates of typical starting salary as being at the 10th percentile of reported pay and typical top end salary, for the most senior workers, as being at the 90th. Job openings is an estimate of new jobs every year due to growth plus those leaving the field. Where NA is given data is not available. Suggested studies is based on Job Hunt research, suggesting a minimum degree level that is judged to offer the best opportunities for entry-level employment. This Bookkeeping and Accounting Clerks schools and career page was originally researched by CityTownInfo.com.