Bookkeeper
Salary, job outlook, education and requirements
Compute, classify, and record numerical data to keep financial records complete. Perform any combination of routine calculating, posting, and verifying duties to obtain primary financial data for use in maintaining accounting records. May also check the accuracy of figures, calculations, and postings pertaining to business transactions recorded by other workers.
Also called: Account Clerk · Accounting Assistant · Accounting Associate · Accounting Clerk · Accounting Specialist · Accounting Technician · Accounts Payable Clerk · Accounts Payable Specialist
O*NET-SOC 43-3031.00 (Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks)
Bookkeeper salary
Wages for bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks across all employers, 2025 data. The 10th percentile is typical entry-level pay; the 90th percentile reflects the most experienced and highest-paid workers.
National median hourly wage: $24.36.
Bookkeeper pay by state
Ten largest states by population, annual wages.
| State | 10th percentile | Median | 90th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $41,600 | $59,230 | $81,990 |
| Texas | $33,480 | $48,910 | $72,810 |
| Florida | $36,680 | $49,330 | $72,260 |
| New York | $39,880 | $58,160 | $81,990 |
| Pennsylvania | $34,960 | $48,440 | $69,570 |
| Illinois | $32,360 | $49,560 | $71,480 |
| Ohio | $36,110 | $48,810 | $67,330 |
| Georgia | $32,810 | $49,350 | $71,810 |
| North Carolina | $33,710 | $47,930 | $67,290 |
| Michigan | $36,250 | $48,980 | $67,480 |
Bookkeeper job outlook
- Employment is projected to go from 1,532,400 jobs in 2025 to 1,446,800 in 2035 (-6% change).
- About 144,100 openings are projected each year, including jobs that open up as workers retire or change occupations.
- CareerOneStop outlook rating: Bright (Numerous Job Openings).
How to become a bookkeeper
- Typical entry education
- Some college, no degree
- Work experience
- No work experience
- On-the-job training
- 1 to 12 months on-the-job training
Education level of current workers
- Less than high school diploma4%
- High school diploma or equivalent24.4%
- Some college, no degree33.5%
- Associate's degree16%
- Bachelor's degree17.7%
- Master's degree3.7%
- Doctoral or professional degree.6%
Related training programs
- Accounting Technology/Technician and Bookkeeping
What does a bookkeeper do?
Common tasks
- Operate computers programmed with accounting software to record, store, and analyze information.
- Prepare and process payroll information.
- Check figures, postings, and documents for correct entry, mathematical accuracy, and proper codes.
- Prepare bank deposits by compiling data from cashiers, verifying and balancing receipts, and sending cash, checks, or other forms of payment to banks.
- Comply with federal, state, and company policies, procedures, and regulations.
- Operate 10-key calculators, typewriters, and copy machines to perform calculations and produce documents.
- Receive, record, and bank cash, checks, and vouchers.
- Calculate and prepare checks for utilities, taxes, and other payments.
- Monitor status of loans and accounts to ensure that payments are up to date.
- Reconcile records of bank transactions.
Most important skills
- Mathematics
- Using math to solve problems.
- Critical Thinking
- Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
- Active Listening
- Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
- Reading Comprehension
- Reading work-related information.
- Speaking
- Talking to others.
- Writing
- Writing things for co-workers or customers.
- Time Management
- Managing your time and the time of other people.
- Monitoring
- Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements.
Bookkeeper certifications
8 of 21 certifications CareerOneStop maps to this occupation. Requirements vary by employer and state.
- National Association of State Boards of Accountancy · Core
- Intuit QuickBooks Certified User (IQC-CU)Intuit, Inc. · Product/Equipment
- NOCTI · Core
- National Association of Certified Public Bookkeepers · Core
- National Association of Certified Public Bookkeepers · Core
- Oracle Corporation · Product/Equipment
- NOCTI · Core
- International Association of Outsourcing Professionals · Specialty
See all 21certifications in CareerOneStop's Certification Finder
Bookkeeper jobs
Current federal openings from USAJOBS. For more accounting, budget & finance jobs, including private-sector listings, see the Accounting, Budget & Finance jobs hub.
Job data from USAJOBS.gov. Careers.org is not affiliated with or endorsed by OPM.
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More accounting, budget & finance careers
This page includes information from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (DOLETA), and the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED).
Source: CareerOneStop occupation profile for Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks. Wages are from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program; projections are national long-term projections.