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Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks

Typical education: Certificate or apprenticeshipLower pressure Bright Outlook

What they do

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.

Kinds of work

  • Conventional: Organizing information, following clear procedures and working with data and details.

Lower pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $50,670 Median per year · $24.36/hr Most earn $36,000–$74,550

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Reconcile or note and report discrepancies found in records.
  • Access computerized financial information to answer general questions as well as those related to specific accounts.
  • Debit, credit, and total accounts on computer spreadsheets and databases, using specialized accounting software.
  • Prepare bank deposits by compiling data from cashiers, verifying and balancing receipts, and sending cash, checks, or other forms of payment to banks.
  • Calculate and prepare checks for utilities, taxes, and other payments.
  • Prepare purchase orders and expense reports.

Job outlook

Bright Outlook Numerous Job Openings

United States
6% fewer jobs by 2035, declining · about 144,100 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Accounting, tax preparation, bookkeeping, and payroll services6.6%
  • Self-employed (their own business)5.6%
  • Local government, excluding education and hospitals4.4%
  • Management of companies and enterprises4.3%
  • Real estate3.3%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Experience before this job: 1 to 2 years

Some people start through an apprenticeship: paid training on the job, often with classes. Search apprenticeships on Apprenticeship.gov (opens in a new tab) ↗

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: Certificate or apprenticeshipExperience before this job: 1 to 2 years

This is a good entry-level career. Many people start with a high school diploma and a short bookkeeping course, and it usually takes about 1 to 3 years of related office or data work to reach a bookkeeping clerk role.

  1. High school diploma

    4 years

    Build strong math, computer, and writing skills, since accurate number work is the core of this job.

  2. Bookkeeping or accounting certificate

    About 6 months to 1 year

    A certificate from a community college or training program teaches bookkeeping basics, accounting software, and how to record transactions correctly.

  3. Billing and Posting Clerk

    1-2 years

    You enter and check financial transactions every day, which gives you hands-on experience with posting and verifying records before you handle full ledgers.

  4. Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerk

    Ongoing career

    You keep financial records complete and accurate, post and verify transactions, and check the work of others.

Where it can lead

  1. Payroll and Timekeeping Clerk

    2-4 years of experience first

    You move into a specialty that focuses on employee pay records and time tracking, which requires deeper knowledge of payroll rules and software.

  2. Accounting Supervisor

    3-5 years of experience first

    You oversee a team of clerks, review their work, and handle closing the books, which requires strong accounting knowledge and leadership skills.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take math and business or accounting classesStrong math skills and any business courses help you feel confident with numbers and financial terms.
  • Join an FBLA or similar business clubBusiness clubs let you practice real-world skills like record keeping, teamwork, and presenting numbers.
  • Learn spreadsheet basicsPracticing Excel or Google Sheets for schoolwork prepares you for the daily data entry and checking this job involves.
  • Get a starter job with cash handling or retailWorking a cash register teaches accuracy and counting, and it's a good first job to list on a résumé.
  • Enter a math or business competitionCompetitions show you can work accurately under pressure, which employers value in clerks.

In college

  • Take bookkeeping and intro accounting coursesThese classes teach you how debits, credits, and ledgers work, which is the foundation of this career.
  • Earn a bookkeeping or accounting certificateA short certificate adds a credential to your résumé and shows you can keep financial records.
  • Get a part-time campus job in an office or finance departmentCampus jobs in billing, payroll, or the business office give you real experience with transactions and records.
  • Volunteer to keep books for a student clubHandling a club's budget and receipts gives you practice with accurate posting and reporting.
  • Learn accounting softwareKnowing QuickBooks or similar tools makes you more ready for entry-level bookkeeping jobs.

Tips for getting started

  • Learn a common accounting software program, such as QuickBooks or Excel, because most employers expect you to already know one.
  • Ask for part-time or temporary office work while you study, so you can build the 1 to 2 years of experience employers usually look for.
  • Take a close look at the job's pay range on its career page, which shows typical pay near you and nationally.

Related jobs that often lead here

Related jobs a step up

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

College majors that lead here

Majors: U.S. Department of Education and BLS (CIP–SOC crosswalk). Earnings and debt: College Scorecard, typical across U.S. colleges.

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