Bookkeeping & Accounting Clerks earn $50,670 nationally at the median. The middle 50% of workers fall between $43,520 and $61,470. Where you land depends on specialization, employer, and experience.
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 known as:
Bookkeeping & Accounting Clerks earn $50,670 nationally, below average for bachelor's degree holders. The middle 50% of earners fall between $43,520 and $61,470. Actual pay varies by employer, specialization, and location.
Below average for bachelor's degree holders.
25th to 75th percentile. Most workers earn within this band.
O*NET data identifies 5 core activities and 5 measurable skills for Bookkeeping & Accounting Clerks roles. Use this section to judge whether the day-to-day reality aligns with what you actually want to spend time doing.
Success depends on precision and structured processes, where detail-oriented people who work consistently within established systems perform best.
Leadership, influence, and business acumen are rewarded here, where managing teams, driving decisions, or persuading others shapes career outcomes.
This career demands analytical thinking: researching problems, interpreting data, and applying logical reasoning to find practical solutions.
What the physical and mental conditions of this job actually look like day to day, based on O*NET Work Context data collected from people working in this occupation.
Split between indoor and outdoor or field settings.
Mix of sitting and movement throughout the day.
Moderate pressure. Regular deadlines exist but are generally manageable with experience.
The BLS projects -5.8% employment change for Bookkeeping & Accounting Clerks through 2034, a declining trend, below the national average of +5%. About 170,000 openings per year keep the field accessible to new entrants.
Declining employment projected.
New positions plus replacements for retirees and career-changers.
Total US employment as of BLS May 2024.
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 and Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2024.
The five states below employ the most Bookkeeping & Accounting Clerks professionals nationwide. State-level wages can differ significantly from the $50,670 national median. Research your specific market before committing to a program.
| # | State | Jobs | Median Wage | vs. National |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 154,980 | $57,470 | +13.4% |
| 2 | Texas | 130,770 | $48,250 | -4.8% |
| 3 | Florida | 107,210 | $47,980 | -5.3% |
| 4 | New York | 93,920 | $55,880 | +10.3% |
| 5 | Pennsylvania | 54,580 | $47,390 | -6.5% |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024. Employment figures rounded. Read our methodology →
Most Bookkeeping & Accounting Clerks positions require a some college, no degree to qualify. The program below is the most common academic pathways into this field, ranked by how many graduates they produce each year.
A medium amount of preparation is required, often an associate degree, certificate program, or apprenticeship, plus some related experience.
| # | Program | Graduates/yr | 4yr Median | Colleges |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Accounting | 84,760 | $76,194 | 2,112 |
Colleges offering the degree programs that lead to this career, ranked by UCD Score. A strong program plus solid outcomes is a good place to begin your search.
| # | College | UCD Score | Net Price | Salary 10yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CUNY Bernard M Baruch College New York, NY | 93 | $3,033 | $75,971 |
| 2 | University of Florida Gainesville, FL | 93 | $6,541 | $71,588 |
| 3 | North Florida College Madison, FL | 91 | $804 | $33,929 |
| 4 | Vanderbilt University Nashville, TN | 90 | $15,846 | $91,565 |
| 5 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC | 90 | $11,655 | $72,200 |
| 6 | University of California-Davis Davis, CA | 90 | $14,741 | $80,838 |
Once you've sized up Bookkeeping & Accounting Clerks, these tools turn the numbers into a plan. Estimate the real cost of a degree that leads here, weigh the long-term payoff, compare specific colleges side-by-side, and find programs that match your profile.
See if the degree that leads to Bookkeeping & Accounting Clerks pays off. Weighs each college's cost against the earnings graduates see.
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Bookkeeping & Accounting Clerks has real financial strengths, but declining employment projections deserve careful consideration. The 2 upsides and 2 concerns below are all data-sourced.
The 72 careers projected to shrink through 2034 are not the low-wage ones you would guess. The steepest decliner is payroll clerks, and most still pay well today.
Air traffic controllers earn more than the typical bachelor's-degree career, with an associate degree. The occupations that pay six figures without four years of college.
Group every career by the degree it requires and master's-level jobs pay a median of about $91,000, statistically tied with bachelor's-level work. The premium hides in a few fields.
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