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Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks: Career Profile
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.
What Do Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks Take On?
The day-to-day responsibilities of bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks span:
- Operate computers programmed with accounting software to record, store, and analyze information.
- Check figures, postings, and documents for correct entry, mathematical accuracy, and proper codes.
- 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.
- Code documents according to company procedures.
- Perform financial calculations, such as amounts due, interest charges, balances, discounts, equity, and principal.
- Reconcile or note and report discrepancies found in records.
Skills and Knowledge
Top bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks combine a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Top Skills
The abilities that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Related Job Titles
This career also goes by job titles like:
- Account Administrator
- Account Clerk
- Account Information Clerk
- Account Receivable Clerk
- Accountant Assistant
- Accountant Clerk
- Accountant Helper
- Accounting Assistant
How Many Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks Are There?
There are roughly 1,490,368 bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to grow by +13.5% over the projection horizon.
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks Pay
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $63,707 |
| Hourly median | $30.63 |
| 10th percentile | $38,496 |
| 25th percentile | $51,102 |
| 75th percentile | $76,313 |
| 90th percentile | $88,918 |
Pay can vary substantially based on experience, location, and industry.
Pay by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $62,470 |
| California | $57,470 |
| Connecticut | $57,290 |
| Massachusetts | $57,120 |
| New Jersey | $56,730 |
| Washington | $56,580 |
| New York | $55,880 |
| Alaska | $54,510 |
| Maryland | $54,080 |
| Colorado | $54,080 |
| Rhode Island | $53,730 |
| Minnesota | $52,350 |
| Delaware | $51,590 |
| Vermont | $51,510 |
| New Hampshire | $50,410 |
| Oregon | $50,180 |
| Maine | $49,510 |
| Nevada | $49,500 |
| Arizona | $49,030 |
| Wisconsin | $48,860 |
| Illinois | $48,840 |
| Virginia | $48,680 |
| Hawaii | $48,400 |
| North Dakota | $48,260 |
| Texas | $48,250 |
| Utah | $48,210 |
| Florida | $47,980 |
| Michigan | $47,680 |
| Georgia | $47,490 |
| Ohio | $47,430 |
| Pennsylvania | $47,390 |
| Iowa | $47,150 |
| Missouri | $46,990 |
| Indiana | $46,880 |
| Idaho | $46,690 |
| North Carolina | $46,640 |
| New Mexico | $46,610 |
| Tennessee | $46,540 |
| South Carolina | $46,300 |
| Nebraska | $46,140 |
| Kansas | $45,920 |
| Wyoming | $45,810 |
| Virgin Islands | $45,760 |
| Montana | $45,600 |
| Kentucky | $45,260 |
| South Dakota | $44,780 |
| Oklahoma | $44,480 |
| Louisiana | $43,550 |
| Alabama | $42,490 |
| West Virginia | $40,080 |
| Arkansas | $40,070 |
| Mississippi | $40,070 |
| Guam | $30,890 |
| Puerto Rico | $26,870 |
Pay by U.S. Region
Compensation for bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks vary by region. Top regions by median wage:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $55,905 | 16.3% | 0.99 |
| New England | $55,029 | 4.8% | 1.01 |
| Middle Atlantic | $53,681 | 14.7% | 0.98 |
| Rocky Mountains | $49,918 | 4.1% | 1.06 |
| Great Lakes | $47,988 | 13.6% | 0.96 |
| Plains States | $47,943 | 7.4% | 1.17 |
| Southwest | $47,906 | 12.4% | 0.99 |
| Southeast | $46,263 | 26.2% | 1.08 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $64,480 | 17,670 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $64,340 | 7,750 |
| Napa, CA | CA | $60,720 | 690 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | CA | $60,220 | 1,030 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | CA | $59,950 | 2,220 |
| Vallejo, CA | CA | $59,440 | 1,210 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | NY | $59,170 | 87,860 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | CA | $58,650 | 1,800 |
Which Industries Hire Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks
The largest employers of bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks are concentrated in the following sectors:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 211,760 | $50,180 |
| Construction | 129,360 | $51,670 |
| Wholesale Trade | 116,260 | $48,810 |
| Retail Trade | 114,210 | $45,030 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 104,870 | $48,810 |
| Manufacturing | 96,350 | $50,590 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 94,010 | $48,560 |
| Finance and Insurance | 85,770 | $49,570 |
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks work in the following industries:
Software Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks Use
- Document management software: Adobe Acrobat (hot technology)
- Medical software: Epic Systems (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Google Docs (hot technology)
- Accounting software: Intuit QuickBooks (hot technology)
- Medical software: MEDITECH software (hot technology)
- Data base user interface and query software: Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Project management software: Microsoft Project (hot technology)
- Document management software: Microsoft SharePoint (hot technology)
What the Workplace Is Like
The on-the-job environment of bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks is shaped by the following characteristics:
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Telephone Conversations
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
- Importance of Repeating Same Tasks
Education and Training
Entry-level bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. This occupation sits in Medium Preparation Needed (Job Zone 3), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.
Other Careers to Consider
Similar Occupations
- Financial Managers (Supplemental)
- Accountants and Auditors (Supplemental)
- Credit Analysts (Supplemental)
- Loan Officers (Supplemental)
- Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents (Supplemental)
- Tax Preparers (Supplemental)
- Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents (Supplemental)
- Bill and Account Collectors (Supplemental)
About the Data
Statistics shown above are sourced from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 43-3031.00 (Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks).
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