Bookkeeping, Accounting, & Auditing Clerks Career Guide: Training and Employment Facts

Bookkeeping, accounting, & auditing clerks are experts at keeping track of information, calculations, analyzing data or all of the above. They are also computer savvy, well educated, and they have excellent communication skills. Their jobs require constant communication with everything from bank employees to government agencies. Bookkeeping, accounting, & auditing clerks keep track of information, calculate, and analyze data for accounting firms, payroll services, government departments and corporate offices. Some work for small firms and businesses while others may work for monster corporations.

The future of bookkeeping, accounting, & auditing clerks is not uncertain. It's actually pretty clear. Even with advanced software that may appear to do everything bookkeeping, accounting, & auditing clerks can do, most organizations still have a strong need for human workers. In fact, the bookkeeping, accounting, & auditing clerk industry is expected to grow by nearly 13% between now and 2016. According to Collegedegreereport.com, the field employs 2,046,000 workers. This figure is expected to grow to 2,377,000 by 2016.

Stability is something most workers of today look for in a career and a company. For most, this takes priority over pay. This doesn't mean worker's don't want to get paid, it just means they want to know that they will earn X amount of dollars a year for many, many years to come. Fortunately, bookkeeping, accounting, & auditing clerks enjoy a competitive salary on top of stability. On the high end, these professionals earn $46,020 and bookkeeping, accounting, & auditing clerks in the mid-range earn around $31,560 per year. Entry-level bookkeeping, accounting, & auditing clerks without a degree typically earn $19,760 per year.

To become a bookkeeping, accounting, & auditing clerks, it will take 4 years of study at an accredited university or college Although a degree is not necessarily required for to become a bookkeeping, accounting, & auditing clerk, most employers prefer candidates with an associate, bachelor's or master's degree. Certificates are acceptable as well, but it is important to note that candidates with an associate degree or higher typically have more and better opportunities than non-degreed candidates. Here are the facts: 2.2% of all bookkeeping, accounting & auditing clerks have a master's degree, 15.8% have a bachelor's degree, 16.4% have an associate degree, and 29% have a certificate.

Working bookkeeping, accounting, & auditing clerks should also consider obtaining certification from the American Institute of Professional Bookkeepers. You have to have at least two years in the field under your belt and a passing score on several examinations to obtain the Certified Bookkeeper (CB) designation. This will help attract higher paying positions and more responsibility.

When you are ready to begin training for a career as a bookkeeping, accounting, or auditing clerk, you should search for an accredited program in business or accounting.

Resources:

Bookkeeping, Accounting, & Auditing Clerk Careers: Employment & Salary Trends for Aspiring Bookkeeping, Accounting, & Auditing Clerks - Career guide from Collegedegreereport.com

http://www.bls.gov/ - Official Website of The United States Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics

Bookkeeping, Accounting, & Auditing Clerks - Career, Salary & Employment Info - Salary statistics and employment numbers by city and state, from Collegedegreereport.com