Bookkeeping Clerk
Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks compute, classify, and record data to help organizations keep complete and accurate financial records.
What the job is
- The work
- Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks compute, classify, and record data to help organizations keep complete and accurate financial records.
BLS
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks — Summary (Quick Facts)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)- Checked
- 20 Oct 2026
- Work environment
- Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks usually work in an office setting. Most work full time.
BLS
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks — Summary (Quick Facts)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)- Checked
- 20 Oct 2026
- Good fit for
- Careful, organised people who like numbers, spreadsheets and getting records exactly right.
- Career cluster
- Financial Services
Key numbers
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, pay for May 2025 (bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks).
- Median pay
- $50,670 a year ($24.36 an hour)
BLS
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks — Summary (Quick Facts)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)- Checked
- 20 Oct 2026
- Jobs in 2025
- 1,532,400
- Typical entry
- Some college, no degree
- Training after hire
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
Job outlook, 2025–35
- Projected growth
- −6%, which BLS calls "decline"
BLS
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks — Summary (Quick Facts)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)- Checked
- 20 Oct 2026
- Jobs added
- −85,600 over 2025–35
- All U.S. jobs
- 3.5% over the same period, for comparison
How to become one
- The usual route
- Entry requirements vary for bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks. Some employers require or prefer that workers have taken college courses or have a degree in accounting or a related field. Others may hire workers who have a high school diploma. These workers also learn some of their skills on the job.
BLS
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks — Summary (Quick Facts)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)- Checked
- 20 Oct 2026
- In short
- Entry requirements vary: some employers want college courses or a degree in accounting, others hire with a high school diploma. Clerks learn on the job; no license is required, and certification is optional.
- License
- None required; certification optional
- Paying for it
- File the FAFSA (opens by October 1) for grants, work-study and federal loans; a Pell Grant pays up to $7,395 a year (2026–27). Average public four-year tuition and fees: $11,950 in-state vs $31,880 out-of-state (2025–26). Residency rules and regional discounts · Save with 2+2 transfer
- Your state
-
StateChoose a state
- AlabamaState guide
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- ArkansasState guide
- CaliforniaState guide
- ColoradoState guide
- ConnecticutState guide
- DelawareState guide
- District of ColumbiaState guide
- FloridaState guide
- GeorgiaState guide
- HawaiiState guide
- IdahoState guide
- IllinoisState guide
- IndianaState guide
- IowaState guide
- KansasState guide
- KentuckyState guide
- LouisianaState guide
- MaineState guide
- MarylandState guide
- MassachusettsState guide
- MichiganState guide
- MinnesotaState guide
- MississippiState guide
- MissouriState guide
- MontanaState guide
- NebraskaState guide
- NevadaState guide
- New HampshireState guide
- New JerseyState guide
- New MexicoState guide
- New YorkState guide
- North CarolinaState guide
- North DakotaState guide
- OhioState guide
- OklahomaState guide
- OregonState guide
- PennsylvaniaState guide
- Rhode IslandState guide
- South CarolinaState guide
- South DakotaState guide
- TennesseeState guide
- TexasState guide
- UtahState guide
- VermontState guide
- VirginiaState guide
- WashingtonState guide
- West VirginiaState guide
- WisconsinState guide
- WyomingState guide
Step-by-step roadmap
The routes step by step, the exam gates and the state license step are on one page.
Bookkeeping, accounting or auditing clerk: college courses, on-the-job training, then accountant
See the roadmap
Route 1: Diploma + accounting courses → on-the-job training · Route 2: Clerk → accountant or auditor
More careers in Financial Services
Open the cluster hubEvery career page in this cluster, with entry, license, pay and outlook side by side.
Every number links to the BLS page it came from, checked 20 Oct 2026. Education Margdarshan does not recommend paid courses.