Bookkeepers
Overview
Bookkeepers are the financial record-keepers who help businesses track their money by recording transactions, managing accounts, and creating important financial reports like balance sheets and income statements. They use specialized software, spreadsheets, and databases to enter financial data, check for accuracy, and make sure everything balances correctly. This detail-oriented job requires strong math skills and attention to accuracy, and you can often work in various industries or even remotely. Many bookkeepers start with a high school diploma and learn through on-the-job training or community college courses in accounting.

Did you know?
Most American employers prefer candidates with an associate degree in accounting or related field, and obtaining certifications like QuickBooks ProAdvisor can significantly enhance job prospects.
At a Glance
Median Wage
$49,010.59 Avg/yr
Growth
Stable
Top Skill
Management of Material Resources
Key Responsibilities
- Receive, record, and bank cash, checks, and vouchers.
- Access computerized financial information to answer general questions as well as those related to specific accounts.
- Prepare purchase orders and expense reports.
- Compile budget data and documents, based on estimated revenues and expenses and previous budgets.
- Match order forms with invoices, and record the necessary information.
- Operate 10-key calculators, typewriters, and copy machines to perform calculations and produce documents.
- Maintain inventory records.
- Debit, credit, and total accounts on computer spreadsheets and databases, using specialized accounting software.
- Calculate, prepare, and issue bills, invoices, account statements, and other financial statements according to established procedures.
- Compile statistical, financial, accounting, or auditing reports and tables pertaining to such matters as cash receipts, expenditures, accounts payable and receivable, and profits and losses.
- Complete and submit tax forms and returns, workers' compensation forms, pension contribution forms, and other government documents.
- Perform financial calculations, such as amounts due, interest charges, balances, discounts, equity, and principal.
- Code documents according to company procedures.
- Operate computers programmed with accounting software to record, store, and analyze information.
- Calculate and prepare checks for utilities, taxes, and other payments.
- Prepare bank deposits by compiling data from cashiers, verifying and balancing receipts, and sending cash, checks, or other forms of payment to banks.
- Reconcile records of bank transactions.
- Comply with federal, state, and company policies, procedures, and regulations.
- Classify, record, and summarize numerical and financial data to compile and keep financial records, using journals and ledgers or computers.
- Monitor status of loans and accounts to ensure that payments are up to date.
- Prepare trial balances of books.
- Check figures, postings, and documents for correct entry, mathematical accuracy, and proper codes.
- Perform general office duties, such as filing, answering telephones, and handling routine correspondence.
- Reconcile or note and report discrepancies found in records.
- Calculate costs of materials, overhead, and other expenses, based on estimates, quotations and price lists.
- Prepare and process payroll information.
- Transfer details from separate journals to general ledgers or data processing sheets.
- Compare computer printouts to manually maintained journals to determine if they match.
Career Considerations
Educational Requirements and Certifications
Most American employers prefer candidates with an associate degree in accounting or related field, and obtaining certifications like QuickBooks ProAdvisor can significantly enhance job prospects.
Technology Proficiency
Proficiency in accounting software such as QuickBooks, Excel, and cloud-based financial systems is essential as American businesses increasingly rely on digital financial management tools.
Career Advancement Opportunities
The role serves as a stepping stone to higher-level accounting positions like Staff Accountant or Bookkeeper, with potential salary growth from $35,000 to $50,000+ annually in most American markets.