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Bookkeeper

💰 Earn $47K-$67K
📚 Some College
⏱️ 12–24 Month Training
📈 -5.8% Job Growth
  • Ideal for detail-oriented individuals who enjoy working with numbers and data.
  • Ensure financial accuracy and compliance, impacting business success and growth.
  • Use advanced accounting software to streamline financial processes and analysis.
Bookkeeper
What Bookkeepers DoCompute, 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.
  • 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.
Bookkeepers Education, Salary, and Growth
Minimum EducationSome College
Career ProspectsRisky (Decreasing by 5% or more)
Training Time1 to 2 years
Job Openings170,000 Annually
Median Earnings
$57,470 in California
$49,210 Nationally

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Real Talk Reel

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Is This Career Right For You?
YOU Like
  • Influencing or leading others
  • Using data or completing tasks
you value
  • Accomplishing things
  • Having support
  • Personal relationships
you are skilled in
  • Active Listening
  • Service Orientation
  • Social Perceptiveness
  • Speaking
  • Reading Comprehension
Go Deeper: Bookkeepers Explained
BookkeeperExplore career pathways, key skills, and what each role has to offer.
How Do You Train for This Career?

Learn about the education and training paths that can lead to this career — and what to expect from each one.

Vocational SchoolA vocational school typically equips students with specialized skills and practical training in specific trades or occupations, enhancing their employability and providing direct pathways to relevant careers.
🎓 Skills-Focused
⏱️ Finish in 6 months - 2 years
Associate's DegreeAn associate's degree typically provides graduates with foundational knowledge and skills for entry-level jobs in the graduate's industry, or serves as a stepping stone towards further education.
🎓 College
⏱️ Finish in 2-3 years
Bachelor's DegreeA bachelor's degree typically results in increased knowledge about a variety of academic subjects, specialized knowledge in a focused field of study, and is considered the foundational qualification for many careers.
🎓 College
⏱️ Finish in 4-5+ years
Hybrid CollegeA hybrid college combines online learning with the student support typically offered on college campuses, giving students flexibility and accessibility while still providing a comprehensive educational experience.
🎓 College
⏱️ Finish in 2-5 years
ApprenticeshipAn apprenticeship typically offers a combination of hands-on training and classroom instruction, leading to practical skills, industry-specific knowledge, and the potential for long-term employment in a specific trade or profession.
🎓 Paid Work
⏱️ Finish in 2-5 years
Workforce Development ProgramA workforce development program typically enhances participants' opportunities to succeed in the workforce through employment skill-building, career counseling, connections to employers, and pathways to high-demand and high-wage jobs.
🎓 Skills-Focused
⏱️ Finish in 6 months - 2 years
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What Are Similar Careers?

Updated April 2026. Data sourced from O*NET and Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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Bookkeeper | Explore this Career