A bookkeeper or accountant who chooses to work independently as a consultant or freelancer may benefit from business-related courses. If this is your chosen career path, you can earn a small-business management certificate to learn how to operate your own business. Bookkeepers and accounting clerks are responsible for basic financial reporting. They record income and expenses, or credits and debits, in a company’s financial accounts, also known as the general ledger, the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported. Bookkeeper is a similar occupation to accountant, but there are several differences between bookkeepers and accountants. A proper financial data management system can provide valuable, actionable insights and prevent problems, such as skimming fraud.
Have an Understanding of Basic Accounting Principles
- Today, he works as a multimedia specialist at University of Phoenix where he covers a variety of topics ranging from healthcare to IT.
- This credential requires an application to pass the Uniform CBVA Examination.
- These courses are usually offered by companies that specialize in training.
- Bookkeepers earned a median wage of $47,440 in 2023, according to the BLS.
- Students with eligible credits and relevant experience on average saved $11k and 1 year off their undergraduate degree with University of Phoenix.
Because of these factors, advancing your bookkeeping career to a role in accounting can be advantageous. For instance, the job outlook for accountants and auditors has a 6 percent growth rate from 2021 to 2031. The median salary for these roles is also higher than for bookkeepers at $77,250 per year 4. You can learn bookkeeping for free and at a low cost through online courses. These income summary courses focus on bookkeeping fundamentals to help improve bookkeeping knowledge and skills.
Enroll in a Bookkeeping Course or Program
The salary ranges are not specific to students or graduates of University of Phoenix. Actual outcomes vary based on multiple factors, including prior work experience, geographic location and other factors specific to the individual. University of Phoenix does not guarantee employment, salary level or career advancement. Information for a specific state/city can be researched on the BLS website. In addition to working for corporations or businesses, accountants often find employment with financial firms, insurance agencies, auditing companies and government entities.
Key Hard Skills for Bookkeepers
Bookkeepers assist with maintaining records and analyzing companies’ law firm chart of accounts financial health. Professionals may perform multiple tasks, including record-keeping, cash flow management, and payroll. Accounting department employees should have generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) knowledge, logic, and the ability to pay attention to details. QuickBooks Live connects bookkeepers with small businesses that need help doing their books.
- Bookkeepers and accountants can learn specialized skills as they progress through their degree programs and gain on-the-job experience.
- Accredited institutions ensure that the curriculum meets industry standards and that employers recognize the value of your education.
- The earning potential for bookkeepers can vary based on factors such as education, experience, location, and industry.
- Engage in activities that require you to analyze data, identify patterns, and make logical deductions.
- Learn more about what bookkeepers do and how to get started in this career.
- Accounting is one of the most popular careers for bookkeepers because it provides many opportunities to learn new skills.
Why Pursue a Degree for a Bookkeeper Career?
When it comes to tracking financial data for a business, it’s important to understand the key differences between bookkeeping and accounting. Bookkeepers focus what degree do you need to be a bookkeeper on the day-to-day record-keeping of a company’s financial transactions such as sales, receipts, and payments. On the other hand, accounting is a broader field that encompasses bookkeeping tasks but also involves analyzing and interpreting financial data.
