Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $36,000 | $17.31 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $50,670 | $24.36 |
| Mean (average) | $53,560 | $25.75 |
| 90th percentile | $74,550 | $35.84 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 54 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $44,640 | $30,460 | $60,250 | 19,890 | 1.07 |
| Alaska | $56,430 | $40,000 | $76,800 | 4,580 | 1.59 |
| Arizona | $50,590 | $37,440 | $68,170 | 22,690 | 0.79 |
| Arkansas | $42,840 | $28,130 | $62,230 | 12,510 | 1.09 |
| California | $59,230 | $41,600 | $81,990 | 151,870 | 0.94 |
| Colorado | $54,000 | $37,250 | $77,540 | 26,140 | 1.03 |
| Connecticut | $59,970 | $43,450 | $81,740 | 14,930 | 1 |
| Delaware | $51,780 | $38,130 | $71,410 | 4,600 | 1.07 |
| District of Columbia | $65,180 | $47,140 | $94,320 | 1,790 | 0.29 |
| Florida | $49,330 | $36,680 | $72,260 | 88,670 | 1.01 |
| Georgia | $49,350 | $32,810 | $71,810 | 38,700 | 0.9 |
| Guam | $33,280 | $23,470 | $48,190 | 880 | 1.49 |
| Hawaii | $48,730 | $35,760 | $65,090 | 5,220 | 0.94 |
| Idaho | $48,310 | $34,690 | $72,870 | 9,540 | 1.26 |
| Illinois | $49,560 | $32,360 | $71,480 | 51,470 | 0.96 |
| Indiana | $47,820 | $33,010 | $66,960 | 29,910 | 1.06 |
| Iowa | $48,180 | $33,240 | $66,490 | 14,020 | 1.02 |
| Kansas | $47,290 | $32,130 | $64,130 | 15,380 | 1.21 |
| Kentucky | $46,550 | $30,090 | $66,930 | 23,480 | 1.33 |
| Louisiana | $44,890 | $28,760 | $65,220 | 18,980 | 1.11 |
| Maine | $50,510 | $40,000 | $69,990 | 7,390 | 1.31 |
| Maryland | $53,540 | $39,500 | $75,600 | 18,170 | 0.74 |
| Massachusetts | $59,830 | $40,760 | $81,080 | 29,110 | 0.91 |
| Michigan | $48,980 | $36,250 | $67,480 | 37,550 | 0.97 |
| Minnesota | $54,600 | $37,800 | $73,450 | 26,850 | 1.03 |
| Mississippi | $42,840 | $28,210 | $62,390 | 12,160 | 1.18 |
| Missouri | $47,990 | $34,570 | $68,180 | 21,400 | 0.83 |
| Montana | $47,270 | $34,270 | $63,980 | 6,980 | 1.54 |
| Nebraska | $47,110 | $33,060 | $62,460 | 10,050 | 1.11 |
| Nevada | $50,380 | $36,650 | $71,890 | 15,180 | 1.11 |
| New Hampshire | $52,450 | $36,400 | $72,260 | 7,180 | 1.19 |
| New Jersey | $58,300 | $41,000 | $78,910 | 37,550 | 0.99 |
| New Mexico | $48,080 | $35,660 | $70,890 | 7,780 | 1.01 |
| New York | $58,160 | $39,880 | $81,990 | 84,280 | 0.98 |
| North Carolina | $47,930 | $33,710 | $67,290 | 48,760 | 1.12 |
| North Dakota | $49,710 | $37,340 | $66,040 | 4,290 | 1.13 |
| Ohio | $48,810 | $36,110 | $67,330 | 45,140 | 0.92 |
| Oklahoma | $46,180 | $31,530 | $66,100 | 16,490 | 1.09 |
| Oregon | $54,060 | $37,750 | $74,600 | 21,710 | 1.25 |
| Pennsylvania | $48,440 | $34,960 | $69,570 | 48,920 | 0.91 |
| Puerto Rico | $28,700 | $22,900 | $44,830 | 6,650 | 0.8 |
| Rhode Island | $53,280 | $39,880 | $76,210 | 4,570 | 1.03 |
| South Carolina | $47,940 | $33,370 | $68,870 | 19,980 | 0.98 |
| South Dakota | $46,340 | $35,730 | $59,140 | 10,200 | 2.52 |
| Tennessee | $48,180 | $35,000 | $67,730 | 37,680 | 1.3 |
| Texas | $48,910 | $33,480 | $72,810 | 122,400 | 0.98 |
| Utah | $49,440 | $35,910 | $66,580 | 12,650 | 0.82 |
| Vermont | $54,720 | $41,720 | $74,970 | 2,950 | 1.1 |
| Virgin Islands | $46,490 | $31,490 | $66,150 | 280 | 0.99 |
| Virginia | $51,620 | $36,610 | $72,860 | 31,990 | 0.88 |
| Washington | $58,620 | $45,070 | $77,630 | 32,930 | 1.05 |
| West Virginia | $42,890 | $30,890 | $58,560 | 7,620 | 1.23 |
| Wisconsin | $50,340 | $36,350 | $65,460 | 25,960 | 1 |
| Wyoming | $47,910 | $33,850 | $67,710 | 3,480 | 1.4 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 144,100. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 5.6%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks
- Typical entry education
- Some college, no degree
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Accounting Technology/Technician and Bookkeeping CIP 52.0302
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- 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.
- Code documents according to company procedures.
- Perform financial calculations, such as amounts due, interest charges, balances, discounts, equity, and principal.
- Reconcile or note and report discrepancies found in records.
Technology skills
- Intuit QuickBooks (in demand)
- Microsoft Excel (in demand)
- Microsoft Office software (in demand)
- Microsoft Outlook (in demand)
- SAP software (in demand)
- Adobe Acrobat (hot technology)
- Epic Systems (hot technology)
- Google Docs (hot technology)
- MEDITECH software (hot technology)
- Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Microsoft Project (hot technology)
- Microsoft SharePoint (hot technology)
- Microsoft Windows (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Oracle Database (hot technology)
Transferable skills for career changers: Time Management, Coordination, Service Orientation, Complex Problem Solving, Social Perceptiveness, Judgment and Decision Making.
Common job titles: Account Clerk, Accounting Assistant, Accounting Associate, Accounting Clerk, Accounting Specialist, Accounting Technician, Accounts Payable Clerk, Accounts Payable Specialist, Accounts Payables Clerk, Accounts Receivable Clerk.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks make?
The national median annual wage for bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks was $50,670 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $36,000 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $74,550. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks need?
BLS lists some college, no degree as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and moderate-term on-the-job training on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks a growing career?
BLS projects employment of bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks to change -5.6% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 144,100 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were District of Columbia ($65,180), Connecticut ($59,970), Massachusetts ($59,830). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.