How to be a bookkeeeper and make over $35,000 a year

Should I be a bookkeeper?

Before you decide to be a bookkeeper, ask yourself the questions below to see if it is actually a good career choice for you.

• Are you extremely (and I mean REALLY) detail-oriented?
• Do you have a love affair with numbers and wouldn’t mind working with them all day, every day?
• Are you computer savvy?

If you can answer “yes” to all of these questions honestly, then you may have a little bookkeeper in you.

How do I become a bookkeeper?

Although a degree is not required to become a bookkeeper it will give you the knowledge you need and open doors for you when you are first starting out. Some schools offer Certificates or Diplomas in bookkeeping, which will you give you the basics that you need. An Associate’s degree in Business, Finance, or Accounting is another good option, which will give you the basics and then some.

During your training, you should learn how to use financial software packages, such as Quicken or Peachtree. Bookkeeping is becoming way more automated using these systems so it is important to know the tools that will make your job easier! If you are not familiar with either of these, make sure you learn this knowledge before you hit the job market.

What is the difference between a bookkeeper and an accountant?

Some use the term Bookkeeper and Accountant interchangeably but there is definitely a difference in the two. Bookkeepers generally “keep the books” by entering business transactions, paying bills, processing payroll, etc. Accountants generally monitor this cycle, interpret what it all means, create the financial statements, etc.

Some small businesses have a full-charge bookkeeper who can do it all, from entering the data into the financial software to preparing the financial statements. Since these employees are performing all the duties they sometimes refer to themselves as accountants.

What do bookkeepers do?

The reason for a bookkeeper’s existence is to keep the books in pristine order. Your typical day would require you to track down the transactions that have occurred so you can then enter these into the books or software. Make sure everything balances, if it doesn’t be prepared to work on it until it does! You should not be surprised to spend a lot of time in front of the computer, dealing with numbers and the people who you need numbers from.

Some businesses have several bookkeepers with different duties, such as Accounts Payable Clerk and Accounts Receivable Clerk. These are more specialized positions that will only work in their particular area. While it is great to be specialized, full-charge bookkeepers have the highest demand since they can perform the most duties.

What is the average salary for bookkeepers?

According to Salary.com the average salary for bookkeepers is $36,416.

Helpful bookkeeping links

American Institute of Professional Bookkeepers
Certified Bookkeeper Program

Is bookkeeping for you? Let one of our experienced College Search Advisors help you find schools to begin your new career as a bookkeeper.