Bookkeeping Degrees and Programs

At the heart of any business is its numbers. Bookkeepers account for all money coming in and going out and keep the financial books balanced. The day-to-day activities of bookkeepers might include:

• Adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing
• Using computerized bookkeeping programs
• Maintaining clerical bookkeeping records
• Communicating with employers and employees about records

Different organizations have different bookkeeping needs. Online companies often use online bookkeeping services. Larger organizations can be better served by payroll bookkeeping services or might employ their own payroll bookkeepers. Whether you're an online bookkeeper or you work on site, certain traits make you more compatible for the job, including skills in:

• Numbers
• Organization
• Details
• Integrity

What You Should Know About Bookkeeping

While skills mentioned above, combined with a high school diploma, can get you started in some bookkeeping careers, some employers require bookkeepers to have bookkeeping degrees, such as an associate's degrees accounting. Courses in math, bookkeeping computer software, and accounting can help prepare you for the job market. Classes and experience can help you advance to such positions as double entry bookkeeper and clerical bookkeeper. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicts average job growth for bookkeepers, about 10 percent, between 2008 and 2018. But the breadth of the occupation should create large numbers of jobs: an estimated 212,400 over the next decade. According to the BLS, the 2009 median annual salary for bookkeepers was $33,450, with the top earners working for the Post Office (mean wage: $56,430) and the Securities and Commodity Exchanges (mean wage: $45,670).