All careers › Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks
Accounting clerk: pay, job outlook and how to become one
- $36,000lowest 10% earn less
- $43,52025th percentile
- $50,670median
- $61,47075th percentile
- $74,550top 10% earn more
The median accounting clerk earned $50,670 a year in May 2025[1]. Employment is projected to fall 5.6% from 2025 to 2035[2].
- Job growth, 2025–35
- -5.6%[2]
- Openings per year
- 144,100[5]
- Typical entry education
- Some college, no degree[6]
How much do accounting clerks make?
BLS counts this job as Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks. The median pay was $50,670 a year, or $24.36 an hour, in May 2025[1]. Half earned more and half earned less[1]. The average was $53,560 a year, or $25.75 an hour[7]. The median for all occupations was $50,980, a little higher[4].
Pay across the range[3]:
| Percentile | Annual pay | Hourly pay |
|---|---|---|
| 10th[3][8] | $36,000 | $17.31 |
| 25th[3][8] | $43,520 | $20.92 |
| 75th[3][8] | $61,470 | $29.55 |
| 90th[3][8] | $74,550 | $35.84 |
The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $36,000[3]. BLS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary[9].
These figures cover about 1,373,680 clerks in wage and salary jobs[10]. They leave out the self-employed and do not include benefits[11].
Pay by state and city
The District of Columbia had the highest median at $65,180[12]. Connecticut followed at $59,970 and Massachusetts at $59,830[12]. Mississippi and Arkansas were at the bottom, both at $42,840[12].
California had the most jobs at 151,870[13]. Texas (122,400), Florida (88,670), New York (84,280) and Illinois (51,470) came next[13].
Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA had the highest median at $66,130[14]. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA followed at $65,530[14]. The New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ area had the most jobs at 77,010, with a median of $60,640[15].
Show median pay in 50 states and DC
| State | Median per year | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia[12] | $65,180 | 1,790 |
| Connecticut | $59,970 | 14,930 |
| Massachusetts | $59,830 | 29,110 |
| California | $59,230 | 151,870 |
| Washington | $58,620 | 32,930 |
| New Jersey | $58,300 | 37,550 |
| New York | $58,160 | 84,280 |
| Alaska | $56,430 | 4,580 |
| Vermont | $54,720 | 2,950 |
| Minnesota | $54,600 | 26,850 |
| Oregon | $54,060 | 21,710 |
| Colorado | $54,000 | 26,140 |
| Maryland | $53,540 | 18,170 |
| Rhode Island | $53,280 | 4,570 |
| New Hampshire | $52,450 | 7,180 |
| Delaware | $51,780 | 4,600 |
| Virginia | $51,620 | 31,990 |
| Arizona | $50,590 | 22,690 |
| Maine | $50,510 | 7,390 |
| Nevada | $50,380 | 15,180 |
| Wisconsin | $50,340 | 25,960 |
| North Dakota | $49,710 | 4,290 |
| Illinois | $49,560 | 51,470 |
| Utah | $49,440 | 12,650 |
| Georgia | $49,350 | 38,700 |
| Florida | $49,330 | 88,670 |
| Michigan | $48,980 | 37,550 |
| Texas | $48,910 | 122,400 |
| Ohio | $48,810 | 45,140 |
| Hawaii | $48,730 | 5,220 |
| Pennsylvania | $48,440 | 48,920 |
| Idaho | $48,310 | 9,540 |
| Iowa | $48,180 | 14,020 |
| Tennessee | $48,180 | 37,680 |
| New Mexico | $48,080 | 7,780 |
| Missouri | $47,990 | 21,400 |
| South Carolina | $47,940 | 19,980 |
| North Carolina | $47,930 | 48,760 |
| Wyoming | $47,910 | 3,480 |
| Indiana | $47,820 | 29,910 |
| Kansas | $47,290 | 15,380 |
| Montana | $47,270 | 6,980 |
| Nebraska | $47,110 | 10,050 |
| Kentucky | $46,550 | 23,480 |
| South Dakota | $46,340 | 10,200 |
| Oklahoma | $46,180 | 16,490 |
| Louisiana | $44,890 | 18,980 |
| Alabama | $44,640 | 19,890 |
| West Virginia | $42,890 | 7,620 |
| Arkansas | $42,840 | 12,510 |
| Mississippi | $42,840 | 12,160 |
How to become an accounting clerk
Entry rules vary by employer. BLS lists some college with no degree as the typical entry education and no related work experience[6].
- First: get a high school diploma. Employers generally prefer candidates who also took college courses in a subject such as accounting[16]. Some employers require or prefer college courses or an accounting degree, while others hire workers with a high school diploma[17].
- Next: learn on the job. Clerks usually train by working with an experienced clerk. Some also get formal training, such as on specialized computer software[18]. BLS lists moderate-term on-the-job training[6].
- Then: consider a certification. It is not usually required, but it can show skill[19].
In an O*NET survey of 37 workers, 41% said a high school diploma or equivalent was the education required, 21% said a post-secondary certificate and 12% said a bachelor's degree[20].
With experience and more education, some clerks become accountants or auditors[21].
What accounting clerks do
O*NET describes the job as computing, sorting and recording numbers to keep financial records complete[22]. Common tasks include[23]:
- Using accounting software to record, store and analyze information
- Checking figures, postings and documents for accuracy and correct codes
- Following federal, state and company rules
- Receiving, recording and banking cash, checks and vouchers
- Figuring amounts due, interest, balances and discounts
- Finding and reporting differences in records
- Doing office work such as filing, phone calls and routine letters
- Looking up financial information to answer questions about accounts
Where accounting clerks work
Clerks usually work in an office. Those who serve several firms may visit client sites. They often work alone but sometimes work with accountants and managers[24]. Professional, scientific, and technical services was the largest employer group, at 14%[25].
Most clerks work full time. Extra hours are possible around fiscal year-end, tax time and audits[26].
Job outlook
Employment is projected to fall 5.6% from 2025 to 2035, from about 1,532,400 to 1,446,800 jobs[2]. All occupations are projected to grow 3.5%[27]. These counts include self-employed workers[2]. BLS lists productivity change as a factor. Automated bookkeeping software lets fewer employees do more of the work[28].
Even so, about 144,100 openings a year are projected[5]. Openings include jobs that open when people retire or change occupations, not only new jobs[5]. Each year, 5.6% of clerks leave the labor force and 4.6% move to a different occupation[29].
Is it a good fit?
Median pay is close to the all-occupations median[1][4]. Entry does not require a degree for every employer[17], and training happens mostly on the job[18]. The main concern in the facts is the projected decline in jobs, linked to software[2][28]. Pay varies by state[12].
Frequently asked questions
- How much does an accounting clerk make an hour?
- The median was $24.36 an hour in May 2025, and the average was $25.75[1][7].
- How much does an accounting clerk make a year?
- The median was $50,670 a year[1]. The 90th percentile was $74,550[3].
- What degree do you need to be an accounting clerk?
- It depends on the employer. Some require or prefer college courses or an accounting degree, and others hire workers with a high school diploma[17].
- What is the highest paying state for accounting clerks?
- The District of Columbia, with a median of $65,180 a year[12].
Facts and sources
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks in the US was $50,670 per year and $24.36 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS Employment Projections: employment of Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks is projected to decline 5.6% from 2025 to 2035, from about 1,532,400 to 1,446,800 jobs (a change of -85,600). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks: 10th percentile $36,000, 25th percentile $43,520, 75th percentile $61,470, 90th percentile $74,550. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS Employment Projections: about 144,100 openings for Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks: education needed for entry: Some college, no degree; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks was $53,560 per year and $25.75 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks: 10th percentile $17.31, 25th percentile $20.92, 75th percentile $29.55, 90th percentile $35.84. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 1,373,680 people were employed as Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage for Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks jobs: California 151,870; Texas 122,400; Florida 88,670; New York 84,280; Illinois 51,470. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks (areas with at least 100 jobs): San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $66,130; San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $65,530; New Haven, CT $62,890; Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA $61,960; Napa, CA $61,710; Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT $61,390; Vallejo, CA $61,180; Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA $61,140. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks jobs: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 77,010 (median $60,640); Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 53,910 (median $58,590); Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN 35,660 (median $51,440); Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 34,930 (median $51,720); Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX 26,090 (median $49,460); Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 25,910 (median $50,300). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Training. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- O*NET 43-3031.00 survey of workers (37 respondents), education level they say is required: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) 41%, Post-Secondary Certificate 21%, Bachelor's Degree 12%, Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree 9%, Master's Degree 7%, Less than a High School Diploma 6% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Advancement. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- O*NET description of Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks. O*NET OnLine
- O*NET task list for Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks. O*NET OnLine
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, largest employers of bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks in 2025: Professional, scientific, and technical services 14%. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS Employment Projections, factor affecting employment of Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks: Productivity change - share decreases as automated bookkeeping software will allow more bookkeeping work to be done by fewer employees. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks: 5.6% of workers leave the labor force each year and 4.6% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
- Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.