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Careers›Roles›Accounting Bookkeeper
Mid-Level

Accounting Bookkeeper

You record financial transactions and maintain the books that businesses depend on. From processing payments and receipts to reconciling bank statements and generating reports, you're keeping the detailed records that accountants use for taxes, audits, and financial statements.

Accounting Bookkeeper pay typically runs $41K–$60K at this level, and jobs in this field are projected to shrink 6% through 2034.

Career Level
Junior
Mid
Senior
Director
VP
Executive
Work Personality
C
E
I
R
S
A
Conventionalorganizing, detail-oriented
Enterprisingleading, persuading
Based on Holland Code framework
Industries that often hire Accounting Bookkeepers
Professional Services · 15%Construction · 9%Wholesale & Distribution · 8%Retail · 8%Healthcare · 7%Manufacturing · 7%
Job markets for Accounting Bookkeepers
Where Accounting Bookkeeper jobs concentrate · ~393 metro areas
Based on employment in related occupations
Mapped SOC categories:
Finance
BLS Occupational Employment Statistics
Jump to:What it's likeCareer pathsBy the numbers

While you’re learning about the Accounting Bookkeeper role, anything we can help you with this week?

What it's like

What it's like to be an Accounting Bookkeeper

As an Accounting Bookkeeper, your day typically involves maintaining day-to-day financial records for a business. You're recording transactions, reconciling bank statements, processing payroll, managing accounts payable and receivable, and keeping the books current and accurate — ensuring that all the financial activity gets properly documented.

The collaboration often centers on working with business owners or accounting managers who rely on your records for decision-making and reporting. You're coordinating with vendors about invoices, communicating with customers about payments, working with accountants or CPAs at month-end or tax time, and sometimes training others on proper documentation procedures.

What's harder than expected is often the responsibility for accuracy when mistakes create real problems. If you miscategorize expenses or miss transactions, it affects financial reporting, tax filings, and business decisions. Small businesses often have less formal processes, so you're creating order from messy documentation. The variety is both interesting and challenging — you're handling multiple functions that larger companies spread across specialized roles. People who thrive here tend to enjoy systematic financial work, can stay organized without elaborate systems, and find satisfaction in being the person who keeps financial records accurate and current.

What people in this role value
SupportAbove avg
RelationshipsModerate
AchievementLower
Working ConditionsLower
IndependenceLower
RecognitionLower
O*NET Work Values survey
✦ Editorial — written by Truest from industry research and career patterns

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Career Paths

Where this role sits in the broader career landscape — and where it can take you.

Earning potential across this track
$239K$179K$119K$60K$0KLower paying386 metro areas, sorted by salary level
All experience levels1
This level's estimated range
INDUSTRIES PAYING ABOVE AVERAGE
Energy & Utilities$94K+10%
Technology & Information$94K+9%
Professional Services$92K+7%
Financial Services$83K-3%
Government$82K-4%
Compared to Finance average across all industries
1 BLS OEWS May 2024 covers all Accounting Bookkeepers (SOC 43-3031.00), not just this title · BEA RPP 2023
* Top salaries exceed this figure. BLS caps reported wages at ~$240K to protect individual privacy in high-earning roles.
Related rolesExplore Finance →
Accounting BookkeeperPayroll BookkeeperDocument ProcessorBudget ClerkBooking ClerkTyping BookkeeperLedger PosterFinancial Processing ClerkAccountant ClerkAccount ClerkComputer BookkeeperAccounts Payable CoordinatorAccounting AssistantSafekeeping ClerkTrust Vault ClerkAccountant AssistantRevenue Audit ClerkDividend Deposit Voucher ClerkCost Accounting ClerkCheck ClerkReturned Item ClerkDaily Sales Audit ClerkClassification AnalystFixed Capital ClerkFinancial Specialist+1 more

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✦ Editorial — career progression and interview guidance based on industry patterns
The Broader Landscape

Roles like this one sit within a broader occupational category. The numbers below reflect that full landscape — helpful for context, but your specific experience will depend on level, specialty, and where you work.

$35K–$73K
Salary Range
10th – 90th percentile
1.5M
U.S. Employment
-5.8%
10yr Growth
170K
Annual Openings

How Accounting Bookkeeper pay & employment are changing

$77K$74K$72K$69K$66K201920202021202220232024$66K$77K
BLS OEWS May 2024 · BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034

Skills & Requirements

MathematicsCritical ThinkingActive ListeningReading ComprehensionWritingSpeakingMonitoringTime ManagementService OrientationCoordination
O*NET OnLine · Bureau of Labor Statistics
Mapped SOC Codes
43-3031.00

Explore related roles

Roles with similar work and overlapping career paths

directorAccounting Director$114KjuniorJunior Accounting Bookkeeper$49KmidPayroll Bookkeeper$55KseniorSenior Accounts Payable Specialist$49KmidDocument Processor$58KmidBudget Clerk$49K
View all Finance roles →

Common questions about what it's like to be an Accounting Bookkeeper

What does an Accounting Bookkeeper do?

You record financial transactions and maintain the books that businesses depend on. From processing payments and receipts to reconciling bank statements and generating reports, you're keeping the detailed records that accountants use for taxes, audits, and financial statements.

How much does an Accounting Bookkeeper make?

Median pay for an Accounting Bookkeeper is about $49K nationally, with the field ranging roughly from $35K to $73K depending on experience, employer, and metro (BLS).

What skills does an Accounting Bookkeeper need?

Core skills for this role include Mathematics, Critical Thinking, Active Listening, Reading Comprehension, and Writing.

What education do you need to be an Accounting Bookkeeper?

Most people in this role hold a high school diploma.

Is an Accounting Bookkeeper in demand?

Employment in this field is projected to decline about 5.8% through 2034, with roughly 1.5 million people working in it today (BLS).

What jobs are similar to an Accounting Bookkeeper?

Closely related roles include Accounting Director, Junior Accounting Bookkeeper, and Payroll Bookkeeper.

Career advice

Accounting Bookkeeper career advice

Do one small thing to grow in your career this week. Pick one of these; each comes with the words to use.

  • Simple exerciseUnderstand the business you work in, and see where your work fits.Understand how your company makes money
  • Micro habitLeaving work at work over the weekend, and starting Monday with a clear first move.Plan Monday on Friday
  • Simple exerciseSee a company the way its own people do, before you ask to join it.Understand a company before you apply
  • Micro habitTurning a busy week into something you actually learned from.Write down what you learned this week

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More career advice

  • Decide, then invite challenge
  • Clear the small stuff first
  • Check the story you're telling yourself
  • Bring a problem with a next step
  • Ask which updates your manager actually reads
  • Ask what advice they'd have given you
  • Ask how much each piece of feedback matters
  • Ask for flexibility that works for both sides

We believe careers grow through small steps taken often, more than big leaps. So we’ve collected hundreds of them for you to try.

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Federal data: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (May 2024) · BLS Employment Projections · O*NET OnLine
Truest editorial: Fit check, role profile, things that vary, advancement analysis, lateral moves, interview questions.

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