Accounting Technology/Bookkeeping

Types of Degrees Accounting Technology/Bookkeeping Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many accounting technology/technician and bookkeeping graduations there were in 2020-2021 for each degree level.

Education Level	Number of Grads
Basic Certificate	9,811
Associate Degree	6,662
Undergraduate Certificate	3,067
Bachelor’s Degree	277

What Accounting Technology/Bookkeeping Majors Need to Know

In an O*NET survey, accounting technology and bookkeeping majors were asked to rate what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important in their occupations. These answers were weighted on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the most important.

Knowledge Areas for Accounting Technology and Bookkeeping Majors

According to O*NET survey takers, a major in accounting technology and bookkeeping should prepare you for careers in which you will need to be knowledgeable in the following areas:

• Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
• English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
• Clerical - Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
• Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

Skills for Accounting Technology and Bookkeeping Majors

The following list of skills has been highlighted as some of the most essential for careers related to accounting technology and bookkeeping:

• Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
• Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
• Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
• Mathematics - Using mathematics to solve problems.
• Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Abilities for Accounting Technology and Bookkeeping Majors

Accounting Technology and Bookkeeping majors often go into careers where the following abilities are vital:

• Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
• Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
• Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
• Mathematical Reasoning - The ability to choose the right mathematical methods or formulas to solve a problem.
• Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.

What Can You Do With a Accounting Technology/Bookkeeping Major?

Below is a list of occupations associated with accounting technology and bookkeeping:

Job Title	Job Growth Rate	Median Salary
Bioinformatics Technicians	9.3%	$48,330
Brokerage Clerks	5.0%	$51,400
Statistical Assistants	9.3%	$48,330
Tax Preparers	10.7%	$39,390

Who Is Getting a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting Technology/Bookkeeping?

This major tends to be male dominated. About 59% of recent graduates are men.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of accounting technology and bookkeeping majors is as follows:

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Grads
Asian	17
Black or African American	11
Hispanic or Latino	17
White	214
International Students	4
Other Races/Ethnicities	14

Geographic Diversity

Americans aren’t the only ones with an interest in Accounting Technology and Bookkeeping. About 1.4% of those with this major are international students.

How Much Do Accounting Technology/Bookkeeping Majors Make?

Salaries According to BLS

Average salaries range from $46,110 to $50,110 (25th to 75th percentile) for careers related to accounting technology and bookkeeping. This range includes all degree levels, so you may expect those with a more advanced degree to make more while those with less advanced degrees will typically make less.

To put that into context, according to BLS data from the first quarter of 2020, the typical high school graduate makes between $30,000 and $57,900 a year (25th through 75th percentile). The average person with a bachelor’s degree (any field) makes between $45,600 and $99,000. Advanced degree holders make the most with salaries between $55,600 and $125,400.

Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Accounting Technology/Bookkeeping

Some degrees associated with accounting technology and bookkeeping may require an advanced degree, while others may not even require a bachelor’s in the field. In general, the more advanced your degree the more career options will open up to you. However, there is significant time and money that needs to be invested into your education so weigh the pros and cons.

How much schooling do you really need to compete in today’s job market? People currently working in careers related to accounting technology and bookkeeping have obtained the following education levels.

Education Level	Percentage of Workers
Less than a High School Diploma	1.3%
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)	26.4%
Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production)	8.3%
Some College Courses	12.2%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree)	10.3%
Bachelor’s Degree	29.2%
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Baccalaureate degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees carrying the title of Master.	2.0%
Master’s Degree	8.8%
First Professional Degree - awarded for completion of a program that: requires at least 2 years of college work before entrance into the program, includes a total of at least 6 academic years of work to complete, and provides all remaining academic requirements to begin practice in a profession.	1.6%
Doctoral Degree	0.9%
Post-Doctoral Training	0.2%

Online Accounting Technology/Bookkeeping Programs

In the 2020-2021 academic year, 760 schools offered some type of accounting technology/technician and bookkeeping program. The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field.

Degree Level	Colleges Offering Programs	Colleges Offering Online Classes
Certificate (Less Than 1 Year)	0	0
Certificate (1-2 years)	420	118
Certificate (2-4 Years)	6	0
Associate’s Degree	518	121
Bachelor’s Degree	2	0
Post-Baccalaureate	0	0
Master’s Degree	0	0
Post-Master’s	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Research)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Other)	0	0

Is a Degree in Accounting Technology/Bookkeeping Worth It?

The median salary for a accounting technology and bookkeeping grad is $46,860 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.

This is 17% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $139,200 after 20 years!

Majors Related to Accounting Technology/Bookkeeping

You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to accounting technology and bookkeeping.

Major	Number of Grads
Accounting	73,172
Accounting and Finance	3,648
Accounting and Business/Management	1,637
Other Accounting and Related Services	814
Auditing	177

References

*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• College Scorecard
• National Center for Education Statistics
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• Usual Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers First Quarter 2020
• Image Credit: By Pixabay under License

More about our data sources and methodologies.