Types of Degrees Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many accounting technology/technician and bookkeeping graduations there were for each degree level during the last year for which data was available.

Education Level	Number of Grads
Basic Certificate	9,403
Associate Degree	6,363
Undergraduate Certificate	3,129
Bachelor’s Degree	242
Graduate Certificate	2

What 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

This major prepares you for careers in which these knowledge areas are important:

• 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

A major in accounting technology and bookkeeping will prepare for your careers in which the following abilities are important:

• 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 Major?

People with a accounting technology and bookkeeping degree often go into the following careers:

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 ?

According to recent stats this major attracts about equal numbers of men and women. Roughly 47% of the graduates are women, and 53% 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	19
Black or African American	16
Hispanic or Latino	19
White	162
International Students	10
Other Races/Ethnicities	16

Geographic Diversity

Students from other countries are interested in Accounting Technology and Bookkeeping, too. About 4.1% of those with this major are international students.

How Much Do Majors Make?

Salaries According to BLS

Accounting Technology and Bookkeeping majors often go into careers where salaries can range from $46,110 to $50,110 (25th to 75th percentile). This range includes all degree levels, so the salary for a person with just a bachelor’s degree may be a little less and the one for a person with an advanced degree may be a little more.

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

Some careers associated with accounting technology and bookkeeping require an advanced degree while some may not even require a bachelor’s. Whatever the case may be, pursuing more education usually means that more career options will be available to you.

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 Programs

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)	429	126
Certificate (2-4 Years)	7	0
Associate’s Degree	509	124
Bachelor’s Degree	3	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 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

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

Major	Number of Grads
Accounting	68,501
Accounting and Finance	3,781
Accounting and Business/Management	1,538
Other Accounting and Related Services	844
Auditing	179

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.