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Accounting Technology/Bookkeeping

Types of Degrees Accounting Technology/Bookkeeping Majors Are Earning

Those studying Accounting Technology/Bookkeeping may pursue degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	2,795
Associate’s Degree	5,590
Bachelor’s Degree	180
Master’s Degree	8,369

What Accounting Technology/Bookkeeping Majors Need to Know

Coursework for Accounting Technology/Bookkeeping develop a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Accounting Technology/Bookkeeping graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

This major prepares you for careers needing Accounting Technology/Bookkeeping emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• English Language — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Administrative — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

Skills developed in a Accounting Technology/Bookkeeping program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.

Abilities

The cognitive and physical abilities most relevant to Accounting Technology/Bookkeeping careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Mathematical Reasoning — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Near Vision — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Oral Expression — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Accounting Technology/Bookkeeping graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Working with Computers	4.5 / 7
Getting Information	4.4 / 7
Processing Information	4.1 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	3.9 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	3.8 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	3.8 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	3.7 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	3.6 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	3.6 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	3.6 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Accounting Technology/Bookkeeping professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
Microsoft Access	Data base user interface and query software	—
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	✓
Word processing software	Word processing software	—
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Database software	Data base user interface and query software	—
Oracle PeopleSoft	Enterprise resource planning ERP software	—
Spreadsheet software	Spreadsheet software	—
Microsoft Dynamics	Enterprise resource planning ERP software	—
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Accounting Technology/Bookkeeping graduates include:

• Chart Calculator
• Chart Changer
• Wheelage Clerk
• Chart Clerk
• Account Administrator
• Securities Clerk
• Margin Clerk
• Accounting Assistant
• Account Clerk
• Accounts Payable Specialist
• Cash Register Balancer
• Accounting Specialist
• Check Processing Clerk
• Classification Analyst
• Accountant Clerk

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

Graduates with a degree in Accounting Technology/Bookkeeping commonly enter the following occupations:

Occupation	Job Growth	Median Salary	25th–75th Pctile
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks	13.5%	$63,707	$51,102–$76,313
Statistical Assistants	6.9%	$58,190	$46,689–$69,691
Brokerage Clerks	6.2%	$52,416	$42,857–$61,976
Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks	-3.1%	$62,520	$52,337–$72,702

^{Job-growth = projected employment change for the parent occupation. Source: ONET / BLS Employment Projections.*}

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Accounting Technology/Bookkeeping graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Bachelor’s degree	35.6%
High school diploma or equivalent	25.5%
Some college courses	12.2%
Postsecondary certificate	7.7%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	7.6%
Master’s degree	5.7%
First professional degree	2.4%
Less than a high school diploma	2.1%
Doctoral degree	0.7%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	0.7%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Accounting Technology/Bookkeeping?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly female, with women earning 71.7% of Accounting Technology/Bookkeeping degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	12,456	71.7%
Men	4,919	28.3%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Accounting Technology/Bookkeeping graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	7,831	45.1%
Asian	1,742	10.0%
Hispanic or Latino	4,337	25.0%
Black or African American	1,694	9.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native	137	0.8%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	70	0.4%
Two or More Races	519	3.0%
Race Unknown	672	3.9%
International Students	373	2.1%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Accounting Technology/Bookkeeping Graduates Earn?

College Scorecard reports median earnings of Accounting Technology/Bookkeeping graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$57,191
4 years	$61,213
5 years	$69,643

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $69,643 — roughly 22% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Online Accounting Technology/Bookkeeping Programs

Distance learning is tracked by IPEDS for Accounting Technology/Bookkeeping. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Associate’s	136	53
Bachelor’s	15	0

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in Accounting Technology/Bookkeeping Worth It?

Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, Accounting Technology/Bookkeeping graduates earn a median of $61,213 four years after completion — roughly 61% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	Annual Degrees Awarded
Accounting and Related Services	81,835
Accounting	58,956
Accounting and Finance	3,502
Accounting and Business/Management	1,270
Taxation	1,238
Accounting and Related Services, Other	554
Auditing	178

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.