How to Become a Bookkeeper A Complete Guide

This credential can boost your credibility in the eyes of potential employers, especially if you’re just breaking into the job market. Earning a bookkeeping certification involves weeks of studying, hours of test preparation and a significant financial investment. Additionally, maintaining a bookkeeping certification from NACPB or AIPB requires continuing professional development. Both AIPB and NACPB require previous bookkeeping experience to qualify for their courses. You’ll typically need a high school diploma or equivalent at minimum to be a bookkeeper—though some employers might require a degree or diploma.

Best 6 Bookkeeping Certification Training Courses Of 2024

Bookkeeping offers a good starting place in the accounting field, with minimal education and experience requirements. You can develop valuable skills such as tracking transactions in bookkeeping software and creating reports, such as balance sheets and income statements. Bookkeeping certificates can deliver value by verifying your skills to employers. Certificate programs can also help you meet the educational requirements for professional certifications, which can increase your earning power and improve your employment prospects.

Some charge flat rates for the entire program, while others calculate tuition per course. In the latter case, you can select your bookkeeping courses and pay for them individually. Schools offer bookkeeping courses and certificates in face-to-face and online formats. Traditional classroom-based programs offer networking certified bookkeeper opportunities and make it easier to leverage your instructor’s knowledge and experience through personal interactions. Certificate programs cover the core accounting, analytical, technical, and data processing skills you need to work as a bookkeeper or accounting clerk. Some programs specifically prepare students for CB or CPB certification exams.

• Here are a few things to consider before obtaining a bookkeeping certification.
• According to 81 percent of CBs who interviewed for a new job after becoming certified, having a certification contributed to getting the interview 4.
• You may determine if any payments are due, submit them, and record them in the financial ledger.
• Graduates of this program can work as clerks in bookkeeping, payroll, accounting and timekeeping.
• If you have no knowledge of bookkeeping, it’s best to start with introductory courses or multi-step modules that build fundamental skills.
• Bookkeeping is a part of the accounting process that involves recording financial transactions.

Looking for a job can be intimidating, but there are numerous resources at your fingertips. If you have a degree or a certification, check with your school or professional organization for tips and resources. They may have a job board or professional network that could lead to opportunities. There are some professional drawbacks due to software advancements that perform similar roles to bookkeepers and accounting clerks. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects a 5% decline in bookkeeping occupations from 2023 and 2033. The BLS also reports a median annual wage of $47,400 for bookkeepers, which is less than the average for all occupations.

Top Bookkeeper Certifications

Bookkeeping accuracy and reliability are essential for businesses to succeed for staff, executives, customers, and partners. While bookkeeping is not a licensed profession, an employee with a certification proves their level of competency in the industry. Certification also shows that potential employees are up-to-date on accounting practices.

Career Path

Online bookkeeping certification programs cover the fundamentals of bookkeeping and accounting software you need to land an entry-level role. However, bookkeepers with certifications and experience may earn more than entry-level accountants. Bookkeepers can also work up to accounting positions as they advance their education and credentials. CB certification doesn’t have specific education requirements, as AIPB recommends candidates have at least some accounting experience before taking the exam.

Like many industries, specific software is available to help with the financial needs of small and large businesses. Bookkeeping software for a small business helps with almost all of the organization’s basic accounting needs and can automate certain processes to save the bookkeeping staff time. Larger organizations may have more complex financial information, so custom software systems that fit their needs are available. A client’s financial activities will include all transactions related to their income and expenses and a bookkeeper is responsible for recording all of these transactions accurately. Some bookkeepers may also have to facilitate financial transactions and ensure  transactions are legally compliant. They ensure that business financial records are up-to-date and accurate, and this helps companies make financial decisions and focus on growing their business and focus on growing their business.

Northeast Wisconsin Technical College

For example, business owners must be diligent about keeping personal and business finances separate. In addition, smaller businesses may use single-entry bookkeeping, while larger businesses are more likely to use double-entry bookkeeping. As a bookkeeper, you may need to help the business learn the best practices to keep their financial records up to date and organized.

The program requires eight courses introducing Microsoft Excel and Word, mathematical reasoning, and accounting concepts, such as payroll and creating and managing computer ledgers. Learners also choose between two QuickBooks courses, each transferring to different accounting diplomas and degrees at NWTC. Coursework and other continuing education programs support skill development and encourage professional networking, which can also expand your job opportunities. A typical bookkeeping certification course takes several weeks to complete. For example, NACPB’s initial certification course takes an estimated 13 weeks, but you can complete the material at your own pace.

To enroll, you only need to cover your registration and tuition fees and meet minimum requirements. These materials typically include a high school diploma, but some programs do not even specify that as a necessity. Instead, schools aim to make their bookkeeper training programs accessible by lowering this barrier of entry. A bookkeeping certification is a professional accreditation you can earn to verify the knowledge you’ve gained and the skills you’ve developed around bookkeeping. It often involves completing a bookkeeping-intensive curriculum and may also require passing an exam and continuing to take ongoing courses to keep relevant skills sharp.

If you have no knowledge of bookkeeping, it’s best to start with introductory courses or multi-step modules that build fundamental skills. If you would like to self-assess your suitability for online learning, consider trying out a free massive open online course (MOOC) in bookkeeping first. Think about each factor and prioritize the ones that are most important to you. For example, perhaps you can be flexible about cost but need a certificate that you can complete relatively quickly. The BLS projects employment for bookkeeping, accounting and auditing clerks to decline by 6% by 2032. Even so, the BLS projects an average of 183,900 openings for bookkeeping, accounting and auditing clerks.

Candidates without the required experience can complete AIPB’s CB prep courses to prepare for the exam. Featured or trusted partner programs and all school search, finder, or match results are for schools that compensate us. This compensation does not influence our school rankings, resource guides, or other editorially-independent information published on this site. The majority of bookkeeping employers and clients rank bookkeeping experience as the number one qualification for bookkeeping jobs and services. Before jumping straight into either exam, you must first take a series of courses. Prior bookkeeping experience does not exempt you from these preparatory courses.