Salary Range & Percentiles
Pay distribution across experience levels
- 10th Percentile — Entry Level$36,000
- 25th Percentile — Junior$43,520
- 50th Percentile — Median$50,670
- 75th Percentile — Senior$61,470
- 90th Percentile — Top Earners$74,550
The top 10% of Bookkeeping Accounting and Auditing Clerks earn $74,550 or more per year. Entry-level professionals can expect to start around $36,000, with significant growth over the first 5 years.
What Bookkeeping Accounting and Auditing Clerks Do
Role, training and entry requirements
Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks record financial transactions, update ledgers and statements, reconcile accounts, and check records for accuracy. In small businesses one bookkeeper may handle all of the books, while larger organizations divide the work among specialized clerks.
How to become one
A high school diploma plus on-the-job training is common, though many employers prefer some postsecondary coursework in accounting. Certification such as the Certified Bookkeeper credential can help with advancement.
Salary by State
Geographic salary comparison
| State | Avg Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $67,650 | +26.3% |
| Connecticut | $61,690 | +15.2% |
| California | $60,830 | +13.6% |
| Massachusetts | $60,460 | +12.9% |
| Washington | $60,090 | +12.2% |
| New York | $59,930 | +11.9% |
| New Jersey | $59,120 | +10.4% |
| Alaska | $57,640 | +7.6% |
| Vermont | $56,750 | +6.0% |
| Colorado | $56,560 | +5.6% |
| Rhode Island | $56,270 | +5.1% |
| Maryland | $55,950 | +4.5% |
| Oregon | $55,460 | +3.5% |
| Minnesota | $55,280 | +3.2% |
| Delaware | $53,880 | +0.6% |
| Maine | $53,800 | +0.4% |
| Virginia | $53,740 | +0.3% |
| New Hampshire | $53,520 | -0.1% |
| Arizona | $52,860 | -1.3% |
| Nevada | $52,780 | -1.5% |
| Florida | $52,590 | -1.8% |
| Illinois | $51,860 | -3.2% |
| Wisconsin | $51,720 | -3.4% |
| Texas | $51,690 | -3.5% |
| North Dakota | $51,660 | -3.5% |
| Michigan | $51,430 | -4.0% |
| Georgia | $51,270 | -4.3% |
| Idaho | $51,260 | -4.3% |
| Utah | $51,160 | -4.5% |
| Ohio | $51,020 | -4.7% |
| Pennsylvania | $50,860 | -5.0% |
| Missouri | $50,790 | -5.2% |
| Hawaii | $50,720 | -5.3% |
| New Mexico | $50,410 | -5.9% |
| Tennessee | $50,230 | -6.2% |
| Iowa | $50,100 | -6.5% |
| South Carolina | $49,980 | -6.7% |
| Wyoming | $49,910 | -6.8% |
| North Carolina | $49,780 | -7.1% |
| Indiana | $49,730 | -7.2% |
| Montana | $48,870 | -8.8% |
| Kentucky | $48,190 | -10.0% |
| Oklahoma | $48,040 | -10.3% |
| Nebraska | $47,970 | -10.4% |
| Kansas | $47,900 | -10.6% |
| South Dakota | $46,630 | -12.9% |
| Louisiana | $46,560 | -13.1% |
| Arkansas | $45,050 | -15.9% |
| Alabama | $44,940 | -16.1% |
| Mississippi | $44,480 | -17.0% |
| West Virginia | $43,850 | -18.1% |
What Factors Affect Bookkeeping Accounting and Auditing Clerks Salary?
Key factors affecting compensation
Pay for Bookkeeping Accounting and Auditing Clerks is influenced by geographic location, years of experience, employer type, and educational background. Location alone is a large factor: District of Columbia pays an average of $67,650, while West Virginia pays $43,850 — a gap of $23,800 per year.
Clerks with full-charge bookkeeping skills, payroll experience, and proficiency in accounting software earn toward the top of the range. Larger employers and professional services firms usually pay more than small businesses.
These figures are the wages employers report to BLS: base pay plus commissions, production bonuses and tips. They exclude overtime pay, shift differentials, year-end bonuses, benefits and self-employed workers, so total compensation can be higher than the numbers shown.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) · May 2025
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Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this salary
What is the average salary for Bookkeeping Accounting and Auditing Clerks?
The average salary for Bookkeeping Accounting and Auditing Clerks in the United States is $53,560 per year, with a median of $50,670.
What is the starting salary for Bookkeeping Accounting and Auditing Clerks?
Entry-level Bookkeeping Accounting and Auditing Clerks typically earn between $36,000 and $43,520 per year depending on location and employer.
What state pays Bookkeeping Accounting and Auditing Clerks the most?
District of Columbia pays Bookkeeping Accounting and Auditing Clerks the most at $67,650 per year on average, followed by Connecticut ($61,690) and California ($60,830).
How much do Bookkeeping Accounting and Auditing Clerks make per hour?
Based on the average annual salary of $53,560, Bookkeeping Accounting and Auditing Clerks earn approximately $25.75 per hour (based on 2,080 working hours/year).
Is Bookkeeping Accounting and Auditing Clerks a good career in 2026?
BLS counts 1,373,680 Bookkeeping Accounting and Auditing Clerks jobs in the United States, with a mean annual wage of $53,560 and a median of $50,670 (OEWS May 2025). This site does not publish job-growth projections; the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook covers the outlook for each occupation.
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