This professional services job search portal helps bookkeepers source diverse work opportunities. However, for some employers, higher education is not a necessary bookkeeping qualification. In some cases, relevant experience and accounting knowledge may carry more value than educational background. For people wondering how to become a bookkeeper, this guide addresses the journey in detail.

This is an introductory course, but it requires a significant time commitment, with about 60 hours of material in all. It’s self-paced, although there are regular deadlines, and it’s recommended that students spend six to eight hours per week learning. The class is designed for college students and recent grads, grads considering an MBA, and bookkeeping for startups mid-career professionals. Bookkeepers who strike out on their own can often earn three times that rate (or more). Mostly because freelancers, like virtual bookkeepers, can set their own rates. And, because these bookkeepers often work for multiple clients, their combined hourly rate is much greater than the set pay of an employee position.

How To Become a Bookkeeper at Home (Easy, Step-By-Step Guide)

As mentioned earlier in the article, you can start working as a bookkeeper without a formal education or experience. Bookkeepers deal with straightforward, day-to-day financial tasks, like processing transactions and reconciling bank statements. Learn how to launch a work-from-home bookkeeping business https://www.apzomedia.com/bookkeeping-startups-perfect-way-boost-financial-planning/ in 90 days, even with no accounting experience. If you are an organized, conscientious person that is good with numbers, you may want to consider becoming a bookkeeper or even start your own bookkeeping business. Once you earn your degree, you will have a much easier time landing bookkeeping jobs.

It involves courses that cost anywhere from $1,500-$2,500, and there’s also the cost of certification exams, which can run $100-$500. Working as a freelance bookkeeper means you’re an independent business owner who contracts out their services to other business owners. You get to set your rates, work on your own schedule, and grow your business how you want.

How to Become a Bookkeeper in 4 Steps

You may also pursue certification programs or use online courses to become a self-taught bookkeeper. The program covers topics such as payroll, wholesale accounting, revenue, expenses, assets, liabilities, financial reports, tools used in the industry, and more. With this program, you’ll get eight courses which feature 14 exams and three submitted projects. The program also offers experience working with popular software tools such as Excel and Quickbooks. Penn Foster College Inc. offers one of the best courses to get started in the accounting field, with a comprehensive program that includes an overview of the tools used in the industry.

• Your courses will also teach you skills like preparing invoices, creating financial reports, and managing a general ledger.
• On top of that, a desire to help others run their business well is a sound driver for starting a bookkeeping business.
• Also, they can make budget plans to help businesses stay within their budgets while still being able to pay for things when needed.
• This is a great way to make contacts, learn essential software, and decide if bookkeeping is really for you.

You can also become certified through local or online college courses. One thing that could help you get started the right way is getting some bookkeeping training under your belt. Profit First by Michael Michalowicz shows business owners how to handle their cash using the old-fashioned envelope system. In this case, multiple bank accounts take the place of the envelopes. Work through the big decisions around accreditation, services to offer, fees to charge, and how to find clients. You’ll need some training and certification to become a professional bookkeeper.

Best for University Education

You can work with other bookkeepers and tax experts to share and expand your knowledge. Many programs will provide certificates to show you completed the course. Some provide free and low-cost resources, while others may be more expensive but provide more knowledge. The Certified Bookkeeper (CB) program from the AIPB requires you to be a working bookkeeper or have at least one year of accounting education.

As of June 2023, ZipRecruiter reports the national average income for a freelance bookkeeper in the United States is $48,811 per year, or $24 per hour, with higher earners making around $73,000. An annual NACPB membership starts at $200 (there is a pro membership for $250). Bookkeeping Basics takes about 16 hours to complete, and the Intuit Bookkeeping Professional Certificate takes about four months to complete at the suggested pace of four hours per week. Bookkeepers must keep thorough, up-to-date records of organizational financial transactions. Bookkeeping requirements also cover reconciliation, the process of comparing internal records with bank records to ensure there are no discrepancies. This free job board features listings for accounting professionals at all levels.