Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks to Accountants and Auditors

9 of the 15 skills that matter most for accountants and auditors are already at or near the typical level of bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks; 6 need work, led by persuasion and monitoring. The most common education reported in Accountants and Auditors (Bachelor's Degree, 69% of expert ratings) is higher than in Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks (High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)). Whether it is realistic for you depends on your own experience, credentials and budget.

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What bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks do

Check figures, postings, and documents for correct entry, mathematical accuracy, and proper codes.
Operate computers programmed with accounting software to record, store, and analyze information.
Comply with federal, state, and company policies, procedures, and regulations.
Debit, credit, and total accounts on computer spreadsheets and databases, using specialized accounting software.
Classify, record, and summarize numerical and financial data to compile and keep financial records, using journals and ledgers or computers.

More about Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks

What accountants and auditors do

Prepare detailed reports on audit findings.
Report to management about asset utilization and audit results, and recommend changes in operations and financial activities.
Collect and analyze data to detect deficient controls, duplicated effort, extravagance, fraud, or non-compliance with laws, regulations, and management policies.
Inspect account books and accounting systems for efficiency, effectiveness, and use of accepted accounting procedures to record transactions.
Supervise auditing of establishments, and determine scope of investigation required.

More about Accountants and Auditors

Transferable skills

9/15important skills of Accountants and Auditors at or near your current occupation's typical level

6partial gaps

0larger gaps

88/100skill-level coverage index (not a probability)

Strengths you can carry over

Active Listening
Mathematics

Skills to build first

Persuasion
Monitoring
Writing
Complex Problem Solving
Judgment and Decision Making

Knowledge areas to learn

Economics and Accounting
Law and Government
Administration and Management
English Language
Mathematics

All 15 important skills (target level vs. Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks)

Accountants and Auditors typical level Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks typical level (0–7)

Reading ComprehensionNear

Active ListeningAt or above

WritingPartial gap

Critical ThinkingNear

Complex Problem SolvingPartial gap

Judgment and Decision MakingPartial gap

SpeakingPartial gap

MathematicsAt or above

Active LearningNear

MonitoringPartial gap

Social PerceptivenessNear

PersuasionPartial gap

Service OrientationNear

Time ManagementNear

CoordinationNear

How this was calculated

A skill counts as important for Accountants and Auditors when its O*NET importance is 3 or more (scale 1–5).
Levels are typical O*NET levels (0–7) for each occupation.
Within 0.5 level points counts as near; up to 1.5 as partial; more as a gap.

Limits

Compares occupations in general: it does not show that you personally have a skill.
Does not cover credentials, licensing or employer requirements (see qualifications).
The coverage index is a summary of typical levels, not a probability of being hired or of a successful switch.

Source: O*NET 31.0 Database (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0) · dataset 2026.10.8 · method e1-skills-1.0.0

Qualifications and licensing

Most common education

Bachelor's Degree (69% of expert ratings)

Related experience

None (34.5%)

On-the-job training

Over 1 month, up to and including 3 months (24.1%)

Preparation level

O*NET job zone 4: Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed

Licensing

Depends on state or role (national summary): Accountants who file reports with the SEC must be licensed CPAs; CPAs are licensed by state boards of accountancy (national exam, 150 semester hours of coursework in all states). source (checked 2026-10-25)

Compared with your current occupation

The most common education reported in Accountants and Auditors (Bachelor's Degree, 69% of expert ratings) is higher than in Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks (High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)).
Accountants and Auditors is in O*NET job zone 4 (Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed); Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks is in job zone 3: more preparation is typical.

Limits

Distributions show what current workers or occupational experts report, not legal minimums.
Requirements vary by employer and state; time to qualify is not estimated.

Source: O*NET 31.0 Database (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0); BLS Employment Projections; State licensing authorities (curated, see evidence links) · dataset 2026.10.8 · method e3-qualification-1.0.0

Pay comparison

Annual wages, U.S., May 2025
Occupation	10th	25th	Median	75th	90th
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks	$36,000	$43,520	$50,670	$61,470	$74,550
Accountants and Auditors	$56,020	$67,020	$83,680	$109,810	$144,090

Median difference: +$33,010 a year.

Limits

Wages are what current workers earn across all experience levels, not an offer for a career changer.
Entry pay after a switch is often nearer the lower percentiles.
Benefits, taxes and local costs are not included.

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics · dataset 2026.10.8 · method e4-salary-1.0.0

Paths to consider

Partial move: roles between the two, found with the alternatives finder.
Full switch: close the priority gaps above, check credentials in your state and test the cost with the cost calculator.
No change yet: if the issue is your workplace rather than the work, the stay or switch check helps separate the two.

Bookkeepers already record transactions, reconcile accounts and keep the books that accountants analyse. Moving up to accountant keeps you in the same field, but the role shifts from recording to interpreting, advising and checking compliance.

Skills: a strong base

O*NET rates 15 skills as important for accountants and auditors. Nine of them are at or near the typical level of bookkeeping, accounting and auditing clerks, and none is a large gap. Active listening and mathematics are strengths. The areas to grow are persuasion, monitoring, writing, complex problem solving and judgment and decision making: explaining findings, writing reports and making calls on how something should be treated.

The bigger gap is knowledge. Accountants use more economics and accounting theory, law and government (tax and reporting rules) and administration and management than bookkeepers usually do.

Education and licensing

Accountants are in O*NET Job Zone 4, one level above bookkeeping clerks. About 69% of expert ratings give a bachelor's degree as the education needed, while the most common level for bookkeepers is a high school diploma. Experience is less of a barrier: the most common answers are none or one to two years (35% each).

A license applies to some roles. According to the BLS, accountants who file reports with the SEC must be licensed CPAs, and CPAs are licensed by state boards of accountancy after a national exam; all states require 150 semester hours of coursework. Many accounting jobs do not require a CPA, so decide which path you want before planning credits.

Pay

In May 2025 the national median wage was $83,680 for accountants and auditors and $50,670 for bookkeeping clerks, about $33,010 more a year. The middle half of accountants earned roughly $67,020 to $109,810.

Practical steps

Check whether your employer offers tuition support for an accounting degree.
Take on month-end close, reconciliations or audit support to build accountant-level experience now.
Use the cost calculator to compare finishing a degree part-time with the pay difference.

Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks to Accountants and Auditors

Try it with your own details

What bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks do

What accountants and auditors do

Transferable skills

Strengths you can carry over

Skills to build first

Knowledge areas to learn

Qualifications and licensing

Pay comparison

Paths to consider

Skills: a strong base

Education and licensing

Pay

Practical steps

Sources