How To Become An Accounting Clerk/Administrative Assistant: What It Is and Career Path

What is an accounting clerk/administrative assistant and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Quoted expert

Jodi Olson

There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being an accounting clerk/administrative assistant. For example, did you know that they make an average of $17.09 an hour? That's $35,549 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow -8% and produce -286,900 job opportunities across the U.S.

What's a day at work look like for an accounting clerk/administrative assistant?

Jodi Olson

Assistant Accounting Professor, Winona State University

Graduates could see a range of possibilities from working entirely remotely to fully on-site with precautions in place, based on recent graduate and internship experiences we have seen during the pandemic. Except for a very few internships cut short or cancelled immediately at the onset of the pandemic as the profession adapted to unknowns and putting safety measures in place, we have not seen a significant change in the demand for interns or graduates. Some new graduates expect their first day on the jobs to be remote and feel ready to meet that challenge being familiar with the technology required to be productive and communicate virtually. It has become an assumption that precautions are in place, regardless of the remote or in-person setting. It seems that both graduates and employers are working hard together to achieve success, both with caution and the usual high professional standards.

ScoreAccounting Clerk/Administrative AssistantUS Average

Salary

2.8

Avg. Salary $35,549

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

6.0

Growth rate -8%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

3.0

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.73%

Asian 3.81%

Black or African American 9.13%

Hispanic or Latino 15.99%

Unknown 3.87%

White 66.47%

Gender

female 90.41%

male 9.59%

Age - 52

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 52

Stress level

6.0

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level

4.4

Complexity level is basic

7 - challenging

Work life balance

7.6

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become an accounting clerk/administrative assistant

Explore accounting clerk/administrative assistant education requirements

Most common accounting clerk/administrative assistant degrees

Bachelor's

37.9 %

Associate

32.5 %

High School Diploma

15.7 %

Start to develop specific accounting clerk/administrative assistant skills

Skills	Percentages
Data Entry	12.42%
Customer Service	10.67%
Financial Statements	7.46%
Purchase Orders	6.56%
Vendor Invoices	4.12%

Complete relevant accounting clerk/administrative assistant training and internships

Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New accounting clerks/administrative assistant learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an accounting clerk/administrative assistant based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real accounting clerk/administrative assistant resumes.

Gain additional accounting clerk/administrative assistant certifications

Accounting clerk/administrative assistant certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific accounting clerk/administrative assistant certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for accounting clerks/administrative assistant include Certified Management Accountant (CMA) and Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA).

More About Certifications

Research accounting clerk/administrative assistant duties and responsibilities

Manage revenue ledger including other subsidiary ledgers and responsible for the reconciliation of various income accounts to ensure accuracy of postings.
Reconcile all company accounts in line with bank statements via QuickBooks, identifying and resolving any discrepancies.
Record financial documents into bookkeeping software QuickBooks.
Manage revenue ledger including other subsidiary ledgers and responsible for the reconciliation of various income accounts to ensure accuracy of postings.

Prepare your accounting clerk/administrative assistant resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your accounting clerk/administrative assistant resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an accounting clerk/administrative assistant resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable accounting clerk/administrative assistant resume templates

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