If you are not ready to pass the certification program but still want to improve your skills, these online courses may help.
Best Bookkeeper Certifications
Certifications can be a powerful tool to show employers you know your stuff. However, not all certifications are created equal.
We've compiled a list of the most common certifications for bookkeepers. Not only will obtaining these certifications give you a leg up for job hunting, they will also increase your overall value.
12 Best Certifications For Bookkeepers
12 Best Bookkeeper Certifications
1. Certified Management Accountant (CMA)
The CMA (Certified Management Accountant) is the advanced professional certification specifically designed to measure the accounting and financial management skills that drive business performance.
Certification Details
- More than two years of education or training after high school required? Yes
- More than two years of work experience required? Yes
- Oral or Written Exam Required? Yes
- Renewal Required? Every 1 year(s)
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2. Bookkeepers Certification
The National Association of Certified Public Bookkeepers' (NACPB) Uniform Certified Public Bookkeeper Examination (Exam) is the exam administered to candidates who want to obtain a Certified Public Bookkeeper (CPB) license. The license and Exam are developed and maintained by NACPB.
Certification Details
- More than two years of education or training after high school required? No
- More than two years of work experience required? No
- Oral or Written Exam Required? Yes
- Renewal Required?
This Certificate Is Also Popular Among
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3. International Accredited Business Accountant (IABA)
ACAT seeks to ensure that all accredited individuals possess both the theoretical knowledge and the practical knowledge necessary to be successful practitioners. For that reason, candidates for accreditation must satisfy an experience requirement before becoming fully credentialed: three years of related work experience, up to two of which may be satisfied through college credit. Related work experience includes verifiable experience in accounting, financial services, or other field requiring a practical and theoretical knowledge of the subject matter covered on the ACAT Comprehensive Examination for the International Accredited Business Accountant. Those who pass the exam but who have not met the experience requirement may market themselves as having passed the ACAT Comprehensive Examination for International Accredited Business Accountant, but are not entitled to use the IABA designation.
Certification Details
- More than two years of education or training after high school required? No
- More than two years of work experience required? Yes
- Oral or Written Exam Required? Yes
- Renewal Required? No
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Details
4. Certified Public Accountant (CPA)
Certified Public Accountant candidates must pass a national exam certifiying that they are eligible to be licensed in the state(s) of their choosing. Information about state licensing requirements is made available in the Licensed Occupation tool.
Certification Details
- More than two years of education or training after high school required? No
- More than two years of work experience required? No
- Oral or Written Exam Required? Yes
- Renewal Required?
This Certificate Is Also Popular Among
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5. Nationally Certified Medical Office Assistant (NCMOA)
Medical Office Assistants typically perform administrative duties for health care providers in office settings, although some may also perform basic clinical tasks (as allowed by state laws). Their responsibilities will vary by employer, but may include answering telephones, greeting patients, updating and filing medical records, completing insurance forms, handling correspondence, scheduling appointments, and handling billing or bookkeeping.
Certification Details
- More than two years of education or training after high school required? No
- More than two years of work experience required? No
- Oral or Written Exam Required? Yes
- Renewal Required? Every 1 year(s)
This Certificate Is Also Popular Among
Details
6. Certified Bank Teller (CBT)
Applicable to financial services professionals who have completed the AIB Bank Teller Certificate and who function as bank tellers.
Certification Details
- More than two years of education or training after high school required? No
- More than two years of work experience required? No
- Oral or Written Exam Required? Yes
- Renewal Required? Every 3 year(s)
This Certificate Is Also Popular Among
Course That Help You To Prepare For Certification
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7. Certified Information Technology Professional (CITP)
A Certified Information Technology Professional (CITP) is a Certified Public Accountant recognized for his or her unique ability to provide business insight by leveraging knowledge of information relationships and supporting technologies.
Certification Details
- More than two years of education or training after high school required? Yes
- More than two years of work experience required? Yes
- Oral or Written Exam Required? Yes
- Renewal Required? Every 3 year(s)
This Certificate Is Also Popular Among
Details
8. Professional Credit Specialist (PCS)
Certification enables you to make your clients, customers, colleagues,employers and others with whom you do business aware of the knowledge and skill you have invested in your career in the credit industry.
Certification Details
- More than two years of education or training after high school required? No
- More than two years of work experience required? No
- Oral or Written Exam Required? Yes
- Renewal Required? Every 5 year(s)
This Certificate Is Also Popular Among
Details
9. Chartered Certified Accountant (ACCA)
ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) is a global body for professional accountants with 219,000 members and 517,000 students in 179 countries. It was granted a Royal Charter in 1974 which commits it to acting in and upholding the public interest. ACCA works through a network of 110 offices and centres and 7,571 Approved Employers worldwide, and 328 approved learning providers who provide high standards of learning and development. In addition to IFAC membership, ACCA is represented on key regional forums including the ASEAN Federation of Accountants (AFA), the Confederation of Asian and Pacific Accountants (CAPA), Accountancy Europe, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of the Caribbean (ICAC), the Pan African Federation of Accountants (PAFA), and is a member of CCAB in the UK and Ireland. It undertakes wide-ranging capacity building work globally and has an extensive network of partnerships with other professional accountancy organizations.
Certification Details
- More than two years of education or training after high school required? No
- More than two years of work experience required? No
- Oral or Written Exam Required? No
- Renewal Required? Every 1 year(s)
This Certificate Is Also Popular Among
Details
10. Credit Business Associate (CBA)
The Credit Business Associate (CBA) is an academic-based designation which signals mastery of three business-credit related disciplines: basic financial accounting, business credit principles and introductory financial statement analysis. There is no minimum work experience requirement for this designation level and the course work needed to qualify for this designation can be obtained through colleges, local NACM Affiliated Association programs, self-study or nationally sponsored programs.
Certification Details
- More than two years of education or training after high school required? No
- More than two years of work experience required? No
- Oral or Written Exam Required? Yes
- Renewal Required?
This Certificate Is Also Popular Among
Details
11. Certified Customer Service Representative (CCSR)
Applicable to financial services professionals who have completed the AIB Customer Service Representative Certificate and who function as customer service representatives.
Certification Details
- More than two years of education or training after high school required? No
- More than two years of work experience required? No
- Oral or Written Exam Required? Yes
- Renewal Required? Every 3 year(s)
This Certificate Is Also Popular Among
Details
12. Bookkeeper
Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks may apply for our examination with qualified experience or education. The Bookkeeper examination content areas include balance sheets, payroll, profit & loss, month end closing, and legal & ethical issues in the profession.
Certification Details
- More than two years of education or training after high school required? No
- More than two years of work experience required? No
- Oral or Written Exam Required? Yes
- Renewal Required? Every 1 year(s)
Details
What is the best certification for a Bookkeeper?
The Certified Management Accountant (CMA) certification is most common among bookkeepers. This certification is awarded by the The Association of Accountants and Financial Professionals in Business. This certification is great to have as it shows an improvement in your competency to perform your role. You can earn this certification at the beginning of your career, as it often doesn't require a minimum education level and work experience. To become a certified bookkeeper with Certified Management Accountant (CMA), you need to pass the exam. This certificate requires more than two years of work experience. Renew certification every 1 year.
What are Some of the Most In-Demand Certifications For Bookkeepers?
We analyzed online job postings to determine the most commonly asked-for certifications. The most popular certification requirement is Certified Public Accountant. By holding this certification, you will gain a more-competitive resume that will look impressive to potential employers.
What Certifications Can Impact a Bookkeeper Career and Salary?
Bookkeepers are most often promoted to a office manager position. A office manager average salary is $43,471 whereas bookkeepers make an average salary of $40,337. The Certified Management Accountant certification could help you to get a office manager position in your career path.
Bookkeepers are most likely to hold a combination of the following certifications: Certified Management Accountant (CMA), Bookkeepers Certification, and International Accredited Business Accountant (IABA).
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Bookkeeper Certification FAQs
What Are The Qualifications Of A Bookkeeper?
The qualifications for a bookkeeper is a high school diploma although an associate's or bachelor's degree in accounting or a related field is helpful. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, if you intend to pursue a career as a bookkeeper, you are required to hold at least a high school diploma.
Have more questions? See all answers to common office and administrative questions.