How to hire a bookkeeper

How to hire a bookkeeper, step by step

Here's a step-by-step bookkeeper hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a bookkeeper job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new bookkeeper
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a bookkeeper do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a bookkeeper, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a bookkeeper to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a bookkeeper that fits the bill.

   The following list breaks down different types of bookkeepers and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Bookkeeper	Description	Hourly rate
   Bookkeeper	Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks produce financial records for organizations. They record financial transactions, update statements, and check financial records for accuracy.	$14-25
   Account Payables Analyst	An accounts payable analyst is primarily responsible for managing and processing invoices and payments, ensuring accuracy and timeliness. They are also responsible for coordinating with various departments to obtain and acquire data and invoices, submitting payments to external vendors and suppliers, identifying errors and inconsistencies, and providing corrective measures... Show more	$18-35
   Accounting Technician	An accounting technician is responsible for evaluating financial information procedures to support accounting and taxation tasks, verifying the accuracy of account statements for the reference of accountants. Accounting technicians manage the payroll processes, generate invoices, perform account reconciliations, analyze account receivables, prepare budget reports, and monitor the company's financial transactions... Show more	$14-25

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Payroll Tax Returns
   • Customer Service
   • Reconciliations
   • Data Entry
   • Journal Entries
   • Financial Transactions
   • General Ledger Accounts
   • Bank Deposits
   • HR
   • Purchase Orders
   • Credit Card Accounts
   • Sales Tax
   • Bank Accounts
   • Accounts Payables

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage AR, prepare deposits and perform basic receptionist/customer service tasks in office.
   • Perform journal entries, balance ledger, perform bank reconciliations, control inventory, coordinate proper guest accommodation.
   • Post and update of daily sales and purchases into QuickBooks system.
   • Execute monthly collection of Medicaid surplus funds from clients on a monthly basis.
   • Post resident receipts, Medicaid remittance, and process adjusting entries to the A/R detail.
   • Work closely with QC personnel for the planning of tooling and the flow process of PWB's.

   More bookkeeper duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the bookkeeper job description is a good way to get more applicants. A bookkeeper salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for a bookkeeper in Arkansas may be lower than in New York, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level bookkeeper. Additionally, a bookkeeper with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average bookkeeper salary

   $40,337yearly

   $19.39 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level bookkeeper salary

   $30,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 26, 2025

   Average bookkeeper salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	District of Columbia	$48,188	$23
   2	New York	$48,135	$23
   3	Massachusetts	$47,119	$23
   4	Washington	$44,733	$22
   5	Maryland	$44,673	$21
   6	California	$43,510	$21
   7	Oregon	$41,285	$20
   8	Illinois	$40,943	$20
   9	Minnesota	$40,940	$20
   10	Pennsylvania	$40,458	$19
   11	Texas	$39,589	$19
   12	Colorado	$38,756	$19
   13	Wisconsin	$38,505	$19
   14	Georgia	$38,259	$18
   15	Arizona	$38,099	$18
   16	Florida	$37,964	$18
   17	Nevada	$37,915	$18
   18	Maine	$37,291	$18
   19	Ohio	$37,226	$18
   20	North Carolina	$37,003	$18

   Average bookkeeper salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	NTT Data International L.L.C.	$61,327	$29.48	3
   2	Latin American Montessori Bilingual Public Charter School	$55,289	$26.58
   3	Lewistown Hospital	$54,404	$26.16
   4	CSG	$51,297	$24.66	1
   5	CBIZ	$50,007	$24.04	19
   6	Monster Products	$48,815	$23.47	5
   7	Town & Country Markets	$47,860	$23.01
   8	World Learning	$46,538	$22.37
   9	E. & J. Gallo Winery	$46,051	$22.14
   10	GPAC	$45,981	$22.11
   11	Armanino	$45,553	$21.90	2
   12	United Natural Foods	$45,287	$21.77
   13	Holthouse Carlin & Van Trigt LLP	$45,237	$21.75	2
   14	CyberCoders	$45,144	$21.70
   15	Mollie Stone's Markets	$44,959	$21.61	3
   16	Staffing.com	$44,793	$21.54	8
   17	Regional Medical Center- Orangeburg	$44,531	$21.41
   18	Mayo Clinic	$44,445	$21.37
   19	UMiami Health System	$44,317	$21.31
   20	Weber Murphy Fox Architects	$44,304	$21.30

4. Writing a bookkeeper job description

   A job description for a bookkeeper role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a bookkeeper job description:

   Bookkeeper job description example

   Bookkeeper(s) keep accurate records of agency financial transactions, monitor delinquent accounts, answer staff questions regarding billing issues. The Bookkeeper(s) use the agency automation system to manage and monitor the General ledger, Accounts Receivable, and/or Accounts Payable. Meets agency standards for timeliness and accuracy.
   
   Fast-paced environment with significant telephone and personal disruption. Large number of multiple steps in complex system performed with accuracy and speed is essential
   Benefits
   
   We offer a comprehensive benefits package, based on eligibility. Benefits include: Medical Plan Employer Paid Life Insurance Flexible Spending Program 401k Profit Sharing Program Supplemental Benefit Programs such as: Vision, Dental, Disability Tuition Assistance Program Employee Computer Purchase Program Sick Leave Vacation Paid Holidays
   
   Responsibilities
   
   The statements on this job description are intended to describe the general nature of level of work being performed by incumbents. They are not an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required by all incumbents. Must function with minimal direction, discretion, and confidentiality. Must demonstrate independent judgment. Must possess excellent organization skills and have exceptional verbal/written communication skills. Provide excellent internal and external customer service by being responsive and timely. Ability to multi-task by prioritizing work and organizing own time. Input data, run and distribute reports from various sources on a periodic basis. Good working knowledge of Microsoft products including Word, Excel, and Outlook. Â
   
   Requirements
   
   Employee will utilize a personal computer and other office equipment in routine performance of job duties.. Position requires maintaining records, preparing various forms, verifying information and resolving common problems. Must perform other work as required or requested. Should possess computer processing skills. Ability to compose original correspondence, write reports, have effective interaction with people, and to communicate ideas and receive and process information from others. Ability to learn a systematic approach to accounting and to follow the approach with or without direction to maintain the integrity of the financial data of the agency. EDUCATION Prefer high school diploma or equivalent. General accounting and bookkeeping training, record keeping practices and training, or related job experience of greater than two years in a similar position preferred

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find bookkeepers for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any bookkeepers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level bookkeepers with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your bookkeeper job on Zippia to find and recruit bookkeeper candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites such as efinancialcareers, financialjobsweb.com, careerbank, financial job bank.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit bookkeepers, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new bookkeeper

   Once you've decided on a perfect bookkeeper candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new bookkeeper first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper?