How Much Bookkeepers Charge

Bookkeepers should research local average rates to ensure they price their services competitively. Depending on the type of industry and your income goals, you can offer full-charge services, including payroll, managing fixed assets, and contributing to advisory conversations. Your value also rises when you’re better at customer service and data accuracy, finding holes, and asking good questions. When setting rates, freelancers should factor in self-employment taxes, insurance, and the cost of keeping their skills sharp. If you’re thinking about going freelance, check out our guide on how to start a bookkeeping business for some handy CARES Act tips. Instead, she works out a monthly fee for each new client, based on the complexity of their business in terms of payroll and transaction volume.

View Bookkeeper Salary by States

Sign up to receive more well-researched small business articles and topics in your inbox, personalized for you. The AIPB certification program is ideal for someone who doesn’t have any formal education in bookkeeping. Certification exam and materials are $574 for nonmembers and $479 for AIPB members. The highest-paying cities for bookkeepers are Washington, DC, New York, NY, and Boston, MA. Click the switch button below to see weekly and hourly salary of a Bookkeeper. Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

Average Annual Salary of Full Charge Bookkeeper Over Time

So, we are going to subtract $50 a month from the $300 to go towards your expenses. Multiply that times twelve and you get a profit of $3,000 per client per year. Getting five clients will approximately bring you $15,000, ten clients $30,000, twenty clients is going to bring in $60,000 a year.

How much does salary of Full Charge Bookkeeper vary from city to city?

• These complex transactions may require more specialized bookkeeping knowledge and therefore command higher fees.
• It’s also arguably the most valuable bookkeeper certification, as the vast majority of small businesses in the US use QuickBooks.
• Consider value-based pricing that reflects the benefits you deliver to clients.
• Factors influencing this rate include the bookkeeper’s education, experience, and the complexity of tasks involved.
• Some clients require more frequent attention than others, and there are even certain times of the year that might be busier than others for your clients.

However, master’s degrees in accounting are usually designed for professionals in more advanced or technical positions. With the most extensive what is a bookkeeper online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target. If your compensation planning software is too rigid to deploy winning incentive strategies, it’s time to find an adaptable solution.

She’s already hired one subcontractor to help with two of her clients. So far it’s working out well, and Coffee Shop Accounting she feels great about lifting some of that work off herself. For that first client Kate secured at the speed networking event, she charged $20 per hour.

• In 2019, Strategic Finance magazine published a report detailing a “looming crisis” in the accounting industry.
• For example, during times of uncertainty, businesses might explore new markets, invest in different assets, or restructure their operations.
• Having a degree under your belt will give your customers confidence and the willingness to pay more.
• By getting certified, you not only increase your earning potential but also enhance your professional credibility, making you a more attractive candidate in the job market.
• Those senior Bookkeeper with 5-8 years of experience earn roughly $46,102, and those Bookkeeper having 8 years or more experience is expected to earn about $46,239 on average.
• So, we are going to subtract $50 a month from the $300 to go towards your expenses.
• The human touch in bookkeeping is irreplaceable, showing just how valuable these pros are.

The typical yearly income for a bookkeeper in the USA is $44,850, with the lowest paid starting at $37,068 and the highest earning at $58,695. Not all bookkeepers are equal in the types of services they offer, and this is often a major factor in how much you make per hour. The basic services are maintaining accounts payable and receivable, reconciling bank and credit card accounts, and generating monthly financial reports.

Salary.com shows the average base salary (core compensation), as well as the average total cash compensation for the job of Bookkeeper in the United States. An aspiring bookkeeper can enter the profession with a two-year or four-year college degree. Average entry-level salaries approach $38,000 per year, according to Payscale. From this viewpoint, bookkeeping offers an appealing path to an accounting career. Unsurprisingly, the BLS identifies accounting, tax prep, bookkeeping, and payroll services as the industry that employs the most bookkeepers.

Bookkeeper Certifications

Certified bookkeepers often earn more than those without certifications. For example, an ACCA certification can lead to even higher salaries, as ACCA-certified professionals earn more than regular bookkeepers. This highlights the value of investing in professional qualifications to boost your earning potential. You should expect, on average, to spend about 3-4 hours per month per client. Keep in mind that this may be a little longer when you are first beginning since it will take a little time to familiarize yourself with your client’s situation. Also, in many cases, you may have to clean up your clients’ books from back before they hired you.

Questions About Average Bookkeeper Salary

• While many self-employed bookkeepers work remotely, if you’re providing services locally, hourly rates vary state-by-state.
• Okay, let’s do a little number crunching to give you a general idea of what you can expect in terms of cash flow for your business.
• Consider obtaining additional certifications like QuickBooks ProAdvisor or specializing in a niche area such as construction or ecommerce.
• Bookkeepers in the UK can boost their earnings by diving into specific industries.
• If you are an amazing Receptionist / Bookkeeper who wants to change business owners’ lives whilst working at an amazing company with outstanding culture, then keep reading!.

For defined projects, offer a fixed price that includes all necessary services. As of April 01, 2025, the average annual salary for a Bookkeeper in California is $48,354. Salary.com reports that pay typically ranges from $44,587 to $53,422, with most professionals earning between $41,156 and $58,035.