Accountants and Bookkeepers: A Career that Counts

November 04, 2026

Managing finances can be quite the balancing act! Glance behind the scenes into a business office and you will often find a knowledgeable accountant who helps establishments or individual clients stay on track financially. More than 40,000 Oregonians worked in accounting occupations in 2024, according to Employment Department estimates. Around 40% or 16,217 worked as accountants and auditors and the remaining 60% or 24,723 worked as bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks. These occupations can be found in all industry sectors and sizes of establishments ranging from small family businesses to large corporations, government agencies and nonprofits.

Positive Job Outlook for Accountants, Ongoing Decline for Clerks

Accounting presents a straightforward career progression with stable job prospects. Total employment for accountants and auditors is expected to increase by 7.1% statewide from 2024 to 2034. Total employment for bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks is projected to decline by 2.9% while still offering numerous replacement openings due to job turnover and retirements.

Both occupations are currently designated “high-demand occupations” in Employment Department research. The statewide labor market for accounting occupations is projected to hold steady with more than 4,000 annual job openings over the next decade. Openings for accountants and auditors will number around 1,330 per year and openings for bookkeeping clerks will amount to 2,720 per year. 

Wage Distribution Differs for Accountants versus Bookkeeping Clerks

Accountants and auditors are paid higher wages on average than are bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks. This gap in wages reflects the differing educational requirements and seniority levels of the occupations within companies’ staffing patterns. Bookkeeping clerks perform clerical tasks and can enter their occupation without a college degree. Conversely, most accountant roles require a bachelor's degree and complex, analytical accounting skills.

The 2026 median hourly wage for bookkeeping clerks in Oregon was $26.60 per hour, which equates to $55,328 per year. The 10th percentile entry-level wage was $18.58 and 90th percentile wage was $36.71. The 90th percentile indicates a wage ceiling where pay tops out for most workers in this occupation without pursuing a higher job classification or further education.

In 2026, Oregon’s accountants and auditors earned a median wage of $41.94 per hour or $87,235 per year. Wages ranged from $30.59 at the 10th percentile to $63.86 at the 90th percentile. Many future accountants begin their careers as bookkeeping or accounting clerks to gain industry expertise while building a résumé. Once they possess a bachelor’s degree, they can then apply for accountant roles that come with a higher pay scale. Keep in mind this wage data reflects only employees of establishments so does not include freelance bookkeepers who have independent contractor status. Whether or not they hold a bachelor’s degree, an independent contractor can set their own rates and have higher or lower earning potential depending on their ability to acquire and maintain clients over the years.

Accounting Students Balance their Books with Real World Experience 

For bookkeeping, accounting and auditing clerks, the typical entry-level education is post-secondary training in the form of college accounting courses. Some employers prefer candidates to hold a two-year associate’s degree or a certification such as Certified Bookkeeper, while others hire candidates with just a high school diploma.

The typical entry-level education for accountants and auditors is a bachelor’s degree. This could be either a B.S. or B.A. in accounting or a bachelor’s in business with an accounting concentration. Most four-year colleges and universities offer bachelor’s in accounting programs, reflecting the enduring necessity of training new accountants to enter the field. For certain higher-level roles, employers may prefer candidates who hold a master’s degree in accounting or an M.B.A.

Customary college courses include Financial Accounting, Managerial and Cost Accounting, Auditing, Taxation, Accounting Information Systems, Business Law, Ethics and Professional Standards. Coursework for an associate or bachelor's degree may also include studies in economics, statistics and mathematics to build an accountant’s numerical abilities. 

Outside of coursework, it can be advantageous for a student to complete an internship and gain work experience while enrolled in college, even if that means a part-time or summer job unrelated to accounting. Real world experience helps develop the soft skills necessary to be successful in a professional workplace following graduation.

After an accounting student graduates with their bachelor’s degree, they are likely to select a specialization. Depending on their interests, they can pursue state-issued licensure as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) or pursue another industry‑recognized credential such as Certified Management Accountant or Certified Internal Auditor. Other specialization options for graduates include budget analyst, financial analyst, enrolled agent, or government tax examiner which are all closely related to accounting. Those with specialty licenses such as CPA are required to complete continuing education hours each year to keep their licenses valid. 

Accountants Make Sense of Dollars and Cents

Accountants do more than simply crunch numbers. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, accountants and auditors is a business and financial occupation with the following major tasks: 

• Examine, analyze, and interpret accounting records to prepare financial statements, give advice, or audit and evaluate statements prepared by others. 
• Install or advise on systems of recording costs or other financial and budgetary data.

It is an accountant’s job to reconcile every dollar and ensure that an organization maintains accurate financial reports, tax filings and well-functioning accounting systems. They could also be responsible for analyzing the records to advise management on how to stay profitable or within budget during future fiscal cycles. An employee might start out as a staff accountant before progressing into a senior accountant, controller, or financial auditor role which comes with a higher level of oversight responsibility.

Accountants are the backbone of financial integrity and compliance with laws. They ensure transparency of financial data, allowing stakeholders to use the trusted data to make sound decisions about an organization’s performance. An accountant’s methods are guided by Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) in the United States. 

Accountants and auditors normally work in indoor office environments and follow daytime work hours. E-mail, telephone, and computer software are essential tools of the trade, opening the door to remote work possibilities for some workers. Accounting’s standard “9 to 5” schedule makes it a strong job choice for those seeking work-life balance and weekends off, though strict deadlines and time pressure can be a reality of the occupation.

Bookkeeping and Accounting Clerks: Heroes of the Ledger

Bookkeeping, accounting and auditing clerks are considered office and administrative support occupations. Duties include the following: 

• Compute, classify, and record numerical data to keep financial records complete. 
• Perform any combination of routine calculating, posting, and verifying duties to obtain primary financial data for use in maintaining accounting records. 
• May also check the accuracy of figures, calculations, and postings pertaining to business transactions recorded by other workers.

Swoop in on a business office on any given day and bookkeeping clerks are likely to be found handling clerical functions such as the processing of accounts payable and receivable or the reconciliation of bank statements. They might also be responsible for billing and payroll duties.

In layman’s terms, accounts payable tracks what the company owes to suppliers or vendors for goods or services it has received but not yet paid for. A clerk receives an invoice, verifies its accuracy, records the invoice in the company’s accounting system or ledger, then schedules an outgoing payment. Accounts receivable tracks what is owed to the company by its customers for goods or services provided that the customer has not yet paid for. Once the company has delivered the goods or provided the service, a clerk issues an invoice with the amount owed and payment terms. They record the incoming payment when it is received, crediting it towards sales revenue or income. 

Knowledge of computer software and general accounting methods is helpful for a bookkeeping clerk just starting out. As a clerk progresses in their role, the personal attributes of dependability, organization and attention to detail also factor into one’s success. These office roles tend to suit those who have conventional work interests and possess a great deal of integrity. 

Tax Professionals Save the Day as April Fifteenth Nears

Besides supporting business finance and business tax, many accounting professionals find their niche in the world of personal income tax, helping individuals plan for and file their annual tax returns. An accountant might decide to focus on income tax or open their own firm where they advise clients on complex scenarios. 

Tax accountants who do not already hold a CPA license may become an Enrolled Agent (EA) by passing a rigorous exam administered by the U.S. Department of Treasury. Day to day, they help clients understand the current tax law and work within the law to achieve the lowest tax burden or optimal financial advantage for the client’s family. During this process, the tax accountant translates complex written laws and state and federal filing procedures into understandable advice for a client who may not have much knowledge of the tax code. 

Bookkeeping clerks looking to get into income tax work might find employment in the tax preparer occupation assisting clients with more routine tax returns. Job duties include compiling and reviewing a household’s financial data, inputting the data into computer software, then filing with the Internal Revenue Service.  Something to keep in mind is that many tax preparer positions are seasonal roles providing employment primarily for tax season in winter and spring. 

Accounting Careers Traverse All Industries 

All kinds of private and public entities in Oregon employ accountants and bookkeeping clerks. There is also substantial opportunity for self-employment. From the smallest startup or mom and pop shop to the largest multinational corporation, businesses from all industries turn to accounting professionals to ensure they are keeping precise, compliant business records. Because the skillset needed for accounting positions is similar across industries, it is relatively easy for these workers to bring their transferable skills when moving from one industry to another. Small businesses commonly have a bookkeeper who could be either an employee or an independent contractor. Workloads differ depending on the size and complexity of the business activity, so some businesses employ someone full-time to handle accounts payable, receivable, billing and payroll while others only need part-time accounting help. 

A common arrangement for small businesses is to contract with a local bookkeeping firm or independent accountant for a few hours per month to process payroll and keep financial records and reporting up to date. Larger businesses with an internal accounting department may also turn to an outside accounting firm for audit or consultation purposes. Accordingly, the professional services subsector of accounting, tax preparation, bookkeeping and payroll services provides 27% of jobs for accountants and auditors in Oregon. Within this subsector, accountants work from a separate office or remotely with only occasional visits to the client’s business location. They might alternate their work tasks between multiple business clients throughout the week depending on how many they serve overall.

The Bottom Line: Future of Accounting

Accountants, auditors, and bookkeeping clerks are essential contributors to Oregon’s economy. They work behind the scenes as the “eagle eyes” expertly tracking incoming and outgoing money. At their most advanced level, accounting professionals analyze financial records, forecast trends, and identify cost-saving or compliance methods that help businesses and individuals adapt to a changing regulatory landscape. 

Technological advances such as artificial intelligence, cloud systems, and automation will continue to transform the field of accounting. The implementation of technology has already improved accuracy and enabled real-time data analysis and reporting. It has also automated some routine processing tasks that used to be performed by bookkeeping clerks, which foreshadows a continued decline in employment for the clerical side of accounting.

Accountants’ roles are expected to continue shifting towards strategic analysis, advice, and decision-making. If you are a detail-minded person with a knack for critical thinking, a career in accounting just might add up to the perfect fit.