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Home > Accounting and Finance > Bookkeeping Career Diploma

Pursue a New Career as a Bookkeeper​

Prepare for a career as a professional bookkeeper with Penn Foster College's online Bookkeeping classes. You'll learn a range of topics from assets and liabilities to revenue and expenses, a comprehensive understanding of QuickBooks Online Plus™, and a special final project involving business ownership. Our flexible online courses let you study where and when you want, at your own pace — and at an affordable price.​

Why Become a Bookkeeper?

Every business needs a bookkeeper.​ If you have a sharp eye for detail and enjoy thinking critically to solve problems, becoming a bookkeeper can be an exciting career option. With Penn Foster College, you can take your first step toward bookkeeping certification, while learning from expert faculty who have real-world bookkeeping experience.​
Bookkeeping working woman
Why Choose Penn Foster College?
Mobile-Friendly
Start and Study When You Want
Learn at home or on the go through our custom-designed, mobile-friendly student portal, available 24/7.
Dedicated Success Coaches
Dedicated Success Coaches
Our Success Center is made up of Certified Instructors and Success Coaches, Teaching Assistants and Student Help Staff all working to help you succeed.
Experienced faculty
Learn from Experienced Faculty
Learn from expert faculty with real-world experience as certified bookkeepers, dedicated to helping you achieve your professional goals.
Self-paced
Set Your Goals and Pace
Customize your study and exam schedule with progress-tracking and goal-setting tools that keep you moving forward.​
Accredited
Proven Reputation
With 44,000 graduates in 2017 from our regionally and nationally accredited High School and Career School and nationally accredited College, you're in good hands!
Community
Connect with other students
Connect in real-time with other Bookkeeping students in the Penn Foster Community.
Student Experience

A Customized Learning Experience

With mobile-friendly coursework, progress-tracking and goal-setting tools, virtual simulations, informative videos, and personal coaches to help you succeed, the Penn Foster Experience (PFx) is online learning like no other.
Bookkeeping Course Details
Our Bookkeeping courses cover topics such as payroll accounting, revenue, expenses, assets, liabilities, and more to help you succeed in the bookkeeping field. Our program includes 4 lessons on QuickBooks Online Plus™, one of the leading accounting and bookkeeping cloud-based programs on the market, to help you learn how to use a platform many small businesses and entrepreneurs expect.
Curriculum
Penn Foster Curriculum

Important State Requirements: Be sure to check here for the requirements in your state.

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Tuition
With our flexible, affordable payment options, you can get started on your online Bookkeeping classes today.
Tuition
I have applied the skills I learned in my coursework to my job. Penn Foster introduced me to many things I do daily working at a small business, like bookkeeping.
Breanna M.
Penn Foster Graduate
Bookkeeping Student
What is the average salary of a bookkeeper?
Keeping accurate financial records is an important need for most businesses, and a background in bookkeeping can help open doors to jobs in a variety of industries from science to retail. So, how much do bookkeepers make? Bookkeeping jobs remain consistent, and most bookkeepers work full-time with an average salary of almost $40,000 a year.¹ If you’re looking to broaden your career options, learning these valuable skills can help you take the next step toward working in a professional office setting creating and managing spreadsheets, updating databases, and tracking debits and credits while earning an average of over $18 an hour.¹

FAQ

Q. What is the salary for a bookkeeping role?

A. Bookkeepers have a median salary of $40,240 per year¹ and job growth is projected to remain steady in the next several years.

Q. What can I do with a Bookkeeping certification?

A. Bookkeepers who work for multiple firms may visit their clients’ places of business. They often work independently in offices, but sometimes they collaborate with accountants, managers, and auditing clerks from other departments, working in fields such as science, retail, wholesale, healthcare, insurance, and more.

Q. How much does a Bookkeeping program cost?

A. We keep our program costs low so you can keep your goals within reach! We offer discounts and customized payment plans with 0% interest. Visit our tuition page for the most current tuition information.

Q. Is the Bookkeeping program from Penn Foster accredited?

A. Penn Foster College has been thoroughly reviewed and has earned several important accreditations, certifications and licensing. Most importantly, Penn Foster College is nationally accredited by the DEAC. You can find more accreditation details on our Program Details page.

Q. What bookkeeping skills will I learn in this course?

A. Skills covered in the Penn Foster Bookkeeping Program include financial reporting, assets and end-of-month activities, basics of Excel® and Quickbooks, accounting, revenue, expenses, and trial balances, inventory and payroll, liabilities and owner’s equity, and more.

Q. What is the difference between a bookkeeper and an accountant?

A. While bookkeepers and accountants can often be found working closely together, the biggest difference between these jobs is the level of training required to do them and what, exactly, you do day to day. Accountants need further training - usually a degree - and often work on translating and interpreting financial records. Bookkeepers, on the other hand, can complete career training to prepare for the role and complete the vital process of recording the financial information accountants will use later.

Q. Can you work from home as a bookkeeper?

A. Today, more and more roles are able to be done remotely. As a bookkeeper, there is the potential to work from home — eventually. Unless you’re working for yourself or find a remote-only position in the field, you may have to put in time in an office before being given the opportunity to work from home.

Ready To Enroll?

Get started today on your path toward a new career as a bookkeeper with Penn Foster College’s accredited, online program.

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Related Program From Our Partner School, Ashworth College

Take your current career to the next level or develop new skills with the freedom of self-paced courses offered through our partner school, Ashworth College.

Tax Preparation

Whether you’re pursuing a career in finance, accounting, or starting your own business, developing a deeper understanding of tax preparation can be essential to your bottom line — and peace of mind. Boost your resume or start your own business to help earn additional income preparing taxes with training from our partner school, Ashworth College. Ashworth’s online tax prep classes focus on the essentials of preparing federal tax returns for individuals and businesses. This program will help you prepare to sit for the National Bookkeepers Association Tax Certification Exam and includes the cost of the exam and one practice test — a $150.00 value!

Program Details

Hundreds of leading employers and workforce organizations partner with Penn Foster to attract, develop, and retain talent for today’s in-demand middle skilled occupations.

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¹ Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks, on the Internet here. (Visited April 2, 2018)