1431-NOC

Accounting and related clerks

(NOC 14200)
Annual Earnings
$49,658
Training, Education, Experience and Responsibilities
High School Diploma
Job Openings
(2023-2033)
8,990

Career Overview

Accounting and related clerks calculate, prepare and process bills, invoices, accounts payable and receivable, budgets and other financial records according to established procedures.

Accounting and related clerks work throughout the private and public sectors in organizations of all sizes. People in this career should have excellent numeracy, organizational and time-management skills. They must also be good communicators.

Duties

Accounting and related clerks:

  • Calculate, prepare and issue documents related to accounts such as bills, invoices, inventory reports, account statements and other financial statements using computerized and manual systems
  • Code, total, batch, enter, verify and reconcile transactions such as accounts payable and receivable, payroll, purchase orders, cheques, invoices, cheque requisitions, and bank statements in a ledger or computer system
  • Compile budget data and documents based on estimated revenues and expenses and previous budgets
  • Prepare period or cost statements or reports
  • Calculate costs of materials, overhead and other expenses based on estimates, quotations, and price lists
  • Respond to customer inquiries, maintain good customer relations and solve problems
  • Perform related clerical duties, such as word processing, maintaining filing and record systems, faxing and photocopying

Earnings

Earnings is income that workers receive in exchange for their labour. Depending on the type of employment, earnings can be in the form of wages (hourly), salaries (fixed monthly or annual) or self-employed earnings.

Annual Earnings

$49,658

Provincial Hourly Rate

High$33.33/hr
Median$23.81/hr
Low$17.60/hr
Source: B.C. Labour Market Information Office, derived from 2023 Job Bank Wage data

Work Environment

# Workers Employed

21,605

% Employed Full Time

61%
Source: 2021 Census

While employees work a regular five-day workweek, there may be evening and weekend work during busy seasons.

In addition to regular accounting duties, employees are often also expected to work directly with clients by answering inquiries.

Career Pathways

Progression to supervisory or skilled financial occupations, such as accounts payable supervisor, bookkeeper or office manager is possible with additional training and experience.

Occupational Interests

It’s important to understand what kinds of occupations align with your interests.

For more about occupational interests visit Skills for the Future Workforce > Characteristics.

Here are the top occupational interest(s) for this career profile:

Conventional
Conventional

Job Titles

Accounting clerk
Accounts payable clerk
Accounts receivable clerk
Audit clerk
Billing clerk
Budget clerk
Costing clerk
Deposit clerk
Finance clerk
Freight-rate clerk
Income tax return preparer
Invoice clerk
Ledger clerk
Tax clerk

Education, Training and Skills

Accounting and related clerks require a minimum of grade 12, along with a wide range of on-the-job experience. Other requirements may include:

  • A university degree, a business diploma or a certificate from a related field of study
  • Experience working in accounts payable and receivable and data entry
  • Computer skills, including a working knowledge of MS Word, Excel and accounting software
  • Experience serving clients at a front desk
  • Completion of college or other courses certified by the Certified General Accountants Association of Canada, Canadian Securities Institute or Canadian Bookkeepers Association may be required
  • Some accounting clerks must be bondable

Education programs in B.C.

The following program areas are related to this occupation:

  • Computing/Office Automation Related
EducationPlannerBC Logo
Find out more information about programs offered specifically for this career.

Skills

Every job calls for a certain set of skills. Knowing those skills is the first step in finding a good career fit.

Here, you will find the 10 most relevant workplace skills. Some are more important to achieving success in a certain career than others. These skills may come naturally to you or you may need to gain them through education, training and experience.

See the list of work-related skills below, ranked in order of importance for this career. Check out the list and see if this career matches your skills—take that first step!

Reading Comprehension

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.

65%
Active Listening

Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

60%
Critical Thinking

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

57%
Mathematics

Using mathematics to solve problems.

56%
Speaking

Talking to others to share information effectively.

54%
Monitoring

Keeping track of and assessing your performance, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

52%
Writing

Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

51%
Time Management

Managing one’s own time and the time of others.

50%
Service Orientation

Actively looking for ways to help people.

48%
Complex Problem Solving

Being able to solve novel, ill-defined problems in complex, real-world settings.

48%

Labour Market Statistics

Discover data, facts and information that have been gathered and analyzed. Learn about the characteristics of the economy and labour market in B.C.

Employment

Find out about employment types and trends by region and industry.

Employment

21,605
Source: 2021 Census

Employment by Region

Map of BC Map of BC highlighting Cariboo region Map of BC highlighting Kootenay region Map of BC highlighting Mainland/Southwest region Map of BC highlighting North Coast and Nechako region Map of BC highlighting Northeast region Map of BC highlighting Thompson-Okanagan region Map of BC highlighting Vancouver Island/Coast region
Cariboo
Kootenay
Mainland/Southwest
North Coast and Nechako
Northeast
Thompson-Okanagan
Vancouver Island/Coast
Region Employment % Employment of this Occupation
Cariboo 555 2.6%
Kootenay 485 2.2%
Mainland/Southwest 14,690 68.0%
North Coast and Nechako 350 1.6%
Northeast 345 1.6%
Thompson-Okanagan 2,125 9.8%
Vancouver Island/Coast 3,055 14.1%
Source: 2021 Census

Labour Market Outlook

The B.C. Labour Market Outlook is a 10-year forecast of the expected supply and demand for labour in the province. It’s usually updated every year. The purpose is to provide British Columbians with the knowledge to make informed decisions on careers, skills training, education and hiring.

Forecasted Job Openings (2023-2033)

8,990
Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Forecasted Job Openings

Forecasted Employment Growth Rate

Composition of Job Openings

Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Job Openings by Region (2023-2033)

Map of BC Map of BC highlighting Cariboo region Map of BC highlighting Kootenay region Map of BC highlighting Mainland/Southwest region Map of BC highlighting North Coast and Nechako region Map of BC highlighting Northeast region Map of BC highlighting Thompson-Okanagan region Map of BC highlighting Vancouver Island/Coast region
Cariboo
Kootenay
Mainland/Southwest
North Coast and Nechako
Northeast
Thompson-Okanagan
Vancouver Island/Coast
Region Job Openings Avg. Annual Employment Growth
Cariboo 170 0.1%
Kootenay 170 0.4%
Mainland/Southwest 5,900 0.9%
North Coast and Nechako 120 0.9%
Northeast 120 0.6%
Thompson-Okanagan 1,030 1.2%
Vancouver Island/Coast 1,470 1.1%
Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Industry Highlights

Learn about the opportunities in B.C.'s major industries, including employment trends, earning potential, locations of work and more.

Forecasted Job Openings by Industry

IndustryJob Openings (2023-2033)
Professional, Scientific And Technical Services2,090
Retail Trade790
Wholesale Trade720
Construction710
Finance, Insurance And Real Estate690
For additional industry information, visit the Industry Profiles page.
Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Resources