Which bookkeeping certification is best? is a common question for most of the student, who want to grow their carrier as bookkeepers. Bookkeeping is a convenient profile in the financial and business industry that is played by the bookkeeper. If you already know about this profile but finding the best way to become a certified bookkeeper, let us tell you, The way to become a certified bookkeeper is many but you have to run on those platforms very securely, no higher secondary education and graduation course is required to go in this profile. You must be certified by the American Institute of Professional Bookkeepers (AIPB) and the National Association of Certified Public Accountants (NACPB). Both platforms give the best career opportunities to all learners who are starting their careers in bookkeeping.
No doubt, it is a competitive world in which you will find a huge crowd of competitors. Before choosing the best bookkeeping certification, you need to understand the activities and role of a certified bookkeeper so that you can cover the course without having any doubt about the designation. Bookkeepers play a complicated role who is involved in multiple activities at one time such as maintaining accounts and ledgers of ingoing and outgoing transactions with a header, posting of journals and invoices in the accounting software for future visibility, and more other records that are needed to maintain and update regularly. In a single line, if you want to get the bookkeeper position in the corporate industry or public industry, you will have to select the best bookkeeping certification for better bookkeeping education.
Is bookkeeping certification valuable?
Obviously yes, it is more valuable in the corporate world because bookkeeping certification increases the value of a bookkeeper in terms of knowledge. The certifications give special power to the candidates so that they can get the designation of certified bookkeeper by which they easily get the job and get a higher salary.
It is a respectable position that helps to boost your career but you need to invest more to get bookkeeping certification. It is an advanced step for bookkeepers to explore new accounting skills from the bookkeeping association that raises the chances of getting a job or improves the bookkeeper’s quality. Bookkeepers move with a basic qualification of two or three years to work in the bookkeeping industry that is completed at low cost but to acquire advanced qualification with bookkeeping certification might be necessary to get up in the same industry that is done at a high cost.
Two main bookkeeping certifications
In our mind, there are many course options for general bookkeepers to become certified bookkeepers but here we are sharing two main certification bookkeeping courses in the United States (US) for bookkeepers who want to work with MNCs and international companies.
Your professional bookkeeper career in big brand corporate companies will run only if you complete those two bookkeeping certifications. Those bookkeeping certification types are Certified Public Bookkeeper (CPB) and Certified Bookkeeper (CB). These two are the most advantageous bookkeeping courses or certifications that offer an opportunity to get the designation stamp of a certified bookkeeper. Both have major value in the bookkeeping world in which bookkeepers have to show their knowledge and accounting skills that are acquired from these programs after clearing the course exams.
1. Certified Public Bookkeeper
Certified Public Bookkeeper exams are sponsored by the NACPB which has its own exam rules or format to complete before sitting into the exam.
Entering cost and study material cost
- The first rule is to fill the exam fee which is $400 for registered members and $600 for non-registered members.
- The second rule is to purchase study materials which cost $997 for registered members and $1,297 for non-registered members.
- The third rule is to submit the registration fees which are $100 for registered and non-registered members.
- A Membership fee is required to enter your name with this bookkeeping association which is $100.
- After completing the above procedure, you must know about the passing percentage to become a certified bookkeeper ie. 75%.
Qualification required
This certification is asked as proof to enter into a competitive industry. It offers skills and bookkeeper qualities along with a license to give a better response to any changes. So this also requires well-qualified candidates who have passed with basic education to be eligible to pass a national certification exam.
Acquire a license
Whether or not you have cleared your exam but if you don’t have your bookkeeper license, you can’t maintain your designation in any workplace. To acquire a license is your responsibility that reflects your position in the workplace. After clearing the exam and getting the certificate, you have to apply for a license that does not involve lengthy procedures as well as huge costs. So it can be acquired very easily with the presence of all certificates and graduate degrees. It is the best bookkeeping program in the US that puts good results on your financial career.
Bookkeeper salary
Bookkeepers are the main designation which has an average salary of around $38,500 for freshers and $49, 500 for those who have experienced many years. With certifications, you can improve your skills and be eligible to get a high salary with legal power and a prospectus.
2. Certified Bookkeeper
CB exams are sponsored by the American Institute of Public Bookkeepers. This is the best starting step to make a career in the bookkeeping industry, it is a certificate of professionals who clear the rounds to become a certified bookkeeper. It is different from NACPB in terms of exam level and entering part.
Entering cost and study material cost
- The entrance cost of the exam is $200 and study materials cost $254 for registered members and $314 for non-registered members.
- The registration fee is $25 for registered members and $60 for non-registered members.
- The membership fee is $60.
Acquire a license
The Official license is maintained by the AIPB to exist in the bookkeeping industry. Without a license, you can survive due to CB permission. License is a must for CPB, not CB.
CB salary
Once you become a certified bookkeeper, then your salary would be around $45,370. It’s a basic salary that is fixed for freshers or newcomers in the bookkeeping department. Later, with experience, it would be $65,000.
The other bookkeeping certification courses
Here we are discussing some other bookkeeping certification courses that cover the basics as well as advanced bookkeeping systems but do not provide any professional authority to the bookkeepers and do not belong to any naming association. Those are:
- College and universities programs
- Bookkeeping Software certifications like Xero, Freshbooks, Sage, Quickbooks, and more.
Main professional bookkeeping certifications have their value in the world of education that helps to catch the bookkeeper position rapidly and also make them eligible for demanding higher salary and confirmation of permanent authority. Want to earn decent money in the profile of bookkeeping, it’s great if you find jobs in the bookkeeping department but if not, you can provide online bookkeeping services to commercial companies or small business owners who run their company alone by charging a commission. As a freelancer or online service provider, you can get more opportunities to earn good money which matches your designation.
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