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Employment Outlook


Bookkeepers assess and maintain financial records in account books and computerised accounting systems. They also prepare financial statements, reports and create budgets. Bookkeepers evaluate and maintain balance sheets, payroll documents, ledgers, bills, receipts and other financial documentation.


Average wage for

Employment Levels

Around 111,300 people are currently employed as Bookkeepers in Australia. This is set to increase slightly to 121,700 people by 2019, according to the Department of Employment.

Employment by State

29.5% of all Bookkeepers are employed in VIC. The area with the lowest number of Bookkeepers is NT, with only 1%.

Gender Split

This is a very female dominated industry with 7.5% of Bookkeepers being male and 92.5% female.

Age Brackets

The most popular age for people working as Bookkeepers is 45-54 years old, with 29.9%. A small percentage (7.1%) of people get into this career path older, aged 65 and over. There is also a number of people who enjoy a career as Bookkeepers, with 12.4% aged 55-59.

Hours Worked


Education Level

The majority of Bookkeepers have a Advanced Diploma/Diploma qualification (21.2%) or are at a Certificate III/IV level (20.2%). 65.5% of people have a Cert III or higher, whilst 34.5% have a qualification which is Year 12 or lower.

Bookkeeper Duties & Tasks

Keep accurate and up-to-date financial records, maintain and balance accounts using manual and computerised systems

Monitor cash flows and lines of credit

Prepare and produce financial statements, budget and expenditure reports and evaluate using account books, ledgers and accounting software packages

Prepare invoices, purchase orders and bank deposits

Reconcile accounts against monthly bank statements

Verify and maintain financial records

May prepare forms reporting business tax entitlements and obligations including goods and services tax paid and collected


