Some accounting assistant/clerk jobs require only a high school diploma and will train the right candidate on the job. However, many of these job openings require some college in the form of an associate's degree in accounting or business or an accounting assistant technical diploma or certificate. These degrees can be earned at community colleges and technical colleges. Students must have a high school diploma or GED to attend and typically students must keep a grade point average of at least a "C" while enrolled in these programs.
The accouting assistant technical diploma is a degree a student would get at a technical college or trade school. This diploma takes one year of classes to earn. The goal of the program is to train its students so that upon graduation students they can obtain employment as an accouting assistant. In these types of programs a student would expect to learn basic accounting, Windows, QuickBooks, communications and payroll procedures. Similar degrees to this diploma at community colleges are often called "Accounting Clerk Certificate" programs.
The associate of applied sciences degree in accouting is a typically a two-year program. This is also a vocational program that prepares its graduates for a job as an accouting assistant or an accounting clerk. In addition to the skills a student can expect to learn with a diploma or certificate in accounting, students will take additional math classes, additional english and communication classes and will also learn business law and economic principles.
The Associate of Arts degree in accounting is for students who plan to transfer to a four-year university and earn a bachelor's degree in accounting. This degree is less vocational than other one- or two-year degrees availible in accounting. Instead, students take the same classes they would at a four-year institution during the first two years at that institution. Courses include: general education requirements like public speaking and science, economics, ethics, critical thinking, business law and beginning accouting and business classes.
The professional accounting certificate looks similar to other professional accounting degrees. This degree, however, is for people who have already earned a bachelor's degree in accounting. Students who take this program are preparing to take the Certified Public Accounting (CPA) exam. Some students also choose to earn a master's degree in accounting before taking the CPA exam. This is not a program a student with only a high school diploma or a GED should enroll in.