How To Find Utah Bookkeepers & Bookkeeping Services

Utah has a thriving community of bookkeepers that offer a wide range of services to help keep your finances organized and up-to-date.

In this article, we will delve into the 10 most important things you need to know about Utah-based bookkeepers and bookkeeping services.

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1. How Much Do Utah Bookkeepers Cost?

Bookkeeping services and bookkeepers are integral to the financial health of any business, regardless of location. In the state of Utah, this is no exception. In most cases, various factors influence the cost of freelance and self-employed bookkeepers or bookkeeping services. For example, their price can be higher if they have more tasks and responsibilities, and vice versa.

If you’d like to hire a freelance bookkeeper, you can browse through various hiring options on Upwork. The average hourly price varies from $30 to $60.

Another option is to hire a bookkeeping company based in Utah. The price always depends on the quantity and complexity of the work the company will have to do. In general, these companies charge $110 on average for basic tasks and up to $1000 monthly.

Finally, the least expensive choice is to subscribe to an online accounting and bookkeeping software tool. These tools have varying prices, with premium versions usually priced at around $300. While that may seem expensive, they are an excellent option since they cover a broad range of functions.

Moreover, considering that they offer multiple subscription plans, you can also select the plan that’s most appropriate for you.

2. What Are Typical Bookkeeper Hourly Rates in Utah?

This is the latest data about the average hourly rates of Utah-based bookkeepers provided by five online sources.

Bookkeepers.com: $16.38 average hourly rate.
Zippia: $17.23 average hourly rate.
Payscale: $17.38 average hourly rate.
Indeed: $20.47 average hourly rate.
Salary Expert: $20.78 average hourly rate.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics statistics show that the hourly rate of Utah-based bookkeepers is around $19.13, and the mean hourly wage is $21.30.

3. What Is the Average Bookkeeper Salary in Utah?

If, on the other hand, you’d like to become a full-time bookkeeper in the state of Utah, you can anticipate an annual salary range within the following bracket:

Bookkeepers.com: The average annual salary is $33,715.
Zippia: The average annual salary is $35,838. The lowest salary is

$27,000, and the highest salary is $45,000.

Payscale: The average annual salary is $45,646. The lowest salary is $40,000, and the highest is $50,000.
Indeed: The average annual salary is $41,752. The lowest salary is $31,961, and the highest is $54,542.
Salary Expert: The average annual salary is $43,218. The lowest salary is $32,359, and the highest salary is $52,276.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics statistics shows that the average annual salary of Utah-based bookkeepers is $44,310.

4. What Does a Utah Bookkeeper Do?

Based on the information from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and Xero, these are the daily tasks of US-based auditing and accounting clerks and bookkeepers:

Using bookkeeping software tools
Sending and generating invoices
Verifying the accuracy of invoices from suppliers and making timely payments
Operating with online databases
Posting transactions using computer software tools
Recording checks, cash, and vouchers
Entering debits (expenses) and credits (revenues) into a software tool
Allocating debits and credits to the correct account
Preparing weekly, monthly, and yearly reports for income, balance sheets, and account summaries

5. How to Become a Bookkeeper in Utah?

To become a bookkeeper in Utah, you don’t necessarily need a bachelor’s degree. You can do so only with a high school diploma. However, you do need to have relevant experience in bookkeeping and accounting and know your way around taxation and payroll. Sometimes, you’ll have to demonstrate your skills by using an online accounting software tool.

The easiest way to gain the required knowledge to become a bookkeeper in Utah is by following an academic course and earning a bookkeeping certificate. To expand your knowledge and gain more experience once you’ve finished an academic course, you can apply for an entry job or an internship as a bookkeeper.

6. Do You Need to Be Certified or Licensed to Be a Utah Bookkeeper?

Although you don’t need to pass a mandatory exam either in order to become a bookkeeper in Utah, your chances to demonstrate your experience and gain more clients and job prospects will be higher if you have some form of certification.

If you’d like to become a certified bookkeeper, you can take the Certified Bookkeeper Exam (CB) by the American Institute of Professional Bookkeepers or The Uniform Certified Public Accountant Examination (CPA).

The CPA exam is a professional certification demonstrating a very high competence level, and it’s evaluated by the Pennsylvania State Board of Accountancy, which provides a license for certified bookkeepers and accountants.

Additionally, you can take the Certified Public Bookkeeper (CPB) exam provided by the National Association of Certified Public Bookkeepers. To take the CPB exam, you’ll first need to complete three steps:

Take a pre-assessment exam on bookkeeping
Finish a course on the basics of accounting and bookkeeping
Take a post-assessment exam on bookkeeping

7. Can I Take Any Bookkeeping Classes in Utah?

There are different colleges and universities in Utah that offer bookkeeping and accounting courses. Some of the most popular options are Utah Valley University, Salt Lake Community College, The University of Utah, and Utah State University.

Utah Valley University: Based in Orem and founded in 1941, Utah Valley University offers a variety of bookkeeping courses as part of its accounting program, including courses in managerial and financial accounting. They also offer paid internships and job counselling once you obtain your degree.

Salt Lake Community College: Founded in 1948 and based in one of the friendliest US cities, this community college offers a Bookkeeping Clerk Program. This program lasts for 470 hours and covers all of the essential bookkeeping topics, such as QuickBooks, payroll, and tax preparation.

The University of Utah: Founded in 1850, The University of Utah is an excellent choice for aspiring bookkeepers since it’s the best university in Utah and is in the top 400 universities according to the latest rankings by QS World University Rankings. You can follow accounting programs at the David Eccles School Of Business. All of these programs include courses in bookkeeping and have a top-rated curriculum in accounting and finance.

Utah State University: Based in Logan and founded in 1888, Utah State University offers a Professional Bookkeeping Certificate that can help aspiring students prepare for exams provided by the American Institute of Professional Bookkeepers. Also, Utah State University offers two bachelor’s programs in Accounting, which can be an excellent option for those who’d like to get a college degree.

8. What Software Can I Use For Bookkeeping in Utah?

These are the best software tools that you can use for bookkeeping in Utah.

I. QuickBooks

Known for its straightforward, user-friendly design QuickBooks is a great software tool for accountants and bookkeepers who are self-employed or work as freelancers. In addition to the most common features of accounting software tools, such as making payments and tracking income and expenses, QuickBooks also offers excellent features for small companies, such as bank feeds, project profitability, inventory management, etc.

These are the four pricing plans that you can choose from:

Simple Start: $30 per month
Essentials: $55 per month
Plus: $85 per month
Advanced: $200 per month

Right now, QuickBooks is offering 50% off for 90 days, so hurry up if you’re interested in subscribing to one of their plans.

II. Xero

More than 3.5 million people are currently subscribed to Xero, another great software tool for smaller businesses and bookkeepers who are self-employed or work as freelancers. With Xero, you can manage clients and co-workers, create starter plans for smaller companies or startups, pay bills, claim expenses, etc.

You can use Xero by opening a browser or downloading the mobile app for Android and iOS. The mobile app is free for a 30-day period.

Xero offers three pricing plans:

Starter: $25.
Standard: $40.
Premium: $54.

At the moment, you can buy any of the plans and save 75% for three months.

III. FreshBooks

The third software tool on our list is the Toronto-based FreshBooks accounting and bookkeeping software asset. FreshBooks is an accessible and user-friendly tool for smaller businesses, companies with employees or contractors, startups, and self-employed bookkeepers. Using FreshBooks, you can make estimates, payments, and invoices, as well as track mileage, payroll, and many other bookkeeping tasks.

FreshBooks is a browser-based tool, but you can also use its mobile application created for Android and iOS. Also, you can try FreshBooks for 30 days for free before subscribing to one of its purchase plans.

Right now, all four pricing plans are 90% off for a three-month period. The regular prices of the three pricing plans are:

Lite: $15 per month
Plus: $30 per month
Premium: $55 per month
Select: Custom

IV. Zoho

Known as one of the most reliable software tools created in the late 90s, Zoho is an excellent software option for startups, nonprofits, small businesses, and self-employed bookkeepers. Zoho has over 50 integrated apps that help you manage funds, create invoices, oversee projects, do online payments and payables, and many other things. If you’d like to find out more about Zoho, you can take a guided tour and explore all of its features. Zoho’s mobile app is also available for iOS and Android.

These are the five pricing plans offered by Zoho:

Standard: $10 per month
Professional: $20 per month
Premium: $30 per month
Elite: $100 per month
Ultimate: $200 per month

V. Patriot Software

Founded in Ohio in 1986, Patriot Software is another popular software tool perfect for small, medium, and large businesses, as well as self-employed bookkeepers and accountants. Patriot Software has many features that can improve your bookkeeping workflow, such as bank transactions, money tracking, creating invoices for customers and financial reports, calculating taxes, etc.

If you’d like to explore what Patriot Software offers, you can watch a demo or even schedule a personal software demo. Also, you can use it for free for one month and see if it meets your expectations before subscribing to one of its monthly plans.

These are the two pricing plans offered by Patriot Software:

Accounting Basic: $20 per month
Accounting Premium: $30 per month

9. How Many Bookkeepers Are There in Utah?

According to the latest data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are 14,360 bookkeepers in Utah.

10. Where Can I Find The Best Utah Bookkeepers?

Find the best bookkeepers in Utah near you by clicking on your city from the list below: