Accounting Clerk Certificate
This program will enroll students for the last time in Fall 2025.
You can start this program as a full-time student in September 2025. You will need to pass all of your classes as indicated below to complete your certificate.
Here is a general overview of what your classes will look like following each quarter. Please contact your advisor for more information regarding the courses. To see which materials are needed for your courses, click this bookstore link (Links to an external site.) and enter the course information.
General Overview
When can I start? Fall (September)
How long is the program? 2 quarters (6 months) with 32 total credits
When do classes meet? FLEX (this means you attend on campus or by video chat or online)
Are summer classes required? No! There are no summer classes for this certificate.
In this certificate program, you will learn the fundamental skills of accounting and use a computer for word processing, electronic spreadsheets, and general ledger.
When you graduate, you can apply for jobs like accounting clerk and payroll clerk.
What does an accounting clerk do?
What is the average salary?
$51,250 annually in the Seattle-Bellevue-Tacoma area. Most accounting clerks earn at least $39,520; there is a wide salary range.
Who can I contact with questions?
- New students, please visit our Zoom lobby (Links to an external site.) to talk with someone by video chat, or e-mail our advising department.
- For current students, please visit RTC's advising page (Links to an external site and look for the faculty counselor assigned to Accounting Clerk.
Overall Materials Needed:
- Functioning laptop or computer
- USB drive (thumb drive)
- Webcam
- Headset with microphone
- Working internet connection
- Book and software packages ($505)
Minimum GPA or grades to graduate
You need to earn a 2.0 in ACCT& 201 and ACCT& 202. You can earn a 1.0 or better in all other classes for the certificate. Your overall or cumulative GPA must be 2.0 or higher.
Materials Warning
If you rent a textbook, make sure you return it by the deadline. If you purchase a textbook, you can sell it back to the RTC bookstore -- but make sure that you won't need the book again for classes in the future!
Fall 2024 start
Quarter 1 Classes
Description: In this quarter, you are introduced to the necessary tools for accounting tasks and learn how to record various important monetary information. This quarter consists of three core classes and one general education class in communication or humanities.
| Course ID | Course Name | Materials | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| COL 101 | College Success | NO | 2 |
| ASST 144 | Introduction to Office Applications or MAP 114 | NO | 5 |
| ACCT& 201 | Principles of Accounting I | YES | 5 |
| COMP 100 | Applied Composition or another communication or humanities class |
varies by class | 5 |
| Estimated Tuition and Fees: $2,012 |
|||
Quarter 2 Classes
Description: You will learn to manage general ledgers, accounts receivable, accounts payable, depreciation, inventory, payroll, and financial statements in a small business - using Microsoft Excel. You also will explore collection and recording of payroll data such as wages, overtime, leave, salary calculations, and payroll taxes.
Prerequisite notes: You cannot take ACCT 130 or ACCT& 202 until you complete ACCT& 201 with a 2.0 or higher. You cannot take ACCT 132 until you complete ASST 144 or an equivalent Microsoft Office class.
It's time to apply for your certificate!
| Course ID | Course Name | Materials | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACCT 130 | Payroll Accounting | YES | 5 |
| ACCT& 202 | Principles of Accounting II | NO | 5 |
| ACCT 132 | Excel for Accounting | YES | 5 |
| Estimated Tuition and Fees: $1,841 | |||
Grand Total Estimate: $4,358
Winter 2025 start (part-time)
Winter 2025 Classes
| Course ID | Course Name | Materials | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| COL 101 | College Success | NO | 2 |
| ASST 144 | Introduction to Office Applications or MAP 114 | NO | 5 |
| ACCT& 201 | Principles of Accounting I | YES | 5 |
Spring 2025 Classes
| Course ID | Course Name | Materials | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACCT& 202 | Principles of Accounting II | NO | 5 |
Fall 2025 Classes
| Course ID | Course Name | Materials | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Education Communication or Humanities | varies | 5 |
Winter 2026 Classes
| Course ID | Course Name | Materials | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACCT 130 | Payroll Accounting | YES | 5 |
| ACCT 132 | Excel for Accounting | YES | 5 |
Fall 2025 start (full-time)
Quarter 1 Classes
Description: In this quarter, you are introduced to the necessary tools for accounting tasks and learn how to record various important monetary information. This quarter consists of three core classes and one general education class in communication or humanities.
| Course ID | Course Name | Materials | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| COL 101 | College Success | NO | 2 |
| ASST 100 + 104 or MAP 114 |
Computer and Keyboarding Basics + Office 365 with AI or Computer Fundamentals |
varies | 2 + 3 or 5 |
| ACCT& 201 | Principles of Accounting I | YES | 5 |
| COMP 100 | Applied Composition or another communication or humanities class |
varies by class | 5 |
| Estimated Tuition and Fees: $2,012 |
|||
Quarter 2 Classes
Description: You will learn to manage general ledgers, accounts receivable, accounts payable, depreciation, inventory, payroll, and financial statements in a small business - using Microsoft Excel. You also will explore collection and recording of payroll data such as wages, overtime, leave, salary calculations, and payroll taxes.
Prerequisite notes: You cannot take ACCT 130 or ACCT& 202 until you complete ACCT& 201 with a 2.0 or higher. You cannot take ACCT 132 until you complete ASST 144 or an equivalent Microsoft Office class.
It's time to apply for your certificate!
| Course ID | Course Name | Materials | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACCT 130 | Payroll Accounting | YES | 5 |
| ACCT& 202 | Principles of Accounting II | YES | 5 |
| ACCT 132 | Excel for Accounting | YES | 5 |
| Estimated Tuition and Fees: $1,841 | |||
Fall 2025 start (part-time)
Quarter 1 Classes
Description: In this quarter, you are introduced to the necessary tools for accounting tasks and learn how to record various important monetary information. This quarter consists of three core classes and one general education class in communication or humanities.
| Course ID | Course Name | Materials | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| COL 101 | College Success | NO | 2 |
| ASST 100 + 104 or MAP 114 |
Computer and Keyboarding Basics + Office 365 with AI or Computer Fundamentals |
varies | 2 + 3 or 5 |
| ACCT& 201 | Principles of Accounting I | YES | 5 |
Quarter 2 Classes
Description: You will learn to manage general ledgers, accounts receivable, accounts payable, depreciation, inventory, payroll, and financial statements in a small business - using Microsoft Excel. You also will explore collection and recording of payroll data such as wages, overtime, leave, salary calculations, and payroll taxes.
Prerequisite notes: You cannot take ACCT 130 or ACCT& 202 until you complete ACCT& 201 with a 2.0 or higher. You cannot take ACCT 132 until you complete ASST 144 or an equivalent Microsoft Office class.
| Course ID | Course Name | Materials | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACCT 130 | Payroll Accounting | YES | 5 |
| ACCT 132 | Excel for Accounting | YES | 5 |
Quarter 3 Classes
It's time to apply for your certificate!
| Course ID | Course Name | Materials | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACCT& 202 | Principles of Accounting II | YES | 5 |
| COMP 100 | Applied Composition or another communication or humanities class |
varies by class | 5 |
Not quite the path you want to take? Let's go back to the Program Map!