|
Executive Summary
NACPB's Public Bookkeeping National Survey provides valuable information public bookkeepers and accountants can use to manage their bookkeeping and accounting businesses more effectively. NACPB also uses this information to better serve and promote the public bookkeeping profession and help its members gain a competitive edge.
The Survey consists of 20 questions on public bookkeeper Owner and Business
information as follows:
Owner Information
- Professional Designations
- Accounting Education
- Certifications or Accreditations
- Years of Experience
Business Information
- Business Entity
- Home Based Business
- Part-time of Full-time Professionals
- Years in Business
- Number of Business Owners
- Number of Professional Employees
- Website
- Annual Gross Revenue
- Number of Bookkeeping Clients
- Services Provided
- Billing Methods
- Billing Rates/Fees
- Bookkeeping Hourly Rate
- Accounting/Write-up Average Monthly Fee
- Payroll Average Monthly Fee for 5 Employees
- Tax Preparation Average Form 1040 Fee
- Tax Preparation Average Business Return Fee
- QuickBooks Setup, Personal Training, and Support Hourly Rate
- Industries Served
- Financial Software Supported
- Financial Software Used Internally
- Member Affiliations
NACPB Regions
The Survey asks the public bookkeeper to identify his/her geographical
location by region. NACPB divides the nation into five geographical regions
as follows:
- Midwest - Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota,
Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.
- Northwest - Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington,
and Wyoming.
- Northeast - Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia,
Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania,
Rhode Island, and Vermont.
- Southeast - Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky,
Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia,
and West Virginia.
- Southwest - Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Nevada,
New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, and Utah.
The Survey responses are listed according to these regions.
Qualification
NACPB's Public Bookkeeper National Survey is not a scientific survey. A
representative sample of public bookkeepers is invited to participate
in the Survey via press releases, email, and direct mail.
Press releases are sent to national bookkeeping, accounting, payroll, and
QuickBooks media; email is sent to NACPB's collective email database of over
18,000 emails, and direct mail is sent to over 16,000 small business bookkeeping,
accounting, and payroll provider Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) codes.
Thus, the Survey includes a comprehensive representation of public bookkeepers,
accountants, payroll providers, and QuickBooks advisors.
The 2007 Survey includes the following number of responses based on NACPB
Regions:
Midwest
|
Northwest
|
Northeast
|
Southeast
|
Southwest
|
National
|
511
|
219
|
635
|
707
|
1501
|
3591
|
Conclusion
In our opinion, the NACPB Public Bookkeeper Annual Survey presents fairly,
in all material respects, the owner and business information of public
bookkeepers in the United States as of May 31, 2007.
Copyright
NACPB's Public Bookkeeper Annual Survey 2007 or any part thereof can
be used or cited without the consent of NACPB, providing NACPB is recognized
as the source of the information used or cited.
Tip: If you have taken the Survey, we suggest you compare
your responses to the Survey results. If you have not taken the Survey, we
suggest you take the Survey and compare your responses to the Survey.
To take or view the 2007 Survey, go to www.nacpb.org/survey2007.cfm.
OWNER
INFORMATION
Professional Designations
Percentage of public bookkeepers using the following
designations:
|
Description
|
Midwest
|
Northwest
|
Northeast
|
Southeast
|
Southwest
|
National
|
|
Bookkeeper
|
55%
|
64%
|
69%
|
58%
|
63%
|
62%
|
|
Accountant
|
78%
|
64%
|
54%
|
66%
|
44%
|
56%
|
|
Payroll Provider
|
39%
|
50%
|
35%
|
38%
|
47%
|
42%
|
|
Tax Planner/Preparer
|
61%
|
55%
|
55%
|
52%
|
59%
|
57%
|
|
QuickBooks Advisor
|
39%
|
64%
|
46%
|
48%
|
50%
|
48%
|
Accounting Education
Percentage of public bookkeepers with the following
accounting education:
|
Description
|
Midwest
|
Northwest
|
Northeast
|
Southeast
|
Southwest
|
National
|
|
One Year Certificate
|
6%
|
5%
|
3%
|
4%
|
7%
|
6%
|
|
Associate's Degree
|
24%
|
9%
|
17%
|
11%
|
17%
|
16%
|
|
Bachelor's Degree
|
41%
|
55%
|
49%
|
56%
|
36%
|
44%
|
|
Master's Degree
|
10%
|
5%
|
11%
|
3%
|
17%
|
11%
|
|
None
|
20%
|
27%
|
20%
|
25%
|
23%
|
23%
|
Certifications or Accreditations
Percentage of public bookkeepers with the following
certifications or accreditations:
|
Description
|
Midwest
|
Northwest
|
Northeast
|
Southeast
|
Southwest
|
National
|
|
Certified Public Bookkeeper (CPB)
|
6%
|
14%
|
2%
|
10%
|
5%
|
6%
|
|
Certified Bookkeeper (CB)
|
2%
|
9%
|
5%
|
3%
|
5%
|
4%
|
|
Certified Public Accountant (CPA)
|
18%
|
14%
|
11%
|
3%
|
10%
|
10%
|
|
Public Accountant (PA)
|
6%
|
18%
|
9%
|
10%
|
7%
|
8%
|
|
Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor
|
14%
|
23%
|
17%
|
13%
|
25%
|
19%
|
|
Enrolled Agent (EA)
|
29%
|
23%
|
22%
|
27%
|
45%
|
33%
|
Years of Experience
Percentage of public bookkeepers with the following
years of experience:
|
Description
|
Midwest
|
Northwest
|
Northeast
|
Southeast
|
Southwest
|
National
|
|
Under 1 year
|
0%
|
0%
|
2%
|
0%
|
0%
|
0%
|
|
1 to 3 years
|
4%
|
0%
|
2%
|
1%
|
2%
|
2%
|
|
3 to 5 years
|
2%
|
5%
|
2%
|
4%
|
3%
|
3%
|
|
5 to 10 years
|
12%
|
5%
|
5%
|
7%
|
10%
|
8%
|
|
10 to 20 years
|
25%
|
27%
|
22%
|
18%
|
22%
|
22%
|
|
Over 20 years
|
55%
|
64%
|
69%
|
68%
|
58%
|
62%
|
|
No response
|
2%
|
0%
|
0%
|
1%
|
5%
|
3%
|
BUSINESS
INFORMATION
Business Entity
Percentage of public bookkeepers with the following
business entity:
|
Description
|
Midwest
|
Northwest
|
Northeast
|
Southeast
|
Southwest
|
National
|
|
Sole Proprietor
|
35%
|
55%
|
52%
|
32%
|
45%
|
43%
|
|
Partnership
|
4%
|
0%
|
0%
|
6%
|
1%
|
2%
|
|
Limited Liability Company
|
12%
|
9%
|
23%
|
13%
|
13%
|
14%
|
|
Corporation
|
12%
|
27%
|
3%
|
11%
|
11%
|
11%
|
|
S Corp
|
25%
|
9%
|
22%
|
30%
|
22%
|
23%
|
|
No response
|
12%
|
0%
|
0%
|
8%
|
8%
|
7%
|
Home Based Business
Percentage of public bookkeepers with home based businesses:
|
Description
|
Midwest
|
Northwest
|
Northeast
|
Southeast
|
Southwest
|
National
|
|
Yes
|
41%
|
50%
|
60%
|
41%
|
35%
|
42%
|
|
No
|
59%
|
50%
|
40%
|
58%
|
58%
|
54%
|
|
No response
|
0%
|
0%
|
0%
|
1%
|
7%
|
3%
|
Part-time of Full-time Professional
Percentage of public bookkeepers working part or full
time:
|
Description
|
Midwest
|
Northwest
|
Northeast
|
Southeast
|
Southwest
|
National
|
|
Part time
|
22%
|
9%
|
22%
|
21%
|
19%
|
20%
|
|
Full time
|
78%
|
91%
|
78%
|
76%
|
75%
|
77%
|
|
No response
|
0%
|
0%
|
0%
|
3%
|
5%
|
3%
|
Years in Business
Percentage of public bookkeepers with the following
years in business:
|
Description
|
Midwest
|
Northwest
|
Northeast
|
Southeast
|
Southwest
|
National
|
|
Under 1 year
|
0%
|
5%
|
6%
|
8%
|
4%
|
5%
|
|
1 to 3 years
|
14%
|
14%
|
11%
|
4%
|
8%
|
9%
|
|
3 to 5 years
|
12%
|
5%
|
5%
|
13%
|
7%
|
8%
|
|
5 to 10 years
|
18%
|
18%
|
11%
|
11%
|
11%
|
13%
|
|
10 to 20 years
|
14%
|
27%
|
23%
|
15%
|
19%
|
19%
|
|
Over 20 years
|
43%
|
32%
|
43%
|
46%
|
43%
|
43%
|
|
No response
|
0%
|
0%
|
2%
|
1%
|
7%
|
3%
|
Number of Business Owners
Percentage of public bookkeepers with the following
number of business owners:
|
Description
|
Midwest
|
Northwest
|
Northeast
|
Southeast
|
Southwest
|
National
|
|
1
|
80%
|
86%
|
86%
|
79%
|
69%
|
77%
|
|
2
|
12%
|
9%
|
11%
|
13%
|
21%
|
15%
|
|
3
|
4%
|
0%
|
2%
|
3%
|
4%
|
3%
|
|
4
|
2%
|
5%
|
0%
|
0%
|
0%
|
1%
|
|
5
|
0%
|
0%
|
0%
|
1%
|
0%
|
0%
|
|
Over 5
|
0%
|
0%
|
0%
|
1%
|
1%
|
1%
|
|
No response
|
2%
|
0%
|
2%
|
3%
|
6%
|
4%
|
Number of Professional Employees
Percentage of public bookkeepers with the following
number of professional employees:
|
Description
|
Midwest
|
Northwest
|
Northeast
|
Southeast
|
Southwest
|
National
|
|
None
|
35%
|
23%
|
38%
|
28%
|
31%
|
32%
|
|
1 to 3
|
47%
|
64%
|
40%
|
44%
|
44%
|
45%
|
|
3 to 5
|
10%
|
14%
|
9%
|
13%
|
11%
|
11%
|
|
5 to 10
|
6%
|
0%
|
8%
|
8%
|
3%
|
5%
|
|
Over 10
|
2%
|
0%
|
2%
|
6%
|
3%
|
3%
|
|
No response
|
0%
|
0%
|
3%
|
1%
|
9%
|
5%
|
Website
Percentage of public bookkeepers with a Website:
|
Description
|
Midwest
|
Northwest
|
Northeast
|
Southeast
|
Southwest
|
National
|
|
Yes
|
43%
|
50%
|
45%
|
62%
|
49%
|
50%
|
|
No
|
51%
|
50%
|
52%
|
38%
|
51%
|
48%
|
|
No response
|
6%
|
0%
|
3%
|
0%
|
0%
|
2%
|
Annual Gross Revenue
Percentage of public bookkeepers with the following
annual gross revenue:
|
Description
|
Midwest
|
Northwest
|
Northeast
|
Southeast
|
Southwest
|
National
|
|
Under $100,000
|
55%
|
50%
|
54%
|
44%
|
45%
|
48%
|
|
$100,000 to $250,000
|
27%
|
36%
|
22%
|
31%
|
30%
|
29%
|
|
$250,000 to $500,000
|
4%
|
9%
|
11%
|
10%
|
11%
|
10%
|
|
$500,000 to $750,000
|
8%
|
0%
|
5%
|
4%
|
5%
|
5%
|
|
$750,000 to $1,000,000
|
0%
|
0%
|
2%
|
1%
|
0%
|
1%
|
|
Over $1,000,000
|
4%
|
0%
|
3%
|
6%
|
2%
|
3%
|
|
No response
|
2%
|
5%
|
5%
|
4%
|
7%
|
|
