Will AI Replace Accountants?

Artificial intelligence (AI) will not replace accountants as a group, but the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects fewer bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks. At Layer3Labs, we build workflow automations for small and mid-sized businesses.

The BLS projects employment of accountants and auditors to grow 5 percent from 2025 to 2035. Over the same decade, it projects a 6 percent decline for bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks.

For related guides, see accounting workflow automation and AI bookkeeping for small business.

Employment Projections for Accountants and Clerks

The BLS projects 5 percent growth for accountants and auditors from 2025 to 2035, faster than the average for all occupations. The BLS projects employment for accountants and auditors to increase from 1,595,200 jobs in 2025 to 1,674,600 jobs in 2035. That growth represents an addition of 79,400 net new positions. The BLS projects about 115,300 openings each year for accountants and auditors, with many openings resulting from the need to replace workers who transfer to other occupations or leave the labor force.

Clerks face the opposite outlook. The BLS projects employment for bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks to fall from 1,532,400 jobs in 2025 to 1,446,800 jobs in 2035. That reduction represents a decline of 6 percent, or a loss of 85,600 positions over the projection window. Software innovations have automated many of the tasks performed by clerks, enabling employers to complete identical workloads with fewer staff members.

The BLS reports that employment growth of accountants and auditors is closely tied to the health of the overall economy. New businesses will likely keep needing these workers to prepare and examine financial records. The BLS expects technology to automate some routine tasks without reducing overall demand.

Typical Duties of Clerks and Accountants

The BLS says bookkeeping clerks typically enter financial transactions into software, receive cash and checks, and assign debits and credits. They also produce reports such as balance sheets and income statements and reconcile differences in financial records. The BLS expects demand for these clerks to fall.

Accountants handle a broader scope of analytical and advisory duties. Accountants examine financial statements for accuracy and compliance with legal requirements, compute taxes owed, prepare tax returns, and inspect financial systems for fraud risk. They evaluate operational workflows, recommend procedures to management, identify financial risks, and suggest methods to increase revenue and improve profits. They explain findings in written reports and in meetings with managers and clients.

Entry requirements differ. The BLS lists some college, no degree as the typical entry-level education for clerks, who learn many skills on the job. In contrast, accountants typically require at least a bachelor degree in accounting or a related subject, and some employers prefer a master degree. The BLS says an accountant who files a report with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) must be a licensed Certified Public Accountant (CPA). State Boards of Accountancy license CPAs, and all states require 150 semester hours of college coursework.

How Pay Compares

In our calculation, the accountant median wage ($83,680) is about 1.65 times the clerk median ($50,670). In May 2025, the lowest-paid 10 percent of accountants and auditors earned less than $56,020 and the highest-paid 10 percent more than $144,090. For clerks the figures were less than $36,000 and more than $74,550.

With appropriate experience and additional education, some clerks may become accountants or auditors.

Tax and Advisory Work Inside Public Accounting

Public accountants have a broad range of tasks, and the BLS says the automation of routine tasks makes advisory and analytical duties more prominent. The BLS handbook has no separate section on tax preparers.

Some public accountants concentrate on tax, advising corporations on the tax effects of business decisions and preparing individual income tax returns. Others give personal financial advice on cash flow, insurance, investments, retirement, and wealth transfer planning.

Most accountants and auditors work full time, and longer hours are typical during quarterly audits or tax season.

The Clerk Decline Is 5.9 Percent of Yearly Openings

In our internal analysis, we divided the projected yearly clerk job losses by the BLS's projected yearly clerk openings. The BLS projections for 2025 to 2035 are the only inputs.

Our calculations show that the net loss of 8,560 clerk jobs per year equals 5.9 percent of the 144,100 yearly openings projected by the BLS. The BLS expects all 144,100 clerk openings each year to stem from replacement needs as workers retire or switch occupations. Dividing 144,100 yearly openings by the 8,560 positions lost each year yields approximately 16.8. Employers could absorb the projected decline by not backfilling about 1 in 17 departures.

If your staff mostly post transactions and reconcile records, you are more exposed than the national average. If your firm already does advisory work, you are less exposed. This is our reading.

What the Circular 230 Competence Rule Requires

Treasury Circular 230 is codified in Title 31 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) at section 10.35. A practitioner must possess the necessary competence to engage in practice before the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The regulation specifies that competent practice requires the appropriate level of knowledge, skill, thoroughness, and preparation necessary for the specific matter.

Section 10.35 explains that a practitioner can gain competence through various methods, including studying relevant law or consulting with experts in the field. The text of 31 CFR 10.35 does not mention artificial intelligence. Our reading is that AI output is a draft the practitioner must be competent to check.

For the same question about another profession, see whether AI will replace lawyers.

What Would Change This Answer

Our answer would change in two cases. The BLS could revise its projection for accountants and auditors from 5 percent growth to a decline. Or clerk openings could turn out well below the 144,100 a year we compared the decline with.

For the employer view across roles, see what jobs AI will replace. If you run an accounting firm, list the recurring work that is transaction posting or reconciliation. Then book an AI workflow audit to see what automation would change.