Bookkeeping and other accounting services in San Francisco, CA
The San Francisco metro has 717 bookkeeping and accounting firms employing 2,904 people. Average pay is $81,548 — 45% above the national average.
Where to actually find one
There is no list on this page, and that is deliberate. Bookkeeping is not a credentialed profession — the IRS registers CPAs, enrolled agents and attorneys, but nobody registers bookkeepers, so no public roster exists. Any directory claiming to be complete is guessing.
In practice the work is done by the same small practices that file the returns. The 916 CPA firms in San Francisco are the realistic starting point — a solo practice keeping your books through the year is the arrangement most small businesses end up with, and it is the same person who then files.
Two things worth knowing before you call. Bookkeeping billed monthly is usually cheaper than the same work reconstructed in March. And a bookkeeper who is not a CPA cannot represent you before the IRS — if that matters to you, ask about the credential before the price.
The San Francisco market in numbers
| Establishments | 717 | 44,377 nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Employees | 2,904 | 237,373 nationwide |
| Average annual pay | $81,548 | $56,378 nationwide |
| Employees per firm | 4.1 | 5.3 nationwide |
At 4.1 employees per establishment, San Francisco is a market of very small practices. Nationally the same code averages 5.3 (small practices), so firms here are smaller than typical — which is the clearest signal of what you will be quoted.
What this code actually counts. Census counts bookkeeping together with billing and other accounting services in one code, so this figure is broader than bookkeeping alone.
Bookkeeping services in other metros
- New York, NY — 3,295 firms
- Los Angeles, CA — 2,607 firms
- Miami, FL — 2,161 firms
- Chicago, IL — 1,407 firms
- Dallas, TX — 1,168 firms
- Atlanta, GA — 1,120 firms
- Houston, TX — 1,037 firms
- Washington, DC — 879 firms
Other accounting services in San Francisco
- CPA firms — 916 firms
- Tax preparation — 424 firms
- Payroll services — 76 firms
Questions
- Where can I find a bookkeeper in San Francisco?
- There is no public register of bookkeepers — the IRS credentials CPAs, enrolled agents and attorneys, but nobody licenses bookkeeping, so no complete list exists. In practice the work is done by the same small practices that file the returns, so the CPA listing for San Francisco is the realistic starting point.
- What do accountants earn in San Francisco, CA?
- Average annual pay in this category is $81,548 across San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA Metro Area, against $56,378 nationally. Pay is a rough proxy for what a market charges: firms in expensive cities bill more because they pay more.
- How do I check that an accountant is actually licensed?
- The IRS publishes a directory of credentialed preparers, and every state board of accountancy runs a licence lookup. The listings on this page come from the IRS record, which shows a credential — it does not say anything about the quality of the work, and this site does not rank firms.
Firm list: IRS Return Preparer PTIN listing, released under the Freedom of Information Act, February 2026. Market figures: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2022. We publish firm-level records only — no individual names or street addresses. Last updated .