Tax PreparerCertificate

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Community of interest
Business, Cosmetology, Arts & Design
Award
Certificate
Program code
TAXPREP.CC
Department
BEDX Skill Builder
CIP code
52.1601: Taxation.
TOP code
0502.10 - Tax Studies*
The requirements for becoming a licensed tax preparer and the rules and regulations governing licensed tax preparers are reviewed. Students planning an accounting career should be detail-oriented, be able to analyze and interpret facts and figures quickly and accurately, and make sound decisions. They must also be able to communicate the results. Patience, persistence, self-discipline, and concentration are essential. Students who complete this certificate are eligible to assist tax professionals in an accounting office, a financial institution, an enrolled agent's office, the Internal Revenue Service, the California State Franchise Tax Board, or a state licensed tax preparer's office.
Program detailsAward, code, department, CIP/TOP

Program Snapshot

Community of interest
BCAD Business, Cosmetology, Arts & Design
Award
Certificate
Program code
TAXPREP.CC
Department
BEDX Skill Builder
CIP code
52.1601: Taxation.
TOP code
0502.10 - Tax Studies*

Next Steps

Map Class Schedule

Pick a term:

Fall 2026Winter 2027Spring 2027Summer 2027

This will open the term course schedule not including GE requirements.

Program Schedule ReportMeet with a counselor
Tax Preparer
Certificate — expand to learn about this award

A short-cycle credential built around a specific skill or job role. Useful as an entry point to a field, a step toward a larger credential, or a way to round out an existing degree.

Financial aid note. Courses taken solely to complete a Certificate of Completion are not eligible for financial aid.

See the 2026-27 Catalog for official program details

Semester-by-Semester Map

Term 1

Class Schedules

Pick a term:

Fall 2026Winter 2027Spring 2027Summer 2027

This will open the term course schedule not including GE requirements.

6 units
ACCT 20
Introduction to Accounting
3 units
course details

This course is an introductory accounting course designed for students with little or no prior training in accounting. Topics span the accounting cycle including analysis of business transactions, journalizing, posting, and preparation of financial statements using a hands-on approach. The course prepares students for entry level accounting careers, further study of accounting principles, or to help small business owners manage their own accounting records.

View full course outline for ACCT 20

BCIS 46
Business Math Calculations
2 units
course details

In this course, students use the features of a business ten-key calculator to solve business math problems including banking, payroll, invoicing, markups/markdowns, interest, present and future value, credit cards, student loans, types of insurance, installment buying, and mortgages. Students will develop ten-key speed and accuracy using the touch method.

View full course outline for BCIS 46

BCIS 81
Microsoft Excel for Business
1 units
course details

This course is designed for those who want to learn Microsoft Excel for Windows from the perspective of owning or running a business. Course content includes designing and analyzing worksheets and using formulas and functions with an emphasis on accounting principles.

View full course outline for BCIS 81

Term 2

Class Schedules

Pick a term:

Fall 2026Winter 2027Spring 2027Summer 2027

This will open the term course schedule not including GE requirements.

7 units
ACCT 100
QuickBooks and Computerized Accounting
3 units
course details

This course provides a transition from a manual accounting system to a typical computerized system. The objective is to collect, summarize and communicate information to decision makers and users via QuickBooks accounting software in comparison to other accounting software programs. Microsoft Excel will be utilized for data summation. Typical documents produced consist of purchase orders, checks, invoices, deposit slips, job cost reports, financial statements, bank reconciliations, payroll tax returns and 1099 forms.

Prerequisite: ACCT 2 or ACCT 20

View full course outline for ACCT 100

ACCT 105
Income Tax Preparation
4 units
course details

This course is a study of the Federal and California income tax laws that apply to taxpayers, the application of the laws by computation of various practical problems and the completion of forms required by the Internal Revenue Service and the California State Franchise Tax Board. The requirements for becoming a licensed tax preparer and the rules and regulations governing licensed tax preparers are reviewed. This course is primarily designed for the vocational student. It will orient the student toward working with tax problems in an accounting office, a financial institution, an enrolled agent's office, the Internal Revenue Service, the California State Franchise Tax Board, a state licensed tax preparers' office or in their own office.

View full course outline for ACCT 105

Career Connections

2-Year Degree Paths

Entry points students may pursue after associate-level study, technical preparation, or licensure pathways.

No locally mapped occupations in the current dataset point cleanly to an immediate 2-year outcome for this program.

4-Year Degree Paths

Roles that more often open up after transfer and a bachelor's degree.

Example roles: 5

  • Tax Preparers
  • Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents
  • Financial Examiners

Graduate School Paths

Advanced roles commonly associated with graduate, professional, or post-baccalaureate study.

No locally mapped occupations in the current dataset are grouped into the graduate-school pathway for this program.

Local Job Market

Tax PreparersSOC 13-20822 nearby openings

Search keyword used: tax preparer · Search window: last 60 days, 50-mile radius

Top employers in sample

  • Robert Half 2

Where the postings are

  • Christian Valley, Placer County 1
  • Orland, Glenn County 1

Sample current postings

  1. Accounting ManagerRobert Half · Orland, Glenn County · 3 weeks ago
  2. Tax Staff - PublicRobert Half · Christian Valley, Placer County · 7 weeks ago

See all openings on Adzuna

Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue AgentsSOC 13-20818 nearby openings

Search keyword used: tax examiner · Search window: last 90 days, 100-mile radius · Avg listed salary: $60,316/yr

Top employers in sample

  • CalHR 5
  • Ficoso 1
  • Maas Energy Works 1
  • Robert Half 1

Where the postings are

  • Sacramento, Sacramento County 6
  • Bryte, Yolo County 1
  • Redding, Shasta County 1

Sample current postings

  1. Tax Manager - PublicRobert Half · Bryte, Yolo County · 1 day ago
  2. Management Analyst IICalHR · Sacramento, Sacramento County · 10 days ago
  3. Tax ManagerMaas Energy Works · Redding, Shasta County · 2 weeks ago
  4. Employment and Training Worker IICalHR · Sacramento, Sacramento County · 4 weeks ago
  5. Employment and Training Worker ICalHR · Sacramento, Sacramento County · 4 weeks ago

See all openings on Adzuna

Financial ExaminersSOC 13-206145 nearby openings

Search keyword used: financial examiner · Search window: last 90 days, 100-mile radius · Avg listed salary: $88,221/yr

Top employers in sample

  • Sedgwick 18
  • Robert Half 1
  • State of Nevada 1

Where the postings are

  • Sacramento, Sacramento County 9
  • Rancho Cordova, Sacramento County 4
  • Roseville, Placer County 4
  • El Dorado Hills, El Dorado County 1
  • Florin, Sacramento County 1

Sample current postings

  1. Claims Examiner Workers Compensation I TX experience requiredSedgwick · Florin, Sacramento County · today
  2. Management Analyst 2State of Nevada · Mound House, Carson City · 2 days ago
  3. Workers Compensation Claims Examiner | Bonus Eligible | Roseville or Long Beach, CASedgwick · Roseville, Placer County · 2 days ago
  4. Claims Examiner Workers Compensation I CA experience requiredSedgwick · Sacramento, Sacramento County · 4 days ago
  5. Claims Examiner - Workers Compensation | Jurisdiction: FL,TN,CA,GA | Licensing: FL, GA, TN - Required (Remote)Sedgwick · Sacramento, Sacramento County · 6 days ago

See all openings on Adzuna

Appraisers of Personal and Business PropertySOC 13-20222 nearby openings

Search keyword used: business property · Search window: last 60 days, 50-mile radius · Avg listed salary: $44,200/yr

Top employers in sample

  • Colusa Casino Resort 1
  • Race Communications 1

Where the postings are

  • Colusa, Colusa County 1
  • Marysville, Yuba County 1

Sample current postings

  1. Service Delivery Technician - Yuba City, CARace Communications · Marysville, Yuba County · 3 weeks ago
  2. IT System & Network AdministratorColusa Casino Resort · Colusa, Colusa County · 6 weeks ago

See all openings on Adzuna

Accountants and AuditorsSOC 13-20111 nearby opening

Search keyword used: accountant · Search window: last 30 days, 25-mile radius · Avg listed salary: $55,120/yr

Top employers in sample

  • Home & Health Care Management 1

Where the postings are

  • Chico, Butte County 1

Sample current postings

  1. Accounts Payable SpecialistHome & Health Care Management · Chico, Butte County · 4 days ago

See all openings on Adzuna

Posting counts come from Adzuna's index of US job boards, covering the last up to 90 days within up to 100 miles of ZIP 95965. Coverage and salary visibility vary by employer. Empty searches expand the radius and posting window before the section gives up.

Source Notes

Course sequencing is generated from the Acadia Program Mapper cache. Career groupings use local CIP-to-SOC mappings and BLS occupation data when available. Confirm education plans with Counseling and Advising.

Live wage data was not available from the BLS helper for the mapped occupations, so some pay fields may be blank.

Last generated 2026-07-05T17:13+00:00