Accounting and Payroll Administration Diploma Program

Our accounting and payroll diploma provides comprehensive training in financial management and regulatory compliance across Canada. Completing this payroll administrator course in Victoria, BC, ensures graduates master industry-standard software, gaining the technical skills and confidence to excel in Canada's business sector.
Program Duration

Program Duration

55 weeks / 1,100 Hours
Starting Date

Starting Date

April 27, 2026
Delivery Methods

Delivery Methods

In-Class or Online
Campus Location

Campus Location

Victoria, BC
Completion Award

Completion Award

$2,100

Program Duration

55 weeks / 1,100 Hours

Starting Date:

April 27, 2026

Delivery Methods:

In-Class or Online

Campus Location:

Victoria, BC

Starting Date:

April 27, 2026

Delivery Methods:

In-Class or Online

Campus Location:

Victoria, BC

Program Duration:

55 weeks / 1,100 Hours

Starting Date:

April 27, 2026

Delivery Methods:

In-Class or Online

Campus Location:

Victoria, BC

Program Duration:

55 weeks / 1,100 Hours

Completion Award

$2,100

Special Promotions

$500 towards a Computer

Program Description

The Accounting and Payroll Administration diploma offers a comprehensive education in financial management and payroll administration. This program provides students with the practical skills and theoretical knowledge needed to excel in the accounting field, covering essential topics such as financial recordkeeping, payroll processing, and regulatory compliance.

With this Accounting and Payroll diploma, students will gain hands-on experience with industry-standard software and learn to navigate complex accounting principles and payroll systems. By combining real-world tasks with basic ideas, the diploma gets graduates ready for various jobs in financial management and payroll processing, making sure they can meet the needs of today’s business world.

Launch a new business career with our comprehensive Accounting and Payroll Administration course. 

Regardless of your background—new graduate, career changer, or working professional seeking to advance your credentials—this adaptable Accounting and Payroll Administration program allows you to learn at your own speed with knowledgeable teachers.

Program Description

The Accounting and Payroll Administration diploma offers a comprehensive education in financial management and payroll administration. This program provides students with the practical skills and theoretical knowledge needed to excel in the accounting field, covering essential topics such as financial recordkeeping, payroll processing, and regulatory compliance.

With this Accounting and Payroll diploma, students will gain hands-on experience with industry-standard software and learn to navigate complex accounting principles and payroll systems. By combining real-world tasks with basic ideas, the diploma gets graduates ready for various jobs in financial management and payroll processing, making sure they can meet the needs of today’s business world.

Launch a new business career with our comprehensive Accounting and Payroll Administration course. 

Regardless of your background—new graduate, career changer, or working professional seeking to advance your credentials—this adaptable Accounting and Payroll Administration program allows you to learn at your own speed with knowledgeable teachers.

Program Highlights


  • Dual Payroll Expertise: Master payroll fundamentals and compliance legislation to ensure accurate employee compensation.

  • Industry-Standard Software Proficiency: Gain hands-on experience using Sage 50 and QuickBooks for financial operations.

  • Comprehensive Accounting Foundations: Learn essential financial and managerial accounting principles, including budgeting and auditing.

  • Taxation and Legal Compliance: Navigate complex tax laws and regulations to ensure strict organizational adherence.

  • Advanced Financial Record-Keeping: Develop high-level skills in managing ledgers, journals, and detailed financial statements.

Program Objectives

Graduates of the Accounting and Payroll Administration diploma become the financial backbone of organizations, entrusted with managing vital processes like financial record-keeping, regulatory reporting, and accurate employee compensation. Their expertise directly influences a company’s fiscal responsibility, legal compliance, and overall operational stability. This program prepares individuals for a diverse array of rewarding careers and provides a strong foundation for continuous professional growth in the financial sector.

Upon completion of this program, the successful student will have reliably demonstrated the ability to:

  • Develop the ability to accurately maintain and manage financial records, including ledgers, journals, and financial statements.
  • Gain proficiency in processing payroll, understanding tax calculations, deductions, and compliance with employment laws.
  • Master fundamental accounting principles and practices, including budgeting, financial reporting, and auditing techniques.
  • Learn to utilize key accounting and payroll software, such as QuickBooks and payroll systems, to streamline financial operations.
  • Understand and apply relevant regulations and standards, including tax laws and financial reporting requirements, to ensure legal and ethical adherence in all accounting and payroll activities.

Career Opportunities

Graduates of the accounting and payroll administration diploma are prepared to step into a broad range of financial roles across virtually every industry in Canada. Career opportunities include:


  • Bookkeeper

  • Accounting Technician

  • Accounts Payable / Receivable Clerk

  • Financial Assistant

  • Invoicing & Billing Clerk

  • Bank Clerk

  • Income Tax Preparer

  • Payroll Administrator / Clerk / Coordinator / Specialist

  • Office Coordinator Assistant

  • Business Operator / Sole Proprietor

Estimated Salary

According to the Canadian Job Bank, accounting and payroll administrators can expect to earn between $41,600 and $90,000 annually. The hourly wage ranges from $20 to $43.27 per hour.

Some provinces and territories, including Nunavut, the Northwest Territories, the Yukon Territory, Alberta, and British Columbia, pay higher wages than others. Additional factors influencing accounting and payroll administrator salaries include the employee’s job experience, the type of employer, and the specific region or province in which they work, as these can significantly affect wage levels.

Career Outlook

Every organization in Canada—from small businesses and non-profits to large corporations and government agencies—needs skilled accounting and payroll professionals to keep their finances accurate and their employees paid on time. This makes accounting and payroll administration one of the most consistently in-demand career fields in the country, with strong opportunities available in every province and sector.

In British Columbia, the outlook is particularly strong. WorkBC has designated accounting technicians and bookkeepers (NOC 12200) as a high opportunity occupation in B.C.—with an estimated 10,850 job openings projected between 2025 and 2035.

Edison College offers this program both in-class at our Victoria campus and fully online — meaning students across Canada, from British Columbia and Manitoba to New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, can complete this diploma and enter the workforce in their home province without leaving their community.

Career Outlook & Opportunities

Every organization in Canada—from small businesses and non-profits to large corporations and government agencies—needs skilled accounting and payroll professionals to keep their finances accurate and their employees paid on time. This makes accounting and payroll administration one of the most consistently in-demand career fields in the country, with strong opportunities available in every province and sector.

In British Columbia, the outlook is particularly strong. WorkBC has designated accounting technicians and bookkeepers (NOC 12200) as a high opportunity occupation in B.C.—with an estimated 10,850 job openings projected between 2025 and 2035.

Edison College offers this program both in-class at our Victoria campus and fully online — meaning students across Canada, from British Columbia and Manitoba to New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, can complete this diploma and enter the workforce in their home province without leaving their community.

Graduates of the accounting and payroll administration diploma are prepared to step into a broad range of financial roles across virtually every industry in Canada. Career opportunities include:


  • Bookkeeper

  • Accounting Technician

  • Accounts Payable / Receivable Clerk

  • Financial Assistant

  • Invoicing & Billing Clerk

  • Bank Clerk

  • Income Tax Preparer

  • Payroll Administrator / Clerk / Coordinator / Specialist

  • Office Coordinator Assistant

  • Business Operator / Sole Proprietor

Accounting and payroll professionals work in office-based environments that are stable, structured, and found in virtually every sector across Canada. The range of workplaces available to graduates is exceptionally broad:

Small & Medium Businesses: The most common employer for bookkeepers and accounting assistants across Canada. Accounting technicians and bookkeepers typically work in an office from Monday to Friday. They may work for small, medium or large businesses, or be self-employed and work from a home office. In larger companies, their job might only be bookkeeping related, but in smaller companies they may have other duties. WorkBC This flexibility makes the role well-suited to graduates in any community, regardless of size.

Corporate & Enterprise Organizations: Larger companies employ dedicated payroll administrators and accounting clerks to manage high-volume financial operations, often with structured advancement tracks, benefits packages, and opportunities to specialize in areas such as accounts payable, tax compliance, or financial reporting.

Public Sector & Government Agencies: Federal, provincial, and municipal governments employ payroll and accounting professionals across departments nationwide — offering unionized roles with pension plans, job security, and competitive salary grids.

Accounting & Financial Services Firms: Public accounting firms, bookkeeping practices, and financial advisory companies hire diploma-trained professionals to support client-facing accounting, tax preparation, and payroll services — providing exposure to a wide variety of industries and business types.

Non-Profit Organizations: Charities, social service agencies, and community organizations require skilled bookkeepers and payroll administrators to manage tight budgets and meet regulatory reporting requirements — a sector with consistent demand across all provinces.

Remote & Hybrid Work: Jobs in finance and accounting are expected to see continued demand, with automation allowing employees to focus more on core skills like advising clients and analyzing trends Glassdoor — and increasingly, accounting and payroll functions are being performed remotely using cloud-based platforms such as QuickBooks and Sage 50, both of which are core components of this diploma. This makes the program particularly well-suited to graduates seeking flexible or home-based work arrangements after graduation.

A career in accounting and payroll administration offers some of the strongest and most consistent compensation across all business diploma programs — with wages that reflect the specialized knowledge, regulatory responsibility, and organizational trust these roles demand.

In British Columbia, bookkeepers and accounting technicians (NOC 12200) typically earn between $19.44 and $47.45 per hour Job Bank — one of the widest wage ranges of any occupation in the province, reflecting the significant earning potential available as professionals gain experience, specialize, or move into senior roles.

WorkBC reports average annual earnings for accounting technicians and bookkeepers in B.C. of approximately $40,967 WorkBC — with strong upside for those who advance into supervisory, management, or self-employed consulting roles.

In British Columbia, payroll administrators earn between $19 and $35 per hour, with a median annual salary of approximately $48,750 — and supervisory payroll positions can provide a median annual salary of $65,618 per year. Sprott Shaw College

Nationally, the earnings picture is equally strong. Bookkeepers across Canada typically earn between $19.55 and $45.07 per hour Job Bank, with compensation varying by province, employer type, and years of experience. B.C., Alberta, and the territories generally sit at the higher end of the national range.

With further training, accounting technicians and bookkeepers can move into professional accounting and management or supervisory jobs — and can also become self-employed WorkBC — making this one of the most flexible career paths available to diploma graduates, with clear pathways to higher earnings at every stage.

Studying from another province? Accounting and payroll roles exist in every city and town across Canada, and wages are competitive in all eligible provinces. Graduates are encouraged to consult the Government of Canada Job Bank for current wage data specific to their home province.

Sources: WorkBC — NOC 12200 | Government of Canada Job Bank — Bookkeeper BC | Government of Canada Job Bank — Canada

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Admission Requirements

  • High School Graduate or equivalent OR mature student status (19 years or older before starting the program)

Meet one of the following English Language Proficiency requirements:

  • Minimum Grade 10 English (Domestic Students)
  • Overall IELTS 5, OR CLB Level 5, OR Duolingo score of 75-80, OR VCA Test score of 55/100

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