Business
Accounting and Payroll Specialist
Get the skills and knowledge for this always-in-demand career for only 45 weeks with this accounting and payroll program. Take advantage of an 8-week internship to obtain the real-world, hands-on experience that employers look for.
Type
Diploma
Duration
Remote: 45 Weeks
Self-Study: 33 Weeks
Internship
Remote: 8 Weeks
Self-Study: NA
About Our Accounting and Payroll Program
This intensive Accounting & Payroll program focuses on financial accounting, payroll, the implementation and operation of computerized accounting systems, and business application software. Upon graduation, you can secure an associate membership with the National Payroll Institute (NPI) and be eligible to pursue the Payroll Compliance Professional (PCP) certification from the Institute.
Our Accounting and Payroll program is offered in two online learning options:
- live, instructor-led sessions that combine the flexibility of online learning with real-time interaction and support from experienced instructors.
- self-study option that follows a set weekly pace but with the flexibility to complete your studies at any time of the day, along with facilitator support.
Career Opportunities
Upon completing our accounting and payroll courses, you will qualify for positions such as:
- Payroll Specialist
- Accounts Payable Clerk
- Accounts Receivable Clerk
- Accounting Assistant
Employers Who Have Hired Our Accounting and Payroll Program Grads
- BKC Accounting & Tax Preparation
- First Ontario Credit Union
- CIBC
- Trillium Bookkeeping Services
- Royal Bank of Canada
- ACI Tax Services
- London Tax & Accounting
Salary
80
%
Employment Rate*
$
30
Average Wage/HR**
$
43
High Wage/HR**
*Employment Rate based on 2023 contactable triOS graduates employed in a related field within 12 months.
Source: workingincanada.gc.ca
NOC Code: 13102- **Wage data rounded down to the nearest dollar. Average wage doesn't reflect the starting salary but represents the middle value between lowest to highest wages. Local (or regional) income may vary. Last updated in March 2025.
Program Details
If you’re looking to pursue an administrative role in a professional business environment, then start on the path to a career in accounting and payroll which places you in demand in both small and large companies.
As an Accounting & Payroll Specialist, you will be responsible for using administrative software to ensure that employees, in any given company, are working their designated hours, their cheques are being cut correctly, and that they’re being paid in a timely manner.
Through our payroll courses, you’ll learn to apply payroll legislation, calculate pay and use administrative software to ensure that employees are working their designated hours, and that cheques are being cut accurately. With our accounting courses, you will learn accounting concepts and procedures such as cash flow, assets and liabilities, financial management, banking procedures, analyzing business transactions, and how to properly set up and engage with different ledgers form part of this through program. You’ll also get hands-on training on how to set up banking and tax service modules in Sage 300. While the program is offered online, campus support is available to students at locations including Toronto, London, Mississauga, Brampton, Kitchener, Hamilton, Ottawa, and Windsor.
Students enrolled in this accounting and payroll program receive:
- 8-week internship to gain hands-on experience.
- Training on the latest software applications required by employers, including Sage 300.
- Career service assistance.
- Free software subscriptions for Microsoft Office and Windows.
Graduates of this accounting and payroll program will be able to pursue the National Payroll Institute’s Payroll Compliance Professional (PCP) designation. This will help graduates gain an in-depth understanding of the legislative requirements to keep their organization compliant throughout the annual payroll cycle. When designated, graduates can join a growing community of supportive professionals and gain access to the resources needed to stay current and compliant.
PCP designation requires three core payroll courses, an Introduction to Accounting course transfer credit, and one year of weighted payroll work experience:
- Payroll Compliance Legislation
- Payroll Fundamentals 1 – Prerequisite: Payroll Compliance Legislation
- Payroll Fundamentals 2 – Prerequisites: Payroll Compliance Legislation and Payroll Fundamentals 1
- Introduction to Accounting – must be completed at a post-secondary institution
- PCP Work Experience Requirement Application (WERA) – a minimum of one year weighted payroll work experience
All PCP courses, including the Introduction to Accounting transfer credit course, require a passing grade of 65%.
For more information, visit www.payroll.ca.
Course Listings: Accounting and Payroll Specialist 
Sage 300
In this course, students will learn to set up banking and taxes service modules in Sage300 2017. They will also learn to set of vendor and customer records and process transactions in the amounts payable and accounts receivable modules of Sage300 2017.
Introduction to Accounting (using Sage 50)
In this course students will be introduced to accounting concepts and procedures. Students will learn about debits and credits and how to analyze and record business transactions. In addition, students will look at banking procedures, cash control as well as payroll concepts and procedures, including employee taxes. They will also gain an understanding of the employer’s tax responsibilities. In this course, students learn how to set up and interact with the different ledgers in Sage 50 to support small business activities. In addition, students will perform General Ledger, Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable and Payroll transactions.
Intermediate Accounting (using QuickBooks)
This course completes the accounting cycle and furthers the student’s knowledge of accounting procedures in payroll, pay cash and bank reconciliations. Central to this course is the merchandising firm and its accounting cycle, central to this is appropriate valuation of inventory and cost of goods sold calculations. This material will be presented manually are working on paper and using computerized accounting system of QuickBooks.
Advanced Accounting
In this course, students will build on principles learned in the intermediate accounting courses. Students will be introduced to more advanced concepts regarding assets and liabilities including accounting for bad debt, depreciation and long-term assets, cash flow analysis, and temporary and long-term investments. In addition, students will learn how to record the effects of partnership and corporate activity and analyze financial statements for decision-making.
APS internship
Business Communication
This course is designed to give students a basic understanding of communication skills in the business environments. Focus will be placed on both written and spoken communications. Students will review the basic writing process with emphasis on the mechanics of writing. They will also learn the importance of effective spoken communication, deliver an oral presentation, and participate in a mock meeting.
Business Communication
This course is designed to give students a basic understanding of communication skills in the business environments. Focus will be placed on both written and spoken communications. Students will review the basic writing process with emphasis on the mechanics of writing. They will also learn the importance of effective spoken communication, deliver an oral presentation, and participate in a mock meeting.
Microsoft Outlook
This Microsoft Outlook course is created for students to build and validate the skills businesses need to succeed in today's information economy. It also provides students with the skills and knowledge they need to use to effectively manage e-mails, contacts, calendars, and tasks. Outlook has become the corporate standard electronic personal organizer. These are the foundational skills needed to communicate using Outlook in a variety of positions within and organization. This course is computer intensive and demands basic computer proficiency and a basic understanding of e-mail software. Students are expected to make arrangements to meet proficiency needs.
Microsoft PowerPoint
This course is designed for students who are interested in learning the fundamentals needed to create and modify basic presentations by using Microsoft PowerPoint. Students will explore the PowerPoint environment and create a presentation, will format text on slides to enhance clarity, enhance the visual appeal, add graphical objects to a presentation and modify them, and finalize a presentation to deliver it.
Career Management
Our Career Management program introduces students to the strategies and components of an effective job search, including self-marketing and awareness, skills inventory, job search tools and the job market. The Career Management course is delivered by our on-campus Career Services Team who are there throughout the job search to assist and mentor students towards achieving their ultimate goal of employment in their field of study.
Our Team of Career Services Professionals maintain relationships in their communities with key employers and organizations that recognize the value triOS graduates have to offer. The skills learned throughout Career Management at triOS will continue to serve students in their job search as they navigate their new careers.
Microsoft Excel
This Microsoft Office Excel course is created for students to build and validate the skills needed to succeed in today's economy. It also provides students with the skills and knowledge they need to use Microsoft Office Excel effectively in all aspects of their personal and professional lives. Excel is the world's most popular spreadsheet software. Whether you are managing a household or running a small business, Excel will help you develop useful techniques to help business processes. This course is computer intensive and demands basic computer proficiency and a basic understanding of spreadsheet software. Students are expected to make arrangements to meet proficiency needs as necessary.
Microsoft Excel
This Microsoft Office Excel course is created for students to build and validate the skills needed to succeed in today's economy. It also provides students with the skills and knowledge they need to use Microsoft Office Excel effectively in all aspects of their personal and professional lives. Excel is the world's most popular spreadsheet software. Whether you are managing a household or running a small business, Excel will help you develop useful techniques to help business processes. This course is computer intensive and demands basic computer proficiency and a basic understanding of spreadsheet software. Students are expected to make arrangements to meet proficiency needs as necessary.
Introduction to Finance
Financial management has evolved into a focus on managing financial assets more efficiently. Students will learn about the objectives of financial management as well as planning and budgeting. Sources and forms of financing will also be discussed.
Microsoft Outlook
This Microsoft Outlook course is created for students to build and validate the skills businesses need to succeed in today's information economy. It also provides students with the skills and knowledge they need to use to effectively manage e-mails, contacts, calendars, and tasks. Outlook has become the corporate standard electronic personal organizer. These are the foundational skills needed to communicate using Outlook in a variety of positions within and organization. This course is computer intensive and demands basic computer proficiency and a basic understanding of e-mail software. Students are expected to make arrangements to meet proficiency needs.
Payroll Fundamentals 1
Students will learn about calculating employment income and the process for hiring and terminating employees from a payroll perspective.
Payroll Fundamentals 2
Students will learn amount government remittances and proper recording of payroll information.
Payroll Compliance Legislation
Students will learn about the objectives of the payroll process, who the stakeholders in the process are, and about the various pieces of federal and provincial/territorial legislation that affect the payroll process.
Personal Income Tax
The course examines contemporary income tax policies, rules, and legislation concerning individual taxation. You will apply your foundational understanding of income taxation principles and practices, gaining hands-on experience in preparing tax returns. Practical application of the law to real-world issues is emphasized through exercises, problems, cases, and tax preparation software.
Microsoft PowerPoint
This course is designed for students who are interested in learning the fundamentals needed to create and modify basic presentations by using Microsoft PowerPoint. Students will explore the PowerPoint environment and create a presentation, will format text on slides to enhance clarity, enhance the visual appeal, add graphical objects to a presentation and modify them, and finalize a presentation to deliver it.
Microsoft Word
This Microsoft Word course is created for students to build and validate the skills businesses need to succeed in today's information economy. It also provides students with the skills and knowledge they need to use Microsoft Word effectively in all aspects of their personal and professional lives. Word is the world's most popular word processing software. Learning how to create, edit, format and print documents, enhance work with formatting, use bullets and numbering, add simple borders, tables, headers/footers, organizing data columns, and styles, are the foundational skills needed in preform in many positions. This course is computer intensive and demands basic computer proficiency and a basic understanding of word processing software. The course combines lecture/demonstration by an instructor with readings, trainings, projects, and a final exam for students to work on in a simulation-based environment. Students are expected to ensure they meet proficiency requirements for working in this environment.
Microsoft Word
This Microsoft Word course is created for students to build and validate the skills businesses need to succeed in today's information economy. It also provides students with the skills and knowledge they need to use Microsoft Word effectively in all aspects of their personal and professional lives. Word is the world's most popular word processing software. Learning how to create, edit, format and print documents, enhance work with formatting, use bullets and numbering, add simple borders, tables, headers/footers, organizing data columns, and styles, are the foundational skills needed in preform in many positions. This course is computer intensive and demands basic computer proficiency and a basic understanding of word processing software. The course combines lecture/demonstration by an instructor with readings, trainings, projects, and a final exam for students to work on in a simulation-based environment. Students are expected to ensure they meet proficiency requirements for working in this environment.
Course Listings: Accounting and Payroll Online
Career Planning and Preparation - Level 2
This course builds on the concepts and skills introduced in Career Planning and Preparation – Level 1. Topics covered include how to conduct an effective job search and identify various methods of applying for work. Important career tools are the focus with the creation of a personal list of "Top Employers" and current industry opportunities, as well as finalizing a professional résumé, career portfolio, and career correspondence. Interview skills explored and practiced include the identification of different types and forms of interviews, responding to typical questions, evaluating job offers, and negotiating terms of employment. Self-management topics are reviewed with a focus on strategies for long-term professional success.
Intermediate Accounting with Sage 50
This course continues the exploration of accounting procedures in payroll, petty cash, and bank reconciliations. Central to this course is the merchandising firm and its accounting cycle, appropriate valuation of inventory, and cost of goods sold calculations. This material will be applied in both a manual and computerized accounting system, Sage 50.
Advanced Accounting
In this course, more accounting concepts regarding assets and liabilities including accounting for bad debt, depreciation, long-term assets, and cash flow analysis are explored. Advanced topics such as recording the effects of partnership and corporate activity, and the analysis of financial statements for decision making are integrated into accounting practices.
Microsoft Outlook
This course is a combination of virtual training, assessments, and exams related to Microsoft Outlook. Skills covered include how to organize and manage communications, contacts, schedules, and tasks. Email and meetings are a major part of the professional world, learning how to compose, send, receive, store, and delete email messages, meetings, and appointments is crucial and covered in this module.
Microsoft PowerPoint
This course is a combination of virtual training, projects, and exams in Microsoft PowerPoint. Skills covered include the creation of attractive, professional-looking presentations, using and formatting animations, transitions, pictures, audio, video, charts, tables, and incorporating speaker notes and annotations into presentations.
Career Planning & Preparation - Level 1
Career Planning and Preparation Level 1 introduces tools for a successful job search. The course will help students maintain a career-focused approach throughout their academic program. Students will learn basic career preparation skills, such as how to research opportunities, network for industry contacts and use appropriate etiquette when communicating with prospective employers. Students will identify their personal skills, values and preferences for the workplace, begin preparation of a professional resume and cover letter, and organize proof documents for their career portfolio. Asynchronous class discussion on the discussion board on various career-planning topics will round out this module. This course is a pre-requisite for Career Planning and Preparation Level 2.
Career Planning & Preparation - Level 2
This course builds on the concepts and skills introduced in Career Planning and Preparation - Level 1. Topics covered include how to conduct an effective job search and identify various methods of applying for work. Important career tools are the focus with the creation of a personal list of "Top Employers" and current industry opportunities, as well as finalizing a professional resume, career portfolio, and career correspondence. Interview skills explored and practiced are the identification of different types and forms of interviews, responding to typical questions, evaluating job offers, and negotiating terms of employment. Self-management topics are reviewed with a focus on strategies for long-term professional success.
Microsoft Excel
This course is a combination of virtual training, projects, and exams in Microsoft Excel. Skills covered include working with workbooks and worksheets, inputting data into worksheets, formatting cells, using functions and formulas, and creating and editing charts.
Career Planning & Preparation - Level 2
This course builds on the concepts and skills introduced in Career Planning and Preparation - Level 1. Topics covered include how to conduct an effective job search and identify various methods of applying for work. Important career tools are the focus with the creation of a personal list of "Top Employers" and current industry opportunities, as well as finalizing a professional resume, career portfolio, and career correspondence. Interview skills explored and practiced are the identification of different types and forms of interviews, responding to typical questions, evaluating job offers, and negotiating terms of employment. Self-management topics are reviewed with a focus on strategies for long-term professional success.
Payroll Fundamentals 1
This course asses the methods for paying employees with regular and non-regular earnings. The calculation of allowances, benefits, and commissions, and determination of the impact of non-statutory deductions on employee pay are addressed. This course develops understanding of the role of the payroll department in hiring and terminating employees, including the completion of Service Canada's Record of Employment.
Payroll Fundamentals 2
This course focuses on the proper recording of payroll information and using payroll technology, Federal and Non-Statutory remittances and reconciliations, Quebec Tax processes, year-end procedures, and Provincial, Northwest Territories and Nunavut medical and tax premiums, remittances, reconciliations, and Workers Compensation round out the skills covered to complete the knowledge required for Payroll Certification by the National Payroll Institute.
Payroll Compliance Legislation
This course covers compliance responsibilities that affect organizations, comprehending relevant payroll related legislation, and effectively communicating this information to all stakeholders. Finding and applying the relevant information to a variety of scenarios for individual pay are integrated into the application of federal and provincial legislation to payroll including the Canada Pension Plan, Employment Insurance, Income Tax, Employment Standards Legislation, Workers’ Compensation Acts, and Quebec specific legislation.
Microsoft Word
This course is a combination of virtual training, projects, and exams in Microsoft Word. Skills covered include formatting text for layout and appearance, formatting document parts, using styles, working with header/footer content, inserting and formatting tables, graphics and pictures, and working with templates and themes.
Admission Requirements
– High school graduation diploma, or Mature Student Status (for more information please refer to the Program Outline at the top of this page or speak to your Education Consultant)
– In addition to above requirements, all student must pass an entrance assessment.
Career Quiz
Take a quick and easy quiz to find out more about yourself, your goals, and identify your strengths and social style. This quiz gives you suggestions for what career areas you might consider based on your likes and preferences. Give it a try now!
Testimonial
Thank you, triOS College, for giving me the education and tools I needed to get my dream career. I had a full-time job five days out of school, and it feels amazing to be one of the lucky ones to have my dream job.
Successful graduates will have all the education credits necessary to pursue the Payroll Compliance Professional (PCP) certification through the National Payroll Institute, which is an in-demand credential for payroll careers.
How Our Accounting and Payroll Program Can Help You
Discover what triOS College's Accounting and Payroll Program Coordinator David Fox has to say about the program and what else you can expect when you take our accounting courses and payroll courses.
How to Become an Accountant
To become an accountant in Ontario, enroll in an accounting program or a related field, ensuring it's from an accredited institution. Next, work towards the Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) designation, which involves taking preparatory courses, gaining relevant work experience, passing the Common Final Exam (CFE), and fulfilling ethics and practical experience requirements.
Once you've completed the CPA program, register with CPA Ontario and engage in ongoing professional development. With your CPA designation, you can seek employment in various sectors or even establish your own accounting practice. Requirements may evolve, so consult with CPA Ontario for the latest details.
Once you've completed the CPA program, register with CPA Ontario and engage in ongoing professional development. With your CPA designation, you can seek employment in various sectors or even establish your own accounting practice. Requirements may evolve, so consult with CPA Ontario for the latest details.
How much do payroll accountants make?
The salary of a payroll accountant in Ontario can vary depending on several factors including experience, education, location, and the specific employer. According to Job Bank, the average hourly rate is $27, which can go up to $38.
