How to hire an accounting administrator

How to hire an accounting administrator, step by step

Here's a step-by-step accounting administrator hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an accounting administrator job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new accounting administrator
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does an accounting administrator do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your accounting administrator job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find an accounting administrator for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them an accounting administrator to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire an accounting administrator that fits the bill.

   Here's a comparison of accounting administrator salaries for various roles:

   Type of Accounting Administrator	Description	Hourly rate
   Accounting Administrator	Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks produce financial records for organizations. They record financial transactions, update statements, and check financial records for accuracy.	$15-33
   Bookkeeper	Bookkeepers are employees who are in charge of the company's general ledger. They are well-versed in basic accounting principles, and they apply these in their work... Show more	$14-25
   Accounts Payable Clerk	An accounts payable clerk is responsible for supporting the accounting department by performing clerical duties to file financial reports timely and accurately. Accounts payable clerks manage and verify invoices documents, reconcile balance spreadsheets, process payments for suppliers and vendors, resolve billing discrepancies, confirm and post account statements, record outstanding credits, and maintain an organized record of transactions... Show more	$14-23

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Customer Service
   • Data Entry
   • Reconciliations
   • Purchase Orders
   • Journal Entries
   • Credit Card Payments
   • Financial Reports
   • General Ledger Accounts
   • Vendor Invoices
   • Office Equipment
   • QuickBooks
   • Expense Reports
   • Balance Sheet
   • Bank Deposits

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage cash flow; online banking, initiates ACH transactions, deposits and transfer of funds.
   • Manage revenue ledger including other subsidiary ledgers and responsible for the reconciliation of various income accounts to ensure accuracy of postings.
   • Monitor and resolve accounts overdue, return ACH and collection calls.
   • Import time into the ADP batch and process any expenses or miscellaneous reimbursements.
   • Work directly with the owners & CPA providing weekly/monthly financial reporting and year end tax preparation.
   • Record dividends and loan payments, also consult with CPA and business owners for tax preparation.

   More accounting administrator duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your accounting administrator job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. An accounting administrator salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, accounting administrators' average salary in montana is 53% less than in new jersey.
   • Seniority. Entry-level accounting administrators earn 54% less than senior-level accounting administrators.
   • Certifications. An accounting administrator with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in an accounting administrator's salary.

   Average accounting administrator salary

   $48,068yearly

   $23.11 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level accounting administrator salary

   $32,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 17, 2026

   Average accounting administrator salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New Jersey	$72,567	$35
   2	Delaware	$70,822	$34
   3	New York	$69,915	$34
   4	Massachusetts	$66,039	$32
   5	Connecticut	$60,514	$29
   6	Michigan	$60,221	$29
   7	Maryland	$58,659	$28
   8	Virginia	$54,162	$26
   9	Illinois	$53,794	$26
   10	Oregon	$50,696	$24
   11	California	$50,394	$24
   12	Indiana	$46,897	$23
   13	Minnesota	$44,181	$21
   14	Florida	$44,179	$21
   15	Washington	$43,712	$21
   16	Texas	$42,987	$21
   17	Arizona	$40,542	$19
   18	Georgia	$39,637	$19
   19	Colorado	$39,201	$19
   20	Missouri	$37,800	$18

   Average accounting administrator salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Cambridge Associates	$100,220	$48.18	2
   2	State Street	$83,946	$40.36	51
   3	Quaker Houghton	$73,916	$35.54
   4	Cook Children's Medical Center	$65,247	$31.37
   5	McDermott International	$62,564	$30.08
   6	Shimmick Construction	$61,829	$29.73
   7	SWD	$60,752	$29.21
   8	Flex-N-Gate	$58,903	$28.32	1
   9	Genuent	$58,216	$27.99
   10	G.L. Huyett	$57,321	$27.56
   11	Kittelson & Associates	$55,741	$26.80
   12	Perkins Coie	$54,703	$26.30
   13	Children's Hospital Los Angeles	$54,678	$26.29	6
   14	Hajoca	$52,005	$25.00	5
   15	Kinder Morgan	$51,265	$24.65	6
   16	Kavaliro	$50,487	$24.27	3
   17	IntelliPro	$50,210	$24.14	8
   18	Staffing.com	$48,966	$23.54	10
   19	Lantronix	$47,487	$22.83	1
   20	Rock-It Cargo	$47,392	$22.78

4. Writing an accounting administrator job description

   A job description for an accounting administrator role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's an accounting administrator job description:

   Accounting administrator job description example

   Who we are looking for
   We are a team of dedicated accounting professionals who are passionate about delivering financial reporting and day-to-day accounting and administrative support to Private Equity Funds. Join this growing team that is passionate about building innovative solutions to revolutionize how State Street services our customers.
   As a Senior Associate you will be responsible for the preparation, analysis and reporting of investment and fund performance data for complex Private Equity/Credit Funds.
   Why this role is important to us
   This Senior Associate position is within the Private Equity Fund Services Business Unit of the State Street Alternative Investment Services (AIS) group, a recognized industry-leading provider of fund accounting, fund administration and risk services to hedge funds and private equity/credit funds. The position will interact directly with external clients as well as State Street onshore and offshore teams, providing complete end-to-end solutions for a major Private Equity/Credit Investment Fund.
   Join us if you are up to the challenge of administrating a mega fund and look to grow with the team.
   Job Description
   This position handles the day-to-day fund & partnership accounting and related administration.
   Responsibilities
   Review and/or prepare daily position and cash reconciliations, research and resolve discrepancies.Prepare and process journal entries, maintain general ledger Prepare capital calls and distribution allocation schedules Prepare financial work papers including portfolio schedules partners' capital allocations and capital statements.Prepare process and monitoring USD and non-USD cash movement Review Junior Associate and offshore teams' work Prepare various client correspondence and related ad hoc correspondence.Interacts with internal and external auditors providing requested information to specific inquiries as needed.Participate in special client or internal projects
   Qualifications
   3-5 years of fund accounting or related experience Advanced MS Excel skills Attention to detail Time management Experience with Investran a plus Experience with investment/Portfolio accounting platforms a plus Specific experience in the Private Equity industry preferred Excellent administrative and organizational skills with demonstrated ability to multi-task and to work efficiently to meet client deliverables.
   About State Street
   What we do. State Street is one of the largest custodian banks, asset managers and asset intelligence companies in the world. From technology to product innovation, we're making our mark on the financial services industry. For more than two centuries, we've been helping our clients safeguard and steward the investments of millions of people. We provide investment servicing, data & analytics, investment research & trading and investment management to institutional clients.
   Work, Live and Grow. We make all efforts to create a great work environment. Our benefits packages are competitive and comprehensive. Details vary by location, but you may expect generous medical care, insurance and savings plans, among other perks. You'll have access to flexible Work Programs to help you match your needs. And our wealth of development programs and educational support will help you reach your full potential.
   Inclusion, Diversity and Social Responsibility. We truly believe our employees' diverse backgrounds, experiences and perspectives are a powerful contributor to creating an inclusive environment where everyone can thrive and reach their maximum potential while adding value to both our organization and our clients. We warmly welcome candidates of diverse origin, background, ability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity and personality. Another fundamental value at State Street is active engagement with our communities around the world, both as a partner and a leader. You will have tools to help balance your professional and personal life, paid volunteer days, matching gift programs and access to employee networks that help you stay connected to what matters to you. State Street is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. Discover more at StateStreet.com/careers.

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5. Post your job

   To find accounting administrators for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any accounting administrators they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level accounting administrators with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your accounting administrator job on Zippia to find and attract quality accounting administrator candidates.
   • Use niche websites such as efinancialcareers, financialjobsweb.com, careerbank, financial job bank.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit accounting administrators, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new accounting administrator

   Once you've selected the best accounting administrator candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new accounting administrator. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire an accounting administrator?