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The differences between accounting assistants and accounts payable/administrative assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become an accounting assistant, becoming an accounts payable/administrative assistant takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, an accounts payable/administrative assistant has an average salary of $41,382, which is higher than the $39,569 average annual salary of an accounting assistant.
The top three skills for an accounting assistant include data entry, customer service and reconciliations. The most important skills for an accounts payable/administrative assistant are purchase orders, data entry, and vendor invoices.
| Accounting Assistant | Accounts Payable/Administrative Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $39,569 | $41,382 |
| Hourly rate | $19.02 | $19.90 |
| Growth rate | -5% | -8% |
| Number of jobs | 63,945 | 56,780 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 55% | Bachelor's Degree, 37% |
| Average age | 51 | 50 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 2 |
An accounting assistant is responsible for supporting the daily operations of the business' accounting department, from reviewing financial transactions to the submission of financial reports. Accounting assistants' duties include performing data entry and clerical tasks, maintaining a safe record of account statements, updating and analyzing transactions, verifying the accuracy of financial records, and managing customers and vendors' inquiries as immediate as possible. An accounting assistant must have a broad knowledge of the accounting principles and processes, as well as excellent communication and time-management skills, especially on meeting strict deadlines and doing complex tasks as needed.
An accounts payable/administrative assistant works alongside the department head. This position focuses on the administrative side of a budgeting department. They are responsible for organizing a company's financial records, which include all documentation of financial transactions, such as invoices and receipts. They also manage all paperwork needed by their department.
Accounting assistants and accounts payable/administrative assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Accounting Assistant | Accounts Payable/Administrative Assistant | |
| Average salary | $39,569 | $41,382 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $50,000 | Between $30,000 And $56,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | East Providence, RI |
| Highest paying state | New York | Connecticut |
| Best paying company | Los Alamos National Laboratory | Gypsum Management and Supply |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Construction |
There are a few differences between an accounting assistant and an accounts payable/administrative assistant in terms of educational background:
| Accounting Assistant | Accounts Payable/Administrative Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 55% | Bachelor's Degree, 37% |
| Most common major | Accounting | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between accounting assistants' and accounts payable/administrative assistants' demographics:
| Accounting Assistant | Accounts Payable/Administrative Assistant | |
| Average age | 51 | 50 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 20.1% Female, 79.9% | Male, 6.6% Female, 93.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.8% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 14.5% Asian, 6.6% White, 67.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% | Black or African American, 9.2% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.2% Asian, 3.8% White, 66.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 6% |