Accounting associate vs accountable clerk

The differences between accounting associates and accountable clerks can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both an accounting associate and an accountable clerk. Additionally, an accounting associate has an average salary of $50,537, which is higher than the $38,120 average annual salary of an accountable clerk.

The top three skills for an accounting associate include reconciliations, customer service and data entry. The most important skills for an accountable clerk are data entry, financial reports, and purchase orders.

Accounting associate vs accountable clerk overview

	Accounting Associate	Accountable Clerk
Yearly salary	$50,537	$38,120
Hourly rate	$24.30	$18.33
Growth rate	-5%	-5%
Number of jobs	49,143	81,209
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 60%	Bachelor's Degree, 41%
Average age	51	51
Years of experience	6	6

What does an accounting associate do?

An accounting associate is responsible for supporting the operations of the accounting department, ensuring the stability of the financial services and status of an organization. Accounting associates process invoices, update client accounts on the database, manage financial reports, assist with tax auditing and processing, monitoring the financial statements and activities of the organization, escalate financial disputes, and verify accounts receivable. An accounting associate must have excellent knowledge of the accounting industry, as well as exceptional analytical and time-management skills to perform clerical duties as needed under minimal supervision.

What does an accountable clerk do?

The duties of an accountable clerk vary in one's industry of employment. Typically, their responsibilities revolve around overseeing the financial aspects of a company, including revenue and budget. They mostly process payments and income, ensuring accuracy in every detail and transaction. An accountable clerk may also have clerical tasks such as producing progress reports, answering calls and correspondence, coordinating with various department personnel, and maintaining a database of information. Should there be any issues, it is essential to report to a manager right away.

Accounting associate vs accountable clerk salary

Accounting associates and accountable clerks have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Accounting Associate	Accountable Clerk
Average salary	$50,537	$38,120
Salary range	Between $34,000 And $74,000	Between $29,000 And $49,000
Highest paying City	Washington, DC	New Haven, CT
Highest paying state	New York	Massachusetts
Best paying company	Point72	Wayne County, Michigan
Best paying industry	Finance	Government

Differences between accounting associate and accountable clerk education

There are a few differences between an accounting associate and an accountable clerk in terms of educational background:

	Accounting Associate	Accountable Clerk
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 60%	Bachelor's Degree, 41%
Most common major	Accounting	Business
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

Accounting associate vs accountable clerk demographics

Here are the differences between accounting associates' and accountable clerks' demographics:

	Accounting Associate	Accountable Clerk
Average age	51	51
Gender ratio	Male, 26.5% Female, 73.5%	Male, 19.1% Female, 80.9%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 6.8% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 14.4% Asian, 6.5% White, 67.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%	Black or African American, 6.7% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 14.2% Asian, 6.5% White, 68.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
LGBT Percentage	7%	7%

Differences between accounting associate and accountable clerk duties and responsibilities

Accounting associate example responsibilities.

Manage revenue ledger including other subsidiary ledgers and responsible for the reconciliation of various income accounts to ensure accuracy of postings.
Reconcile bank statements and prepare company's financial data to be process by outside CPA for tax season.
Assist the firm's CPA in yearly personal and corporate income tax returns, business valuations and audits.
Reconcile cash receipts to the general ledger (lock-boxes, checks, wire transfers, and ACH payments).
Insure preparation and submission of computerize payroll to DFAS for assign personnel.
Develop PowerPoint presentations for use in trials and conferences.

Accountable clerk example responsibilities.

Manage the accurate and timely processing of AP invoices for multiple companies.
Manage resident's private information for insurance verification, billing, and eligibility to apply for Medicaid.
Scan incoming A/P, A/R, bank statements, mail, etc.
Review AR aging to ensure compliance.
Process, distribute, and maintain AR invoices.
Review and handle in-clearing reject items (ACH and checks) and process check adjustments.

Accounting associate vs accountable clerk skills

Common accounting associate skills

Reconciliations, 11%
Customer Service, 10%
Data Entry, 8%
Account Reconciliations, 4%
General Ledger Accounts, 4%
Purchase Orders, 4%

Common accountable clerk skills

Data Entry, 11%
Financial Reports, 10%
Purchase Orders, 8%
Customer Service, 8%
Process Payroll, 8%
Office Equipment, 4%

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Accounting Associate
Accounting Associate vs Accountable Clerk

Updated January 8, 2025

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