Accounting bookkeeper vs accounts payable assistant

The differences between accounting bookkeepers and accounts payable assistants 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 bookkeeper and an accounts payable assistant. Additionally, an accounting bookkeeper has an average salary of $51,406, which is higher than the $37,145 average annual salary of an accounts payable assistant.

The top three skills for an accounting bookkeeper include data entry, reconciliations and payroll taxes. The most important skills for an accounts payable assistant are data entry, purchase orders, and vendor invoices.

Accounting bookkeeper vs accounts payable assistant overview

	Accounting Bookkeeper	Accounts Payable Assistant
Yearly salary	$51,406	$37,145
Hourly rate	$24.71	$17.86
Growth rate	-5%	-5%
Number of jobs	40,579	31,341
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 48%	Bachelor's Degree, 49%
Average age	51	51
Years of experience	6	6

What does an accounting bookkeeper do?

An Accounting Bookkeeper supervises the financial data and compliance of a company. Accounting Bookkeepers maintain accurate books on accounts receivable and payable, daily financial reconciliations and entries, and payroll. They are in charge of recording various transactions like income and outgoings and posting these transactions to different accounts.

What does an accounts payable assistant do?

An accounts payable assistant is responsible for monitoring the company's billing transactions, ensuring the accurate and efficient completion of the business' financial obligations. Accounts payable assistants process invoices, resolve account discrepancies, manage bank reconciliation, create expense reports, and updating account information on the company's database. They work within a team of the accounting and finance department, assisting with tax filing and audit processes as needed. An accounts payable assistant must have excellent knowledge of the financial industry and accounting principles to perform various duties, as well as doing administrative and clerical tasks as needed.

Accounting bookkeeper vs accounts payable assistant salary

Accounting bookkeepers and accounts payable assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Accounting Bookkeeper	Accounts Payable Assistant
Average salary	$51,406	$37,145
Salary range	Between $39,000 And $66,000	Between $29,000 And $46,000
Highest paying City	Vallejo, CA	Santa Cruz, CA
Highest paying state	Delaware	California
Best paying company	GrowthForce	Emerson College
Best paying industry	Professional	Construction

Differences between accounting bookkeeper and accounts payable assistant education

There are a few differences between an accounting bookkeeper and an accounts payable assistant in terms of educational background:

	Accounting Bookkeeper	Accounts Payable Assistant
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 48%	Bachelor's Degree, 49%
Most common major	Accounting	Accounting
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

Accounting bookkeeper vs accounts payable assistant demographics

Here are the differences between accounting bookkeepers' and accounts payable assistants' demographics:

	Accounting Bookkeeper	Accounts Payable Assistant
Average age	51	51
Gender ratio	Male, 15.5% Female, 84.5%	Male, 15.2% Female, 84.8%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 6.9% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 14.6% Asian, 6.6% White, 67.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%	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%
LGBT Percentage	7%	7%

Differences between accounting bookkeeper and accounts payable assistant duties and responsibilities

Accounting bookkeeper example responsibilities.

Process bi-weekly payroll through ADP on-line system; manage distribution of live checks.
Manage revenue ledger including other subsidiary ledgers and responsible for the reconciliation of various income accounts to ensure accuracy of postings.
General ledger entries for AR and AP, parts and sales of power equipment.
Prepare and print AP checks.
Report payroll to ADP system and reconcile payroll account.
Work with client's CPA firm for reporting and tax preparation.

Accounts payable assistant example responsibilities.

Manage revenue ledger including other subsidiary ledgers and responsible for the reconciliation of various income accounts to ensure accuracy of postings.
Issue weekly payments to vendors by check, ACH, domestic wire, and international wire in USD and other currencies.
Assist in accounts payable/receivable including check deposits, credit card payments, ACH payments, credits, check runs, etc.
Compose effective accounting reports summarizing accounts payable data using QuickBooks.
Prepare payroll for salary and hourly personnel, including necessary reports for regulatory bodies.
Respond to payroll accounting inquires; provide resolution, information, or direction accordingly.

Accounting bookkeeper vs accounts payable assistant skills

Common accounting bookkeeper skills

Data Entry, 8%
Reconciliations, 8%
Payroll Taxes, 8%
Journal Entries, 7%
Vendor Invoices, 5%
General Ledger Accounts, 5%

Common accounts payable assistant skills

Data Entry, 15%
Purchase Orders, 10%
Vendor Invoices, 9%
Payroll, 6%
Vendor Statements, 5%
Financial Reports, 4%

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Accounting Bookkeeper vs Accounts Payable Assistant

Updated January 8, 2025

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