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The differences between accounts payable/administrative assistants and accounts payable clerks can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become an accounts payable/administrative assistant, becoming an accounts payable clerk takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, an accounts payable/administrative assistant has an average salary of $41,382, which is higher than the $38,333 average annual salary of an accounts payable clerk.
The top three skills for an accounts payable/administrative assistant include purchase orders, data entry and vendor invoices. The most important skills for an accounts payable clerk are customer service, data entry, and purchase orders.
| Accounts Payable/Administrative Assistant | Accounts Payable Clerk | |
| Yearly salary | $41,382 | $38,333 |
| Hourly rate | $19.90 | $18.43 |
| Growth rate | -8% | -5% |
| Number of jobs | 56,780 | 89,564 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 37% | Bachelor's Degree, 46% |
| Average age | 50 | 51 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 6 |
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.
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. An accounts payable clerk must have excellent knowledge of the accounting principles to deliver high-quality services and help the business minimize excessive financial loss.
Accounts payable/administrative assistants and accounts payable clerks have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Accounts Payable/Administrative Assistant | Accounts Payable Clerk | |
| Average salary | $41,382 | $38,333 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $56,000 | Between $30,000 And $48,000 |
| Highest paying City | East Providence, RI | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | Gypsum Management and Supply | Jane Street |
| Best paying industry | Construction | Technology |
There are a few differences between an accounts payable/administrative assistant and an accounts payable clerk in terms of educational background:
| Accounts Payable/Administrative Assistant | Accounts Payable Clerk | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 37% | Bachelor's Degree, 46% |
| Most common major | Business | Accounting |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between accounts payable/administrative assistants' and accounts payable clerks' demographics:
| Accounts Payable/Administrative Assistant | Accounts Payable Clerk | |
| Average age | 50 | 51 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 6.6% Female, 93.4% | Male, 17.2% Female, 82.8% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 6.9% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 14.7% Asian, 6.6% White, 67.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 7% |