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The differences between accounts payable/administrative assistants and clerical/administrative assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both an accounts payable/administrative assistant and a clerical/administrative assistant. Additionally, an accounts payable/administrative assistant has an average salary of $41,382, which is higher than the $30,983 average annual salary of a clerical/administrative assistant.
The top three skills for an accounts payable/administrative assistant include purchase orders, data entry and vendor invoices. The most important skills for a clerical/administrative assistant are data entry, word processing, and payroll.
| Accounts Payable/Administrative Assistant | Clerical/Administrative Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $41,382 | $30,983 |
| Hourly rate | $19.90 | $14.90 |
| Growth rate | -8% | -8% |
| Number of jobs | 56,780 | 56,261 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 37% | Bachelor's Degree, 35% |
| Average age | 50 | 50 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
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 administrative assistant, also known as a secretary or office clerk, is someone who carries out daily clerical and administrative tasks. Admin assistants do a variety of tasks such as answering phone calls, organizing files, maintaining contacts, schedule meetings and appointments, and many more. Their task can be extensive, depending on the needs of operations and higher management. They serve as a gatekeeper of the company, so strong verbal and written communication skills are a must. They should also exhibit great organizational skills and time management since they act as the resource of the company.
Accounts payable/administrative assistants and clerical/administrative assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Accounts Payable/Administrative Assistant | Clerical/Administrative Assistant | |
| Average salary | $41,382 | $30,983 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $56,000 | Between $24,000 And $38,000 |
| Highest paying City | East Providence, RI | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | Washington |
| Best paying company | Gypsum Management and Supply | University of California |
| Best paying industry | Construction | Government |
There are a few differences between an accounts payable/administrative assistant and a clerical/administrative assistant in terms of educational background:
| Accounts Payable/Administrative Assistant | Clerical/Administrative Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 37% | Bachelor's Degree, 35% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | Western Carolina University |
Here are the differences between accounts payable/administrative assistants' and clerical/administrative assistants' demographics:
| Accounts Payable/Administrative Assistant | Clerical/Administrative Assistant | |
| Average age | 50 | 50 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 6.6% Female, 93.4% | Male, 14.5% Female, 85.5% |
| 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, 9.4% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.4% Asian, 3.8% White, 65.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |