Accounts payable assistant vs accounts payable lead

The differences between accounts payable assistants and accounts payable leads can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both an accounts payable assistant and an accounts payable lead. Additionally, an accounts payable lead has an average salary of $57,175, which is higher than the $37,145 average annual salary of an accounts payable assistant.

The top three skills for an accounts payable assistant include data entry, purchase orders and vendor invoices. The most important skills for an accounts payable lead are FAA, purchase orders, and vendor invoices.

Accounts payable assistant vs accounts payable lead overview

	Accounts Payable Assistant	Accounts Payable Lead
Yearly salary	$37,145	$57,175
Hourly rate	$17.86	$27.49
Growth rate	-5%	-5%
Number of jobs	31,341	31,041
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 49%	Bachelor's Degree, 51%
Average age	51	51
Years of experience	6	6

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.

What does an accounts payable lead do?

Accounts payable leads are accounting professionals who are responsible for leading a team of professionals that manage the company's accounts payable, a short-term debt payment that needs to be paid to avoid default. These professionals are required to evaluate vendor invoices and prepare payments to pay vendors while preparing the daily expense reports. They must create the general ledger at the end of the month to reconcile closing balances. Accounts payable leads must also assist purchasing agents in resolving vendor or customer issues that pertained to inaccurate information on purchase orders.

Accounts payable assistant vs accounts payable lead salary

Accounts payable assistants and accounts payable leads have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Accounts Payable Assistant	Accounts Payable Lead
Average salary	$37,145	$57,175
Salary range	Between $29,000 And $46,000	Between $41,000 And $79,000
Highest paying City	Santa Cruz, CA	New York, NY
Highest paying state	California	New York
Best paying company	Emerson College	NV Energy
Best paying industry	Construction	Technology

Differences between accounts payable assistant and accounts payable lead education

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

	Accounts Payable Assistant	Accounts Payable Lead
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 49%	Bachelor's Degree, 51%
Most common major	Accounting	Accounting
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

Accounts payable assistant vs accounts payable lead demographics

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

	Accounts Payable Assistant	Accounts Payable Lead
Average age	51	51
Gender ratio	Male, 15.2% Female, 84.8%	Male, 28.7% Female, 71.3%
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, 6.8% 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 accounts payable assistant and accounts payable lead duties and responsibilities

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.

Accounts payable lead example responsibilities.

Manage weekly payment scheduling to expedite and efficiently meet vendor payment deadlines; including check run dates, wires and ACH.
Manage payroll transactions utilizing ADP payroll software.
Process check runs: set payments within the system, verify accuracy, and print checks launch ACH payments.
Assist in the implementation of new ERP system by testing and providing information need to meet the accounts payable processes.
Process invoices, check requests, employee reimbursements, and credit memos and ensure compliance with SOX documentation and approval guidelines.
Transmit monthly payroll information for bank reconciliation.

Accounts payable assistant vs accounts payable lead skills

Common accounts payable assistant skills

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

Common accounts payable lead skills

FAA, 7%
Purchase Orders, 7%
Vendor Invoices, 6%
Reconciliations, 6%
Data Entry, 5%
ACH, 5%

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Office and Administrative Industry
Accounts Payable Assistant
Accounts Payable Assistant vs Accounts Payable Lead

Updated January 8, 2025

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