Accounts payable associate vs accounts payable administrator

The differences between accounts payable associates and accounts payable administrators 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 associate and an accounts payable administrator. Additionally, an accounts payable administrator has an average salary of $41,860, which is higher than the $39,270 average annual salary of an accounts payable associate.

The top three skills for an accounts payable associate include customer service, data entry and purchase orders. The most important skills for an accounts payable administrator are purchase orders, data entry, and vendor invoices.

Accounts payable associate vs accounts payable administrator overview

	Accounts Payable Associate	Accounts Payable Administrator
Yearly salary	$39,270	$41,860
Hourly rate	$18.88	$20.12
Growth rate	-5%	-5%
Number of jobs	30,845	79,272
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 50%	Bachelor's Degree, 46%
Average age	51	51
Years of experience	6	6

What does an accounts payable associate do?

An accounts payable associate is primarily responsible for processing bills and payments for a company, ensuring accuracy and timeliness. Moreover, they are also responsible for maintaining records of all transactions, liaising with external agencies, coordinating with different departments to gather data, receiving and monitoring invoices, and obtaining approval from managers or supervisors when it comes to payments as needed. An accounts payable associate may also produce financial reports and statements, create presentations, train new members of the workforce, and assist audits, all while adhering to the company's policies and regulations.

What does an accounts payable administrator do?

An accounts payable administrator is an individual who reviews and verifies the invoices of suppliers and grants payment requests. Accounts payable administrators must prepare invoice batches and input them in the accounts payable module of the financial information system every day to ensure that payments meet weekly and monthly deadlines. When warranted, they seek clarifications or explanations from submitters and responds to inquiries from suppliers, consultants, and clients regarding the status of their payments. Accounts payable administrators must also ensure that reimbursements are properly approved.

Accounts payable associate vs accounts payable administrator salary

Accounts payable associates and accounts payable administrators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Accounts Payable Associate	Accounts Payable Administrator
Average salary	$39,270	$41,860
Salary range	Between $31,000 And $49,000	Between $32,000 And $54,000
Highest paying City	Cambridge, MA	New York, NY
Highest paying state	Alaska	New York
Best paying company	Accenture	Ducommun
Best paying industry	Construction	Finance

Differences between accounts payable associate and accounts payable administrator education

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

	Accounts Payable Associate	Accounts Payable Administrator
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 50%	Bachelor's Degree, 46%
Most common major	Accounting	Business
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

Accounts payable associate vs accounts payable administrator demographics

Here are the differences between accounts payable associates' and accounts payable administrators' demographics:

	Accounts Payable Associate	Accounts Payable Administrator
Average age	51	51
Gender ratio	Male, 20.6% Female, 79.4%	Male, 12.7% Female, 87.3%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 6.8% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 14.5% Asian, 6.6% White, 67.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%	Black or African American, 6.8% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 14.5% Asian, 6.6% White, 67.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
LGBT Percentage	7%	7%

Differences between accounts payable associate and accounts payable administrator duties and responsibilities

Accounts payable associate example responsibilities.

Manage the PeopleSoft PO/Voucher/Receiver matching process for all business units.
Prepare A/R reports for BCBSM, Medicare, Medicaid and multiple HMO's.
Complete various seminars on Medicare and Medicaid.
Process and verify employees' expense reports to ensure compliance with GAAP and company policy.
Perform GL coding for expense invoices along with processing both ACH payments and check payments on a daily basis.
Verify which vendors need W9 to be mail to them at the beginning of the year for tax purposes.

Accounts payable administrator example responsibilities.

Manage payroll transactions utilizing ADP payroll software.
Maintain a cash flow chart of checks issue and clear, ACH payments, incoming collections, and wire transfers.
Solve complex general accounting functions, including preparation of journal entries, account analysis and balance sheet reconciliations.
Set up new vendors, maintain new supplier forms and proper W8 and W9 reporting.
Implement standard form to vendors to complete and return along with W9 and a sample invoice.
Review and record vendor bills utilizing QuickBooks.

Accounts payable associate vs accounts payable administrator skills

Common accounts payable associate skills

Customer Service, 11%
Data Entry, 9%
Purchase Orders, 8%
Vendor Statements, 6%
Vendor Invoices, 6%
Expense Reports, 5%

Common accounts payable administrator skills

Purchase Orders, 12%
Data Entry, 9%
Vendor Invoices, 8%
Expense Reports, 6%
Credit Card, 5%
Vendor Statements, 5%

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Office and Administrative Industry
Accounts Payable Associate
Accounts Payable Associate vs Accounts Payable Administrator

Updated January 8, 2025

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