Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between accounts payable associates and accounts payable clerks 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 clerk. Additionally, an accounts payable associate has an average salary of $39,270, which is higher than the $38,333 average annual salary of an accounts payable clerk.
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 clerk are customer service, data entry, and purchase orders.
| Accounts Payable Associate | Accounts Payable Clerk | |
| Yearly salary | $39,270 | $38,333 |
| Hourly rate | $18.88 | $18.43 |
| Growth rate | -5% | -5% |
| Number of jobs | 30,845 | 89,564 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 50% | Bachelor's Degree, 46% |
| Average age | 51 | 51 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
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.
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 associates and accounts payable clerks have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Accounts Payable Associate | Accounts Payable Clerk | |
| Average salary | $39,270 | $38,333 |
| Salary range | Between $31,000 And $49,000 | Between $30,000 And $48,000 |
| Highest paying City | Cambridge, MA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | Accenture | Jane Street |
| Best paying industry | Construction | Technology |
There are a few differences between an accounts payable associate and an accounts payable clerk in terms of educational background:
| Accounts Payable Associate | Accounts Payable Clerk | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 50% | Bachelor's Degree, 46% |
| Most common major | Accounting | Accounting |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between accounts payable associates' and accounts payable clerks' demographics:
| Accounts Payable Associate | Accounts Payable Clerk | |
| Average age | 51 | 51 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 20.6% Female, 79.4% | Male, 17.2% Female, 82.8% |
| 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, 6.9% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 14.7% Asian, 6.6% White, 67.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 7% |