Accounts payable associate vs bookkeeper

The differences between accounts payable associates and bookkeepers 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 a bookkeeper. Additionally, a bookkeeper has an average salary of $40,337, 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 a bookkeeper are payroll tax returns, customer service, and reconciliations.

Accounts payable associate vs bookkeeper overview

	Accounts Payable Associate	Bookkeeper
Yearly salary	$39,270	$40,337
Hourly rate	$18.88	$19.39
Growth rate	-5%	-5%
Number of jobs	30,845	38,481
Job satisfaction	-	5
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 a bookkeeper do?

Bookkeepers are employees who are in charge of the company's general ledger. They are well-versed in basic accounting principles, and they apply these in their work. Bookkeepers manage the entry of items in the general ledger, assign items into their proper categories, and ensure that the entries are balanced. They also act as auditors by checking the accuracy and veracity of the receipts or vouchers in their possession before entering them into the system. Bookkeepers ensure that their files are up to date and free of errors.

Accounts payable associate vs bookkeeper salary

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

	Accounts Payable Associate	Bookkeeper
Average salary	$39,270	$40,337
Salary range	Between $31,000 And $49,000	Between $30,000 And $52,000
Highest paying City	Cambridge, MA	Washington, DC
Highest paying state	Alaska	New York
Best paying company	Accenture	NTT Data International L.L.C.
Best paying industry	Construction	Manufacturing

Differences between accounts payable associate and bookkeeper education

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

	Accounts Payable Associate	Bookkeeper
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

Accounts payable associate vs bookkeeper demographics

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

	Accounts Payable Associate	Bookkeeper
Average age	51	51
Gender ratio	Male, 20.6% Female, 79.4%	Male, 15.4% Female, 84.6%
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, 14.4% Asian, 6.6% White, 67.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
LGBT Percentage	7%	7%

Differences between accounts payable associate and bookkeeper 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.

Bookkeeper example responsibilities.

Manage AR, prepare deposits and perform basic receptionist/customer service tasks in office.
Perform journal entries, balance ledger, perform bank reconciliations, control inventory, coordinate proper guest accommodation.
Post and update of daily sales and purchases into QuickBooks system.
Execute monthly collection of Medicaid surplus funds from clients on a monthly basis.
Post resident receipts, Medicaid remittance, and process adjusting entries to the A/R detail.
Work closely with QC personnel for the planning of tooling and the flow process of PWB's.

Accounts payable associate vs bookkeeper 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 bookkeeper skills

Payroll Tax Returns, 12%
Customer Service, 10%
Reconciliations, 10%
Data Entry, 7%
Journal Entries, 5%
Financial Transactions, 4%

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

Updated January 8, 2025

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