What is an Accounts Payable Clerk?

Q: How much do accounts payable clerks make?

Accounts payable clerks make about $36,000 annually. However, the top ten percent can earn over $63,000 annually. Generally, salary differences come down to a combination of industry, level of education, and experience. For example, accounts payable clerks with an associate's degree and more work experience earn more money.

Q: Is accounts payable a difficult job?

Yes, accounts payable can be a difficult job. This role is primarily focused on data entry and management to ensure that all aspects of a company's accounts are maintained correctly which can make the job difficult because minor mistakes can have extreme consequences.

Accounts Payable Clerks are responsible for check financial records for accuracy. A lot of the work is also known as bookkeeping. Most generally, you'll be working in an office setting, but occassionally you'll get to visit clients at their place of work. A change of scenary might be nice.

You'll probably want some postsecondary education experience under your belt if you're going to try to become an accounts payable clerk. But you'll also be able to learn some on-the-job so keep that in mind. The big takeaway here is that you'll want some basic math and computer skills so that you can perform your work effortlessly.

What Does an Accounts Payable Clerk Do

There are certain skills that many accounts payable clerks have in order to accomplish their responsibilities. By taking a look through resumes, we were able to narrow down the most common skills for a person in this position. We discovered that a lot of resumes listed computer skills, detail oriented and integrity.

Learn more about what an Accounts Payable Clerk does

How To Become an Accounts Payable Clerk

If you're interested in becoming an accounts payable clerk, one of the first things to consider is how much education you need. We've determined that 46.3% of accounts payable clerks have a bachelor's degree. In terms of higher education levels, we found that 4.4% of accounts payable clerks have master's degrees. Even though most accounts payable clerks have a college degree, it's possible to become one with only a high school degree or GED.

Learn More About How To Become an Accounts Payable Clerk

Accounts Payable Clerk Job Description

Accounts payable clerks manage vendor billings, ensure that these billings are correct or properly signed off by departments, process them for billing, and ensure that payments are released on time. They should be able to verify and process billings and invoices promptly and must keep track of it all.

Learn more about Accounts Payable Clerk Job Description

Top Accounts Payable Clerk Jobs Near You

Accounts Payable Clerk Career Paths

As you move along in your career, you may start taking on more responsibilities or notice that you've taken on a leadership role. Using our career map, an accounts payable clerk can determine their career goals through the career progression. For example, they could start out with a role such as staff accountant, progress to a title such as accountant and then eventually end up with the title assistant controller.

Top Careers Before Accounts Payable Clerk

Administrative Assistant (65,769 Jobs)

12.4 %

Office Manager (53,712 Jobs)

9.9 %

Accounting Clerk (106,969 Jobs)

9.1 %

Top Careers After Accounts Payable Clerk

Administrative Assistant (65,769 Jobs)

10.7 %

Accounting Clerk (106,969 Jobs)

9.3 %

Staff Accountant (115,930 Jobs)

8.6 %

Average Salary for an Accounts Payable Clerk

Accounts Payable Clerks in America make an average salary of $38,333 per year or $18 per hour. The top 10 percent makes over $48,000 per year, while the bottom 10 percent under $30,000 per year.

Average Accounts Payable Clerk Salary

$38,333 Yearly

$18.43 hourly

$30,00010%

$38,000Median

$48,00090%

See More Salary Information

What Am I Worth?

Roles and Types of Accounts Payable Clerk

The role of an accounts payable clerk includes a wide range of responsibilities. These responsibilities can vary based on an individual's specific job, company, or industry.Here are some general accounts payable clerk responsibilities:

Prepare month end accruals and monthly accounts payable accruals. Update po log; verifying, coding,
Inputs vendor invoices into various financial systems inputs
Responsibilities1. Reconciles account balances for the purpose of maintaining accurate account balances

There are several types of accounts payable clerk, including:

Clerk

Role:

Clerks have a lot of administrative roles in their day-to-day job responsibilities. From answering the phone to typing up documents, and even filing and speaking with clients, clerks have a lot on their shoulders.

For the most part, you only need to graduate from high school before becoming a clerk but some clerk positions may require you to complete a certification course beforehand. The majority of your knowledge of the job will come from the on-the-job training you'll be taken through.

You may not have a lot of stress in your day or you could feel a lot of stress, it really depends on what industry you choose to start your career in. Speaking of, you have a lot of options. On the plus side, you'll never work more than 40 hours a week so you can leave work at the office and enjoy your time off.

Average Salary: $31,163
Degree: Bachelor's Degree

Bookkeeper

Role:

As keeper of the books, er sorry, we mean bookkeeper, you're in charge of all things financial records. From creating the records in the first place to checking them for accuracy, you've got a lot of math on your hands.

Speaking of math, you'll probably need some postsecondary education to become a bookkeeper. Math will be a good starting point, but you'll also want to be familiar with certain bookkeeping software and other computer skills. While it's great to have some experience and knowledge before you secure the job, you will learn a lot through on-the-job training.

The majority of your work will be in the office. But depending on where you're employed as a bookkeeper, you may have to travel to clients' sites as well. The majority of your work can be completed in solitude so no group projects here. Isn't it time they ban those types of projects anyway?

Average Salary: $40,337
Degree: Bachelor's Degree

Accounting Clerk

Role:

Most accountants look at numbers all day. Accounting clerks do so much more. In fact, they're in charge of making sure the financial records are kept up-to-date, as well as being responsible for typing up reports.

You might need a little training at first, especially with the accounting software programs. Those programs can be a little tricky to understand, but after a little practice, you'll get the hang of it.

It's pretty well-known that accountants have a "busy season." Well, as an accounting clerk, don't start thinking you're in the clear from that. Taxes need to be filed at the same time each year and the number of financial documents that you'll keep organized will keep you very busy for much of the year.

Average Salary: $38,683
Degree: Bachelor's Degree

States With The Most Accounts Payable Clerk Jobs

Mouse over a state to see the number of active accounts payable clerk jobs in each state. The darker areas on the map show where accounts payable clerks earn the highest salaries across all 50 states.

Average Salary: Job Openings:

Number Of Accounts Payable Clerk Jobs By State

Rank	State	Number of Jobs	Average Salary
1	California	5,919	$44,210
2	Texas	2,947	$35,952
3	Florida	2,503	$34,807
4	New York	2,184	$44,070
5	Illinois	1,704	$40,204
6	Pennsylvania	1,615	$37,702
7	Ohio	1,458	$36,256
8	Michigan	1,307	$37,201
9	Georgia	1,274	$35,235
10	North Carolina	1,233	$35,206
11	Washington	1,229	$43,341
12	Massachusetts	1,216	$46,850
13	Virginia	1,094	$37,345
14	Minnesota	1,035	$42,017
15	Indiana	1,011	$34,070
16	Missouri	958	$34,468
17	Colorado	947	$39,467
18	Tennessee	930	$32,813
19	Wisconsin	879	$37,836
20	Maryland	839	$40,618
21	Oregon	790	$41,160
22	New Jersey	729	$43,863
23	Connecticut	604	$44,127
24	Kentucky	588	$32,690
25	Kansas	580	$33,921
26	Utah	503	$35,326
27	South Carolina	454	$33,234
28	Arizona	449	$37,662
29	Alabama	346	$30,629
30	Nebraska	339	$32,898
31	Oklahoma	325	$32,814
32	Iowa	300	$33,489
33	Louisiana	288	$31,131
34	Arkansas	270	$29,062
35	Idaho	258	$34,178
36	New Mexico	247	$34,706
37	Mississippi	220	$29,549
38	Delaware	187	$39,917
39	Nevada	175	$37,679
40	New Hampshire	170	$40,177
41	Alaska	157	$44,118
42	West Virginia	146	$30,466
43	South Dakota	131	$33,977
44	Maine	130	$37,614
45	Rhode Island	117	$42,316
46	Montana	116	$34,506
47	Vermont	107	$40,860
48	North Dakota	106	$35,682
49	Hawaii	105	$33,331
50	Wyoming	70	$36,932

Accounts Payable Clerk Education

Accounts Payable Clerk Majors

Accounting

39.2 %

Business

30.6 %

Finance

4.3 %

Accounts Payable Clerk Degrees

Admissions

Most Popular Majors

Business

Education

Psychology

Liberal Arts

Criminal Justice

7. Bentley University

Waltham, MA • Private

In-State Tuition

$49,880

Enrollment

4,177

Admissions

Most Popular Majors

Accounting

Finance

Business

Marketing

Computer Information Systems

8. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-State Tuition

$8,306

Enrollment

9,394

Admissions

Most Popular Majors

Business

Liberal Arts

Criminal Justice

Psychology

Economics

9. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

In-State Tuition

$53,948

Enrollment

17,238

Admissions

Most Popular Majors

Business

Education

Communication

Economics

Computer Science

10. SUNY Stony Brook

Stony Brook, NY • Private

In-State Tuition

$9,625

Enrollment

17,407

Admissions

Most Popular Majors

Business

Psychology

Education

Economics

Liberal Arts

Top Skills For an Accounts Payable Clerk

The skills section on your resume can be almost as important as the experience section, so you want it to be an accurate portrayal of what you can do. Luckily, we've found all of the skills you'll need so even if you don't have these skills yet, you know what you need to work on. Out of all the resumes we looked through, 12.5% of accounts payable clerks listed customer service on their resume, but soft skills such as computer skills and detail oriented are important as well.

Customer Service, 12.5%

Data Entry, 9.5%

Purchase Orders, 8.1%

Expense Reports, 6.4%

Vendor Invoices, 6.0%

Other Skills, 57.5%

Choose From 10+ Customizable Accounts Payable Clerk Resume templates

Zippia allows you to choose from different easy-to-use Accounts Payable Clerk templates, and provides you with expert advice. Using the templates, you can rest assured that the structure and format of your Accounts Payable Clerk resume is top notch. Choose a template with the colors, fonts & text sizes that are appropriate for your industry.

Accounts Payable Clerk Demographics

Accounts Payable Clerk Gender Distribution

Female

83%

Male

17%

After extensive research and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:

Among accounts payable clerks, 82.8% of them are women, while 17.2% are men.

The most common race/ethnicity among accounts payable clerks is White, which makes up 67.2% of all accounts payable clerks.

The most common foreign language among accounts payable clerks is Spanish at 59.8%.

Online Courses For Accounts Payable Clerk That You May Like

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Best States For an Accounts Payable Clerk

Some places are better than others when it comes to starting a career as an accounts payable clerk. The best states for people in this position are Massachusetts, California, Connecticut, and Alaska. Accounts payable clerks make the most in Massachusetts with an average salary of $46,850. Whereas in California and Connecticut, they would average $44,210 and $44,127, respectively. While accounts payable clerks would only make an average of $44,118 in Alaska, you would still make more there than in the rest of the country. We determined these as the best states based on job availability and pay. By finding the median salary, cost of living, and using the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Location Quotient, we narrowed down our list of states to these four.

1. Connecticut

Total Accounts Payable Clerk Jobs: 604

Highest 10% Earn:

$57,000

Location Quotient:

1.25

$44,127

Avg. Salary

View 604 Accounts Payable Clerk Jobs In CT

2. Alaska

Total Accounts Payable Clerk Jobs: 157

Highest 10% Earn:

$51,000

Location Quotient:

1.29

$44,118

Avg. Salary

View 157 Accounts Payable Clerk Jobs In AK

3. Washington

Total Accounts Payable Clerk Jobs: 1,229

Highest 10% Earn:

$56,000

Location Quotient:

1.16

$43,341

Avg. Salary

View 1,229 Accounts Payable Clerk Jobs In WA

Full List Of Best States For Accounts Payable Clerks

How Do Accounts Payable Clerk Rate Their Jobs?

Top Accounts Payable Clerk Employers

Most Common Employers For Accounts Payable Clerk

Rank	Company	Average Salary	Hourly Rate	Job Openings
1	Cintas	$43,981	$21.14	77
2	Airgas	$43,404	$20.87	94
3	AT&T	$43,277	$20.81	79
4	Republic Services	$42,994	$20.67	82
5	Waste Management	$41,138	$19.78	130
6	Walmart	$40,545	$19.49	207
7	JLL	$39,851	$19.16	93
8	Kforce	$39,603	$19.04	212
9	Ferguson Enterprises	$39,570	$19.02	87
10	Addison Group	$39,168	$18.83	71

Accounts Payable Clerk Videos

Accounts Payable Clerk

#WeAreTheNews: Accounts Payable Clerk Felice McMillion

Becoming an Accounts Payable Clerk FAQs

How Long Does It Take To Become An Accounts Payable Clerk?

It takes 5 years of professional experience to become an accounts payable clerk. That is the time it takes to learn specific accounts payable clerk skills, but does not account for time spent in formal education. If you include the normal education requirements to complete a college degree, then it takes 8 to 10 years years to become an accounts payable clerk.

Do You Need A Degree To Be An Accounts Payable Clerk?

No, you do not need a degree to be an accounts payable clerk. Generally, this position only requires a high school diploma or equivalent. However, it does help to have an associate's degree.

How Do I Get A Job In Accounts Payable?

To get a job in accounts payable you will need a degree, professional certification, and experience.

Typically, attaining an associate's degree in accounting, finance, or business will best enable an individual to get a job in accounts payable as an accounts payable clerk. To maximize career prospects, make sure that you focus your coursework in accounts management, payroll administration, accounts payable, and accounting.

How Much Do Accounts Payable Clerks Make?

Accounts payable clerks make about $36,000 annually. However, the top ten percent can earn over $63,000 annually. Generally, salary differences come down to a combination of industry, level of education, and experience. For example, accounts payable clerks with an associate's degree and more work experience earn more money.

Is Accounts Payable A Difficult Job?

Yes, accounts payable can be a difficult job. This role is primarily focused on data entry and management to ensure that all aspects of a company's accounts are maintained correctly which can make the job difficult because minor mistakes can have extreme consequences.

Have more questions? See all answers to common office and administrative questions.

Search For Accounts Payable Clerk Jobs

Updated February 6, 2023

What is an Accounts Payable Clerk?

What Does an Accounts Payable Clerk Do

How To Become an Accounts Payable Clerk

Accounts Payable Clerk Job Description

Accounts Payable Clerk Career Paths

Top Careers Before Accounts Payable Clerk

Top Careers After Accounts Payable Clerk

Recent Job Searches

Average Salary for an Accounts Payable Clerk

Roles and Types of Accounts Payable Clerk

Clerk

Bookkeeper

Accounting Clerk

States With The Most Accounts Payable Clerk Jobs

Number Of Accounts Payable Clerk Jobs By State

Accounts Payable Clerk Education

Accounts Payable Clerk Majors

Accounts Payable Clerk Degrees

Top Colleges for Accounts Payable Clerks

1. University of Pennsylvania

2. Northwestern University

3. University of Southern California

4. SUNY at Binghamton

5. Villanova University

6. San Diego State University

7. Bentley University

8. SUNY Farmingdale

9. Boston University

10. SUNY Stony Brook

Top Skills For an Accounts Payable Clerk

Choose From 10+ Customizable Accounts Payable Clerk Resume templates

Accounts Payable Clerk Demographics

Accounts Payable Clerk Gender Distribution

Online Courses For Accounts Payable Clerk That You May Like

Best States For an Accounts Payable Clerk

How Do Accounts Payable Clerk Rate Their Jobs?

Top Accounts Payable Clerk Employers

Most Common Employers For Accounts Payable Clerk

Accounts Payable Clerk Videos

Becoming an Accounts Payable Clerk FAQs

How Long Does It Take To Become An Accounts Payable Clerk?

Do You Need A Degree To Be An Accounts Payable Clerk?

How Do I Get A Job In Accounts Payable?

How Much Do Accounts Payable Clerks Make?

Is Accounts Payable A Difficult Job?

Search For Accounts Payable Clerk Jobs

Accounts Payable Clerk Related Careers

Accounts Payable Clerk Related Jobs

Accounts Payable Clerk Jobs By Location

Accounts Payable Clerk Jobs By Company