Accounts payable clerk vs accountable clerk

The differences between accounts payable clerks and accountable 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 clerk and an accountable clerk. Additionally, an accounts payable clerk has an average salary of $38,333, which is higher than the $38,120 average annual salary of an accountable clerk.

The top three skills for an accounts payable clerk include customer service, data entry and purchase orders. The most important skills for an accountable clerk are data entry, financial reports, and purchase orders.

Accounts payable clerk vs accountable clerk overview

	Accounts Payable Clerk	Accountable Clerk
Yearly salary	$38,333	$38,120
Hourly rate	$18.43	$18.33
Growth rate	-5%	-5%
Number of jobs	89,564	81,209
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 46%	Bachelor's Degree, 41%
Average age	51	51
Years of experience	6	6

What does an accounts payable clerk do?

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.

What does an accountable clerk do?

The duties of an accountable clerk vary in one's industry of employment. Typically, their responsibilities revolve around overseeing the financial aspects of a company, including revenue and budget. They mostly process payments and income, ensuring accuracy in every detail and transaction. An accountable clerk may also have clerical tasks such as producing progress reports, answering calls and correspondence, coordinating with various department personnel, and maintaining a database of information. Should there be any issues, it is essential to report to a manager right away.

Accounts payable clerk vs accountable clerk salary

Accounts payable clerks and accountable clerks have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Accounts Payable Clerk	Accountable Clerk
Average salary	$38,333	$38,120
Salary range	Between $30,000 And $48,000	Between $29,000 And $49,000
Highest paying City	Washington, DC	New Haven, CT
Highest paying state	Massachusetts	Massachusetts
Best paying company	Jane Street	Wayne County, Michigan
Best paying industry	Technology	Government

Differences between accounts payable clerk and accountable clerk education

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

	Accounts Payable Clerk	Accountable Clerk
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 46%	Bachelor's Degree, 41%
Most common major	Accounting	Business
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

Accounts payable clerk vs accountable clerk demographics

Here are the differences between accounts payable clerks' and accountable clerks' demographics:

	Accounts Payable Clerk	Accountable Clerk
Average age	51	51
Gender ratio	Male, 17.2% Female, 82.8%	Male, 19.1% Female, 80.9%
Race ratio	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%	Black or African American, 6.7% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 14.2% Asian, 6.5% White, 68.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
LGBT Percentage	7%	7%

Differences between accounts payable clerk and accountable clerk duties and responsibilities

Accounts payable clerk example responsibilities.

Manage revenue ledger including other subsidiary ledgers and responsible for the reconciliation of various income accounts to ensure accuracy of postings.
Match, code, and process vendor payments via MAS90 accounting system - including check runs and ACH payments.
Perform duties in compliance with GAAP, company and department policies and procedures, internal controls, and Sarbanes-Oxley requirements.
Process division payroll in coordination with ADP payroll systems for semi-monthly and weekly union contract employees.
Scan and store documents daily, retrieve W2 and W9 information along with service provider agreements when or if need.
Print, review, research, edit, code and batch invoices for processing via the various ERP financial systems.

Accountable clerk example responsibilities.

Manage the accurate and timely processing of AP invoices for multiple companies.
Manage resident's private information for insurance verification, billing, and eligibility to apply for Medicaid.
Scan incoming A/P, A/R, bank statements, mail, etc.
Review AR aging to ensure compliance.
Process, distribute, and maintain AR invoices.
Review and handle in-clearing reject items (ACH and checks) and process check adjustments.

Accounts payable clerk vs accountable clerk skills

Common accounts payable clerk skills

Customer Service, 13%
Data Entry, 10%
Purchase Orders, 8%
Expense Reports, 6%
Vendor Invoices, 6%
Vendor Statements, 5%

Common accountable clerk skills

Data Entry, 11%
Financial Reports, 10%
Purchase Orders, 8%
Customer Service, 8%
Process Payroll, 8%
Office Equipment, 4%

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Office and Administrative Industry
Accounts Payable Clerk
Accounts Payable Clerk vs Accountable Clerk

Updated January 8, 2025

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