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The differences between accounts payable clerks and audit 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 audit clerk. Additionally, an audit clerk has an average salary of $39,465, which is higher than the $38,333 average annual salary of an accounts payable clerk.
The top three skills for an accounts payable clerk include customer service, data entry and purchase orders. The most important skills for an audit clerk are reservations, night audit, and debit.
| Accounts Payable Clerk | Audit Clerk | |
| Yearly salary | $38,333 | $39,465 |
| Hourly rate | $18.43 | $18.97 |
| Growth rate | -5% | -5% |
| Number of jobs | 89,564 | 97,427 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 46% | Bachelor's Degree, 40% |
| Average age | 51 | 51 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
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.
An Audit Clerk performs general audits and assessments on its financial activities, ensuring accuracy and timeliness. They gather and analyze data from various offices, check customer and vendor payments and balances, verify tax deductions, and produce and review reports, keeping an eye out for any inconsistencies and irregularities. An Audit Clerk may also reconcile financial records in some companies, verify bank transactions, and process payments. Moreover, they also perform clerical tasks such as preparing documentation, organizing files, and handling calls and correspondence.
Accounts payable clerks and audit clerks have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Accounts Payable Clerk | Audit Clerk | |
| Average salary | $38,333 | $39,465 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $48,000 | Between $30,000 And $51,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Brentwood, NY |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Jane Street | Vermont Gas Systems |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Transportation |
There are a few differences between an accounts payable clerk and an audit clerk in terms of educational background:
| Accounts Payable Clerk | Audit Clerk | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 46% | Bachelor's Degree, 40% |
| Most common major | Accounting | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between accounts payable clerks' and audit clerks' demographics:
| Accounts Payable Clerk | Audit Clerk | |
| Average age | 51 | 51 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 17.2% Female, 82.8% | Male, 24.5% Female, 75.5% |
| 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, 6.8% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 14.4% Asian, 6.5% White, 67.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 7% |