Accounts payable clerk vs clerk

The differences between accounts payable clerks and clerks can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become an accounts payable clerk, becoming a clerk takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, an accounts payable clerk has an average salary of $38,333, which is higher than the $31,163 average annual salary of a clerk.

The top three skills for an accounts payable clerk include customer service, data entry and purchase orders. The most important skills for a clerk are basic math, math, and data entry.

Accounts payable clerk vs clerk overview

	Accounts Payable Clerk	Clerk
Yearly salary	$38,333	$31,163
Hourly rate	$18.43	$14.98
Growth rate	-5%	-5%
Number of jobs	89,564	80,311
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 46%	Bachelor's Degree, 33%
Average age	51	47
Years of experience	6	2

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 a clerk do?

Clerks are responsible for many of the general administrative tasks in the office. They are in charge of manning office telephone lines, managing incoming and outgoing mails, filing paperwork and other needed records, scheduling and documenting meetings, typing out documents when needed, disseminating memos and other official announcements, and keeping an inventory of office equipment and supplies. Clerks should have good office skills, communication skills, business writing skills, and time management skills. They should also be able to treat any document or paperwork they handle with confidentiality.

Accounts payable clerk vs clerk salary

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

	Accounts Payable Clerk	Clerk
Average salary	$38,333	$31,163
Salary range	Between $30,000 And $48,000	Between $24,000 And $39,000
Highest paying City	Washington, DC	Washington, DC
Highest paying state	Massachusetts	New Hampshire
Best paying company	Jane Street	University of Massachusetts Boston
Best paying industry	Technology	Health Care

Differences between accounts payable clerk and clerk education

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

	Accounts Payable Clerk	Clerk
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 46%	Bachelor's Degree, 33%
Most common major	Accounting	Business
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	Western Carolina University

Accounts payable clerk vs clerk demographics

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

	Accounts Payable Clerk	Clerk
Average age	51	47
Gender ratio	Male, 17.2% Female, 82.8%	Male, 34.1% Female, 65.9%
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, 9.9% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 21.1% Asian, 7.7% White, 55.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%
LGBT Percentage	7%	6%

Differences between accounts payable clerk and 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.

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Clerk example responsibilities.

Demonstrate strong math skills in managing inmate s accounts and calmly and effectively deescalating outbursts of belligerent inmates.
Manage orthopedic accounts regarding payment posting through IDX medical systems.
Administer financial bookkeeping by way of QuickBooks.
Bank reconciliation in QuickBooks and assist bookkeeper when need.
Maintain a high level of confidentiality as required by HIPAA.
Call DMV's and dealerships when liens are not perfect.

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Accounts payable clerk vs 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 clerk skills

Basic Math, 18%
Math, 10%
Data Entry, 10%
Customer Service, 9%
Cleanliness, 8%
POS, 5%

Accounts Payable Clerk vs. similar jobs

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Updated January 8, 2025

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