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Accounts payable clerk vs specialist

The differences between accounts payable clerks and specialists 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 specialist takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a specialist has an average salary of $58,013, 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 a specialist are patients, customer service, and work ethic.

Accounts payable clerk vs specialist overview

Accounts Payable ClerkSpecialist
Yearly salary$38,333$58,013
Hourly rate$18.43$27.89
Growth rate-5%10%
Number of jobs89,564358,433
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 46%Bachelor's Degree, 49%
Average age5142
Years of experience62

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 specialist do?

Specialists are employees who are responsible for specific tasks or activities in the department they are assigned to. The actions or tasks they work on are related to their educational background or work experiences. They are usually highly skilled in specializations related to the work they are assigned to. Specialists are also highly trained on the competencies that are required of their specialty. As such, they are focused on the skills and competencies that are needed to enhance their experience in their specific field further.

Accounts payable clerk vs specialist salary

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

Accounts Payable ClerkSpecialist
Average salary$38,333$58,013
Salary rangeBetween $30,000 And $48,000Between $32,000 And $104,000
Highest paying CityWashington, DCJersey City, NJ
Highest paying stateMassachusettsNew Jersey
Best paying companyJane StreetThe Citadel
Best paying industryTechnology-

Differences between accounts payable clerk and specialist education

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

Accounts Payable ClerkSpecialist
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 46%Bachelor's Degree, 49%
Most common majorAccountingBusiness
Most common collegeUniversity of PennsylvaniaStanford University

Accounts payable clerk vs specialist demographics

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

Accounts Payable ClerkSpecialist
Average age5142
Gender ratioMale, 17.2% Female, 82.8%Male, 47.5% Female, 52.5%
Race ratioBlack 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, 11.4% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.4% Asian, 10.5% White, 55.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage7%11%

Differences between accounts payable clerk and specialist 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.
    • Show more

Specialist example responsibilities.

  • Create, manage, and assist users with SharePoint sites.
  • Manage an on-site IRB and company good clinical practice (GCP) inspection.
  • Manage SharePoint sites by creating, editing, and customizing company sites, libraries and security.
  • Manage the building of accounts, assigning of static IP's, and scheduling of business class installations.
  • Convert servers from UNIX to Linux, all hardware diagnostics and repair including printers/plotters/desktops etc.
  • Follow safety procedures such as maintenance of all equipment (Telxon scanners, terminals and ladders).
    • Show more

Accounts payable clerk vs specialist 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 specialist skills
  • Patients, 15%
  • Customer Service, 11%
  • Work Ethic, 5%
  • Patient Care, 4%
  • Exceptional Client, 4%
  • Troubleshoot, 4%

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Updated January 8, 2025

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