How to hire an accounts payable clerk

How to hire an accounts payable clerk, step by step

Here's a step-by-step accounts payable clerk hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an accounts payable clerk job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new accounts payable clerk
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does an accounts payable clerk do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your accounts payable clerk job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find an accounts payable clerk for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them an accounts payable clerk to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire an accounts payable clerk that fits the bill.

   Here's a comparison of accounts payable clerk salaries for various roles:

   Type of Accounts Payable Clerk	Description	Hourly rate
   Accounts Payable Clerk	Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks produce financial records for organizations. They record financial transactions, update statements, and check financial records for accuracy.	$14-23
   Bookkeeper	Bookkeepers are employees who are in charge of the company's general ledger. They are well-versed in basic accounting principles, and they apply these in their work... Show more	$14-25
   Clerk	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... Show more	$11-18

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Customer Service
   • Data Entry
   • Purchase Orders
   • Expense Reports
   • Vendor Invoices
   • Vendor Statements
   • Payroll
   • Credit Card
   • Reconciliations
   • ACH
   • Journal Entries
   • Financial Reports
   • General Ledger Accounts
   • HR

   Check all skills

   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.

   More accounts payable clerk duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your accounts payable clerk job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. An accounts payable clerk salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, accounts payable clerks' average salary in arkansas is 39% less than in district of columbia.
   • Seniority. Entry-level accounts payable clerks earn 38% less than senior-level accounts payable clerks.
   • Certifications. An accounts payable clerk with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in an accounts payable clerk's salary.

   Average accounts payable clerk salary

   $38,333yearly

   $18.43 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level accounts payable clerk salary

   $30,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 21, 2025

   Average accounts payable clerk salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	District of Columbia	$47,460	$23
   2	Massachusetts	$46,910	$23
   3	California	$45,904	$22
   4	New York	$44,019	$21
   5	Washington	$43,439	$21
   6	New Jersey	$43,135	$21
   7	Minnesota	$42,058	$20
   8	Oregon	$41,110	$20
   9	Maryland	$40,819	$20
   10	Illinois	$40,368	$19
   11	Colorado	$39,446	$19
   12	Pennsylvania	$37,823	$18
   13	Arizona	$37,738	$18
   14	Maine	$37,709	$18
   15	Michigan	$37,567	$18
   16	Nevada	$37,476	$18
   17	Ohio	$37,379	$18
   18	Virginia	$37,126	$18
   19	Texas	$36,231	$17
   20	North Carolina	$35,438	$17

   Average accounts payable clerk salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Jane Street	$62,342	$29.97	1
   2	The Carlyle Group	$60,202	$28.94
   3	Earthjustice	$53,947	$25.94
   4	Columbia University in the City of New York	$51,266	$24.65	4
   5	Holland & Knight	$51,207	$24.62	2
   6	Angelo Gordon	$51,060	$24.55
   7	Fortune Brands Home & Security	$50,059	$24.07	4
   8	Stanford University	$49,308	$23.71
   9	W. R. Berkley	$49,243	$23.67	1
   10	Coterra Energy	$48,958	$23.54	1
   11	University of California-Berkeley	$48,955	$23.54
   12	University of San Diego	$48,915	$23.52	1
   13	Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith	$48,566	$23.35	11
   14	OMNOVA Solutions	$48,164	$23.16
   15	Hyster-Yale	$48,035	$23.09
   16	Andersen	$47,589	$22.88	2
   17	Regeneron	$47,322	$22.75	2
   18	Newpark	$47,317	$22.75
   19	Perkins&Will	$47,296	$22.74	2
   20	Array Networks	$47,122	$22.65

4. Writing an accounts payable clerk job description

   A good accounts payable clerk job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of an accounts payable clerk job description:

   Accounts payable clerk job description example

   Brake Supply Heavy Equipment Company, the world's leader in re-manufactured parts and components, is now hiring! Come join our growing team!
   
   We are celebrating 75 years of business in 2022 (1947-2022)!Since 1947 Brake Supply has served the mining, marine, industrial and heavy equipment industry. Our 10 locations are dedicated to providing outstanding quality and customer service. Brake Supply is more than just brakes! We re-manufacture transmissions, torque converters, differentials, drivelines, final drives, wet brakes, hydraulic cylinders, pumps, motors, valves and much more.
   
   Our headquarters located in Evansville, Indiana, has an immediate opening for an Accounts Payable Specialist.
   JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:
   Record invoices by entering them into the computer system File invoices by scanning documents into the document imaging system Pay invoices by processing weekly check runs Check for accuracy of statements by processing vendor statements monthly Handle discrepancies by contacting purchasing with issues between invoice and purchase orders in a timely manner Stay tax compliant by filling out and filing monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, and annual tax forms for various types of company taxes Other duties as assigned
   Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
   
   JOB REQUIREMENTS:
   Maintain confidentiality within the department Must demonstrate accuracy in working with detail Good computer skills, especially with Microsoft WORD, EXCEL, and Internal Software System (Prelude) Excellent organization skills Begin and complete a project with moderate to no supervision Flexibility to change routines Ability to read and comprehend simple instructions, short correspondence, and memos Effectively share information in one-on-one and small group situations to other employees of the organization Can add, subtract, multiply, and divide figures, and calculate amounts such as discounts, interest, and percentages Have ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form Ability to clear all pre-employment testing including drug screen, health screen, and background check
   COMPENSATION / BENEFITS:
   Train with the best technicians in the industry Company provides all tools and uniforms Excellent wages Outstanding benefits including 401K, medical, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance Paid vacation, holidays, and personal time Tuition reimbursement Exceptional work environment
   If you believe you qualify for this position and want to move your career forward with a stable company that is showing continued growth, apply now at www.brake.com/careers.
   
   Brake Supply is an Equal Opportunity Employer
   
   Other details
   Job FamilyACCTSPEC Pay TypeHourly Employment IndicatorRegular

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find accounts payable clerks for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your accounts payable clerk job on Zippia to find and recruit accounts payable clerk candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites such as efinancialcareers, financialjobsweb.com, careerbank, financial job bank.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit accounts payable clerks, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new accounts payable clerk

   Once you've selected the best accounts payable clerk candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire an accounts payable clerk?