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The differences between accounts payable managers and accounts payable clerks can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-8 years to become an accounts payable manager, becoming an accounts payable clerk takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, an accounts payable manager has an average salary of $69,808, which is higher than the $38,333 average annual salary of an accounts payable clerk.
The top three skills for an accounts payable manager include customer service, reconciliations and purchase orders. The most important skills for an accounts payable clerk are customer service, data entry, and purchase orders.
| Accounts Payable Manager | Accounts Payable Clerk | |
| Yearly salary | $69,808 | $38,333 |
| Hourly rate | $33.56 | $18.43 |
| Growth rate | 17% | -5% |
| Number of jobs | 53,384 | 89,564 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 58% | Bachelor's Degree, 46% |
| Average age | 46 | 51 |
| Years of experience | 8 | 6 |
An accounts payable manager is in charge of supervising a company's financial activities, particularly in all payable matters. Their primary responsibilities revolve around managing and assessing staff performances and overseeing check and payroll disbursements. They also take care of maintaining and securing records of employees, clients, and company finances, and implement company objectives while ensuring accuracy in all operations. Furthermore, as a manager, it is essential to uphold all company policies and regulations, all while leading and encouraging staff in a joint effort to accomplish goals and tasks.
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.
Accounts payable managers and accounts payable clerks have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Accounts Payable Manager | Accounts Payable Clerk | |
| Average salary | $69,808 | $38,333 |
| Salary range | Between $51,000 And $95,000 | Between $30,000 And $48,000 |
| Highest paying City | Beaverton, OR | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Oregon | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | Microsoft | Jane Street |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Technology |
There are a few differences between an accounts payable manager and an accounts payable clerk in terms of educational background:
| Accounts Payable Manager | Accounts Payable Clerk | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 58% | Bachelor's Degree, 46% |
| Most common major | Accounting | Accounting |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between accounts payable managers' and accounts payable clerks' demographics:
| Accounts Payable Manager | Accounts Payable Clerk | |
| Average age | 46 | 51 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 24.0% Female, 76.0% | Male, 17.2% Female, 82.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.9% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 15.3% Asian, 8.0% White, 64.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | 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% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 7% |