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Job outlook for accounts payable team leads in the United States
Accounts payable team lead job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected accounts payable team lead job growth rate is -5% from 2018-2028.
About -77,200 new jobs for accounts payable team leads are projected over the next decade.
Accounts payable team lead salaries have increased 10% for accounts payable team leads in the last 5 years.
There are over 65,907 accounts payable team leads currently employed in the United States.
There are 55,415 active accounts payable team lead job openings in the US.
The average accounts payable team lead salary is $70,092.
Are accounts payable team lead jobs in demand?
Accounts payable team lead job and salary trends over time
Accounts payable team lead jobs over time
Accounts payable team lead job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 65,907 | 0.02% |
| 2020 | 63,321 | 0.02% |
| 2019 | 65,845 | 0.02% |
| 2018 | 65,635 | 0.02% |
| 2017 | 64,997 | 0.02% |
Average accounts payable team lead salary over time
Accounts payable team lead salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $70,092 | $33.70 | +2.9% |
| 2025 | $68,142 | $32.76 | +2.5% |
| 2024 | $66,505 | $31.97 | +2.5% |
| 2023 | $64,853 | $31.18 | +2.2% |
| 2022 | $63,448 | $30.50 | +3.1% |
Accounts payable team lead jobs by state
Most common states for accounts payable team leads
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 205 | 30% |
| 2 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 389 | 29% |
| 3 | Alaska | 739,795 | 174 | 24% |
| 4 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 215 | 20% |
| 5 | Arkansas | 3,004,279 | 534 | 18% |
| 6 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 915 | 15% |
| 7 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 839 | 15% |
| 8 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 831 | 15% |
| 9 | Idaho | 1,716,943 | 253 | 15% |
| 10 | Delaware | 961,939 | 145 | 15% |
| 11 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 394 | 14% |
| 12 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 453 | 13% |
| 13 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 243 | 13% |
| 14 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 99 | 13% |
| 15 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 1,583 | 12% |
| 16 | Hawaii | 1,427,538 | 170 | 12% |
| 17 | Vermont | 623,657 | 76 | 12% |
| 18 | Florida | 20,984,400 | 2,225 | 11% |
| 19 | Alabama | 4,874,747 | 545 | 11% |
| 20 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 357 | 11% |
Most common cities for accounts payable team leads
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Columbia | 3 | 3% | $79,126 |
| 2 | Cary | 1 | 1% | $69,291 |
| 3 | Salt Lake City | 1 | 1% | $62,573 |
| 4 | Orlando | 1 | 0% | $65,786 |
Accounts Payable Team Lead job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of accounts payable team lead experts
Centenary University
Fairleigh Dickinson University
Iona College
Penn State Wilkes-Barre and World Campus
Florida International University
Winona State University
Frank Longo
Assistant Professor of BusinessCentenary University
Business Department
What hard/technical skills are most important for Accounts Payable Team Leads?
Frank Longo: Proficiency with emerging technology is an attention-getter. We should note that the Certified Public Accountants Exam will contain three sections by 2024, including Data Analytics, Tax Compliance and Planning, and Information System and Controls. A basic knowledge will be required in each of these, and the CPA candidate will identify one area of the above for more detailed testing. This change in knowledge requirements reflects the skills employers see as most important to hire. Using technology in any of these areas can move a candidate to the top of the hiring list. We should emphasize that the job candidate does not need to be an expert in each area, but the ability to effectively use technology in one area is important. Employers are looking for the ability to use technology in information security, business processes, information systems, IT audits, data analytics, and tax planning but not all of them.
Keep in mind that successful firms performed audits, prepared tax returns, advised clients on data security, and much more during the pandemic, and they often did so remotely. This can be expected to continue into the future.
What technical skills for an Accounts Payable Team Lead stand out to employers?
Zev Fried Ph.D.: For accountants, the same skills that were always needed such as proficiency with numbers, use of different types of computer software, and problem identification and solving are still needed. Emerging from the pandemic, there are also added skills such as the ability to work remotely and collaborate and share your work that will be important to employers.
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Accounts Payable Team Leads?
Dr. Andrew Griffith: As a student (both undergraduate and graduate), the most important experience you can have while a student is collaborating with faculty on research projects that lead to co-authorship of academic research publications in legitimate, highly visible journals. For the past several years, higher education institutions have advocated for continual learning (AKA lifetime learning). I see this become more of a requirement than an elective as the workforce evolves over the next few decades. The institutions that will be truly successful in adding long-term value to their students' futures in the workforce are the ones that embrace research in high quality journals AND include their students on their projects. The collaboration of students with faculty on academic research that addresses real life problems or pushes the field forward is critical to those students' future success because it helps them understand the value of and how to use academic research. That experience also equips these students with the skills necessary to be able to identify early where their field of expertise is going throughout their careers. The engagement of students with current research projects at the undergraduate and graduate levels of higher education is a trend that is emerging in the business disciplines and it will become more obvious as the workforce evolves. In the long run, the lack of engaging students at all levels through serious academic research will certainly contribute to hastening the demise of financially insecure higher education institutions in the U.S.
Regarding certifications and licenses in the accounting field, I cannot emphasize enough that anyone entering the accounting field must make it a priority to obtain more than just the minimum licenses and credentials required to obtain or retain an employment opportunity. Meeting just the minimum expectations of their employment market is insufficient and will limit their employment opportunities. As Charles Windeknecht of Atlas Air Worldwide once said to some of my students, "Today is the day to get ready for the opportunities of tomorrow. If you don't, the opportunities of tomorrow will pass you by." His words are very accurate. To maximize one's employment opportunities while in the workforce, each of us need to exceed the minimum qualifications and expectations of every role we hold and pursue in the workforce. With that in mind, I highly recommend and encourage those in the accounting field to obtain the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) as a minimum qualification goal because this is the #1 credential sought by employers according to Robert Half International (see https://www.roberthalf.com/blog/salaries-and-skills/finance-and-accounting-certifications-employers-want-to-see). Based on the data presented by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Outlook Handbook and the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy, I conclude that approximately half of the people working in the accounting field hold an active CPA license. This statistic alone is suffient enough to justify the CPA as everyone's first license/credential goal in the accounting field. Once that goal has been satisfied, I recommend that each person quickly shift their focus to any major licenses and certifications that are more in line with their career goals and current career opportunities. For example, if a CPA wants to work primarily in income taxation, then that person should also obtain the Enrolled Agent (EA) credential because it adds tangible value to those in the tax field. I also recommend that CPAs and EAs in the tax field consider obtaining the US Tax Court Practitioner (USTCP) credential. Another example involves CPAs who want to work in internal audit; they should obtain the Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) and other related credentials offered by The Institute of Internal Auditors as quickly as they can. CPAs who want to work in the fraud examination field should consider the Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) credential from the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners. CPAs who want to seek management positions should consider the Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA) from the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants and/or the Certified Management Accountant (CMA) from the Institute of Management Accountants.
I highly recommend that "minor" credentials in every field be avoided because they do not add value to one's career. Instead, those consume valuable resources including time and money. Everyone is much better off pursuing well established and widely recognized licenses and credentials that are highly desired by employers and serve to enhance one's career opportunities. With that in mind, the list compiled by Robert Half International is a great starting place. As a selling point to get people to spend their money, most organizations that offer a professional credential in the accounting field make a claim that their credential holders make more money than those without the promoted credential. Such statements are often very misleading or not true. Unless one works for a beauracy (like the federal government), obtaining the next degree or license or certification does not normally result in a salary increase. Instead, the major accounting licenses and credentials will create more career opportunities for their holders that, depending on how one performs with the new opportunities, could lead to other better compensated opportunities. In other words, an employee's performance has a larger role in influencing compensation over time than some of these organizations are willing to acknowlege in their quest to entice people to spend their money to obtain the promoted credentials.
Lori Dunn CPA
LecturerPenn State Wilkes-Barre and World Campus
Department of Business Administration and Accounting
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Accounts Payable Team Leads?
Lori Dunn CPA: The most well-known licenses in accounting are the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and the Certified Management Accountant (CMA). Both of these licenses are still the licenses to get. However there are more specific licenses that can be attained in the accounting field dependent on where the accountant may specialize. For example a Certified Fraud Examiner, may be a license that an accountant in the forensic accounting field may want to earn. Whether the CPA, CMA, CFE or other license, attaining a license in a specialized field of accounting can only help talent to attain that position they are interested in.
As for course work, assuming a student has earned a bachelor's degree in accounting, the accountant should be sure to continue coursework in technology.
An understanding and use of cloud base technologies as well as data analytics software such as Tableau or Power BI are necessary skills that attractive talent must be experienced in. Recruiters also expect accounting talent to have experience in spreadsheet and accounting software.
A specialized master's degree is another way for talent to set themselves apart. There are specialty master's degrees in Finance, Taxation, Accounting and many other areas an accountant may want to focus on. If an accountant wants to attain a position in a specialty area, this advanced degree may help set them apart from other candidates.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Accounts Payable Team Lead job market given the pandemic?
Jose Aldrich: -Rapid increase in quality of technology based solutions allowing for robust remote working and business interaction, will support working more from home where the business can adapt and has the technology solutions to support the new working environment. This trend will impact commercial real estate, primarily office space. Some companies may seek to reduce office space.
-Budgets for business travel, large meetings and in-person business meetings may decrease and budgets for remote technology may increase. Business travel industry may need to adapt to the reduced business travel as remote technology solutions continue to evolve.
-E-commerce is on the rise and will continue to increase as consumers become more comfortable with online purchasing (groceries, clothes and household items, etc). Shift from physical stores to virtual stores for a larger percentage of sales will lower cost of entry and give rise to new businesses to support the trend.
-Social norms have adapted to the new pandemic environment and may not fully return to pre-pandemic levels. Face masks, social distancing, handshaking, etc. may become the norm for some time and taper slowly with some habits continuing.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Accounts Payable Team Leads?
Jodi Olson: We expect our graduates to be even more resilient to change and highly technology savvy, because of the necessary adaptations and remote workflow requirements students have had to overcome in achieving academic success and internship responsibilities during the pandemic. We see this as an enhancement to the skills they will bring to their employers, which already expect incoming graduates to be on the cutting edge of technological advancements, working toward a paperless environment, and keeping up with the many recent and continuing changes for the profession.