Accounts Payable Administrator Salaries

Accounts payable administrators are paid to assist accountants during reporting season.

Every business must receive and make payments. Accounts payable administrators receive and process invoices and ensure that external parties are paid on time. These professionals are typically junior-level workers who perform administrative and basic accounting functions. The minimum educational requirement for accounts payable administrators is a high school diploma though most employers prefer professionals with post-secondary training in accounting or business administration.

Function and Average Salary

The average annual wages of bookkeeping, accounting and auditing clerk were $35,340 according to a May 2010 Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) report. However, salaries for accounts payable administrators vary depending on factors such as employer and work location. Their duties involve reviewing purchase orders and invoices for completeness, accuracy and compliance with company policies and procedures. They also monitor and help manage disbursements to company vendors. Other duties accounts payable administrators handle include coding and entering company payment information into databases as well as researching and resolving coding and reimbursement issues for accountants.

Geography

Average salaries for accounts payable administrators can differ by as much as $10,000, depending on where they work. For example, the BLS showed that accounting clerks, including accounts payable administrators, averaged $27,490 in South Dakota. However, workers in California reported an average annual wage of $39,820. Accounting clerks in Texas and New York averaged $34,520 and $39,200 respectively. Professionals working in Florida averaged $33,010 annually while workers in Montana reported an average salary of $30,630 per year.

Benefits

Accounts payable administrators can boost their salaries by obtaining competitive benefit packages and performance bonuses. An August 2011 SalaryExpert report stated that the average bonus for accounts payable administrators was $2,781 per year. However, bonuses ranged between $2,047 and $3,437 annually. Benefits for accounts payable administrators totaled an average of $6,505 per year. Professionals who fell within the lowest percentile of earners averaged $4,789 in benefits while administrators in the highest percentile of earners averaged $8,038 per year.

Job Outlook

Job growth for accounts payable administrators will be on par with average national growth for all occupations. Employment for bookkeeping, accounting and auditing clerks is expected to increase 10 percent through 2018 due to demand for more transparency and accountability in companies' financial reporting practices. Also, new government regulations and reporting methods such as International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) will create more demand for accounts payable administrators who can support accountants and auditors. Accounts payable administrators with a wide range of experience in accounting and bookkeeping, as well as an associate's degree in accounting, will have the best job opportunities. Also, administrators can increase their salary potential by obtaining certifications such as Certified Bookkeeper designation (see Resources).

References

• Bureau of Labor Statistics: Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks
• Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2010
• JobFox: Accounts Payable Administrator
• SalaryExpert: Accounts Payable Administrator Bonus Data
• SalaryExpert: Accounts Payable Administrator Benefits Data

Resources

• American Institute of Certified Bookkeepers: Certification