Accounts Payable Clerk: career path and pay in the US
Where a Accounts Payable Clerk goes next, what each step typically pays in the United States, and how exposed the path is to AI replacement. 3 steps, from Accounts Payable Clerk to Accounts Payable Manager.
Also for the United Kingdom: Accounts Payable Clerk in the UK
The path
Step 1 · 0 to 2 years
Accounts Payable Clerk
$40K to $55K
Typical US pay for this job title, retrieved September 2026.
What this step adds
Step 2 · 2 to 5 years
Accounts Payable Specialist
$40K to $60K
Typical US pay for this job title, retrieved September 2026.
What this step adds
Credentials that help: AP Specialist Certification - US, ACCA (in progress) - UK/EU, CIMA (in progress) - UK/EU.
Step 3 · 5 to 10 years
Accounts Payable Manager
$75K to $110K
Typical US pay for this job title, retrieved September 2026.
What this step adds
Credentials that help: CPA (optional) - US, AP Manager Certification - US, ACCA - UK/EU, CIMA - UK/EU.
Exposure and pay along the path
Exposure to AI, now to later
76% → 52%
Falls 24 points. Each step is harder to automate than the last. Lower is better.
Typical pay, now to later
$40K to $55K → $75K to $110K
US estimates by job title, Glassdoor, Indeed and PayScale US. Indeed publishes a hourly average for Accounts Payable Clerk ($22.77); this band converts it at 40 hours a week.
What the work involves
Compute, classify, and record numerical data to keep financial records complete. Perform any combination of routine calculating, posting, and verifying duties to obtain primary financial data for use in maintaining accounting records. May also check the accuracy of figures, calculations, and postings pertaining to business transactions recorded by other workers.
Skills that matter most
- Mathematics
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Writing
- Speaking
Knowledge areas
- Customer and Personal Service
- Administrative
- Mathematics
- English Language
- Economics and Accounting
- Computers and Electronics
Education people bring
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED): 41%
- Post-Secondary Certificate: 21%
- Bachelor's Degree: 12%
Job Zone 3, job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed. Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
Other paths from here
- Controller
- Financial Analyst
- Accounting Manager
More Finance paths in the US
Related occupations in O*NET: Billing and Posting Clerks, Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks, Brokerage Clerks, Credit Authorizers, Checkers, and Clerks, Office Clerks, General.
Your own role
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SourcesSalary bands: Glassdoor, Indeed and PayScale US, US national averages by job title, retrieved September 2026Skills, knowledge and education: O*NET 31.0 Database
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CC BY 4.0
Salary estimates by job title from Glassdoor, Indeed and PayScale, retrieved September 2026. Each band runs from 20% below to 20% above the reported average, rounded to $5K. Exposure percentages and the skills listed under each step are this app's own editorial ratings, not published data.