How To Become An Accounts Payable/Administrative Assistant: What It Is and Career Path

What is an accounts payable/administrative assistant and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted Expert

Jodi Olson

Administrative assistants, or often known as secretaries, provide departments with essential clerical support. They are responsible for the smooth operation of an office. Educational criteria may differ depending on the employers, although college graduates are usually preferred. They work in various fields, which is why it is helpful to have good communication abilities.

Depending on the size of the office and how many other assistants there are, administrative assistant roles can vary tremendously. Responsibility for this role includes preparing meetings, setting appointments, scheduling accommodation for travel, and organizing information. Candidates should have knowledge of how to operate fax machines, printers, videoconferencing systems, and photocopiers.

The average salary for administrative assistants is $53,730 as of January 29, 2021. However, the range usually falls between $48,080 and $61,028. Salary can differ depending on factors like education, the number of years you have spent in the field, advanced certifications, and additional skills.

What's a day at work look like for an Accounts Payable/Administrative Assistant?

Jodi Olson

Assistant Accounting Professor, Winona State University

Graduates could see a range of possibilities from working entirely remotely to fully on-site with precautions in place, based on recent graduate and internship experiences we have seen during the pandemic. Except for a very few internships cut short or cancelled immediately at the onset of the pandemic as the profession adapted to unknowns and putting safety measures in place, we have not seen a significant change in the demand for interns or graduates. Some new graduates expect their first day on the jobs to be remote and feel ready to meet that challenge being familiar with the technology required to be productive and communicate virtually. It has become an assumption that precautions are in place, regardless of the remote or in-person setting. It seems that both graduates and employers are working hard together to achieve success, both with caution and the usual high professional standards.

ScoreAccounts Payable/Administrative AssistantUS Average

Salary

3.2

Avg. Salary $41,382

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

6.0

Growth Rate -8%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

3.1

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.73%

Asian 3.82%

Black or African American 9.23%

Hispanic or Latino 16.16%

Unknown 3.87%

White 66.18%

Gender

female 93.39%

male 6.61%

Age - 52

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 52

Stress Level

6.0

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

4.4

Complexity Level is basic

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

7.6

Work Life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become an accounts payable/administrative assistant

Explore accounts payable/administrative assistant education requirements

Most common accounts payable/administrative assistant degrees

Bachelor's

36.8 %

Associate

32.1 %

High School Diploma

18.1 %

Start to develop specific accounts payable/administrative assistant skills

Skills	Percentages
Purchase Orders	11.72%
Data Entry	11.37%
Vendor Invoices	8.41%
Customer Service	8.23%
Financial Reports	4.74%

Complete relevant accounts payable/administrative assistant training and internships

Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New accounts payable/administrative assistants learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an accounts payable/administrative assistant based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real accounts payable/administrative assistant resumes.

Gain additional accounts payable/administrative assistant certifications

Accounts payable/administrative assistant certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific accounts payable/administrative assistant certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for accounts payable/administrative assistants include Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) and Certified Management Accountant (CMA).

More About Certifications

Research accounts payable/administrative assistant duties and responsibilities

Create invoices, manage, reconcile and pay ACH payments or record receive payments while working closely with customers and vendors.
Manage FEDEX delivery requirements ensuring compliance with company policy.
Post ACH, journal entries efficiently, timely, and accurately into the accounting system.
Create and maintain PowerPoint presentation.

Prepare your accounts payable/administrative assistant resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your accounts payable/administrative assistant resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an accounts payable/administrative assistant resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Accounts Payable/Administrative Assistant Resume templates

Build a professional Accounts Payable/Administrative Assistant resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Accounts Payable/Administrative Assistant resume.

Apply for accounts payable/administrative assistant jobs

Now it's time to start searching for an accounts payable/administrative assistant job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

Average accounts payable/administrative assistant salary

The average Accounts Payable/Administrative Assistant salary in the United States is $41,382 per year or $20 per hour. Accounts payable/administrative assistant salaries range between $30,000 and $56,000 per year.

Average Accounts Payable/Administrative Assistant Salary

$41,382 Yearly

$19.90 hourly

How do accounts payable/administrative assistants rate their job?

-/5

5 Stars

4 Stars

3 Stars

2 Stars

1 Star

Accounts Payable/Administrative Assistant reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Dec 2022

Pros

Writing a message,Organizing receipts and expenses and sending them out when needed

Cons

Failure to comply with working hours, theft and fraud,

A zippia user wrote a review on Aug 2020

Pros

It my passion to help people in need. It makes me feel good to see people the Youth do well in the life

Cons

I don't like to see anyone stuck in between and not being helped.

A zippia user wrote a review on Jul 2020

Pros

everything except phones : Meeting,greeting, customer service, interviewing, on boarding, recruiting, presenting, etc.

Cons

phones - because of my accent

What is an accounts payable/administrative assistant and how to become one

What's a day at work look like for an Accounts Payable/Administrative Assistant?

Accounts Payable/Administrative Assistant career paths

Key steps to become an accounts payable/administrative assistant

Explore accounts payable/administrative assistant education requirements

Most common accounts payable/administrative assistant degrees

Start to develop specific accounts payable/administrative assistant skills

Complete relevant accounts payable/administrative assistant training and internships

Gain additional accounts payable/administrative assistant certifications

Research accounts payable/administrative assistant duties and responsibilities

Prepare your accounts payable/administrative assistant resume

Choose From 10+ Customizable Accounts Payable/Administrative Assistant Resume templates

Apply for accounts payable/administrative assistant jobs

How Did You Land Your First Accounts Payable/Administrative Assistant Job

Average accounts payable/administrative assistant salary

How do accounts payable/administrative assistants rate their job?

Accounts Payable/Administrative Assistant reviews