How Much Do Accounts Payable Specialists Make in 2025?
Becoming an accounts payable specialist is a rewarding career choice for individuals with strong organizational and financial skills. A few of their duties include handling purchase orders and ensuring accurate entry of invoices and general ledger data.
As per U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), this role is categorized under bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks. While employment in this field is projected to decline by 5% from 2023 to 2033, there are still approximately 174,900 job openings expected annually on average during this period.
Salary.com projects the average annual salary for this job title in 2025 to be $58,172. Below is an overview of the salary for accounts payable specialists, including factors that influence it and tips to increase earnings.
What is the Average Accounts Payable Specialist Salary?
The projected average salary for an accounts payable specialist in the United States in 2025 is $58,172 per year, representing a 1.7% increase from the 2024 average annual salary of $57,200.
2025 Accounts Payable Specialist Average Salary: $58,172 per year
2024 Accounts Payable Specialist Average Salary: $57,200 per year
As of this writing, the average salary for accounts payable specialists is $28 per hour, with hourly rates that can go up to $32 or down to $24. Meanwhile, the average weekly and monthly salaries for accounts payable specialists are $1,100 and $4,767, respectively.
What is the Pay Range for Accounts Payable Specialists?
According to Salary.com, the salary range for accounts payable specialists starts at $43,254 and can reach a high of $73,630, with most earnings between $49,900 and $65,800.
All of the factors, which will be discussed later, affect how much an accounts payable specialist earns, including levels of experience, education, and location.
Accounts Payable Specialist Salary Range: $43,254 to $73,630 per year ($21 to $35 per hour)
| Percentile | By Hour | By Week | By Month | By Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile | $21 | $832 | $3,604 | $43,254 |
| 25th Percentile | $24 | $960 | $4,158 | $49,900 |
| 50th Percentile (Median) | $28 | $1,100 | $4,767 | $57,200 |
| 75th Percentile | $32 | $1,265 | $5,483 | $65,800 |
| 90th Percentile | $35 | $1,416 | $6,136 | $73,630 |
Accounts Payable Specialist Salary Factors
There are several factors that influence how much an accounts payable specialist can earn. These include experience, place of work, and skills. Let’s explore each of these in detail.
Years of Experience
The average pay for an accounts payable specialist by years of experience ranged from $56,355 per year for entry-level accounts payable specialists to $59,724 per year for specialists with 8+ years of experience.
| Levels | Years of Experience | Average Salary per Year |
|---|---|---|
| Entry Level Accounts Payable Specialist | <1 | $56,355 |
| Intermediate Level Accounts Payable Specialist | <2 | $57,157 |
| Senior Accounts Payable Specialist | 2-4 | $59,082 |
| Specialist Level Accounts Payable Specialist | 5-8 | $59,467 |
| Expert Level Accounts Payable Specialist | 8+ | $59,724 |
Place of Work
According to BLS, the workplace significantly impacts the salary of an accounts payable specialist. For example, accounts payable specialists earn as much as 13.46% more in professional, scientific, and technical services than in retail trade in 2023.
| Place of Work | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | $48,960 |
| Construction | $48,540 |
| Finance and insurance | $48,540 |
| Wholesale trade | $47,190 |
| Retail trade | $43,150 |
Skill Set
Accounts payable specialists with certain skills can increase their salaries. According to the Real-time Job Posting Salary Data Report, an accounts payable specialist with invoice processing skills can earn 11.87% more than those without.
For example, if employee A earns $43,254 per year and has invoice processing skills, they can earn 11.87% more, or an additional $5,134.25, bringing the total salary to $48,388.25
| Skill | Demand | Salary Increase |
|---|---|---|
| Invoice Processing | 12.04% | +11.87% |
| Accounting Software | 9.28% | +11.63% |
| Accounts Payable | 54.32% | +10.32% |
| Payment Processing | 5.43% | +9.62% |
| Life Insurance | 4.75% | +9.22% |
Accounts Payable Specialist Salary by City and State
The choice of location can significantly impact the earning potential for accounts payable specialists. In fact, this information can help pharmacy technicians identify the most strategic locations for both living and working.
Highest Paying States for Accounts Payable Specialist
Based on the salary data, the District of Columbia offers the highest average annual salary for accounts payable specialists in the United States, at $63,600.
- District of Columbia: $63,600 per year (or $30.58 per hour)
- California: $63,100 per year (or $30.34 per hour)
- New Jersey: $62,700 per year (or $30.14 per hour)
- Alaska: $62,300 per year (or $29.95 per hour)
- Connecticut: $61,400 per year (or $29.52 per hour)
Accounts Payable Specialist Salary by State
| State | Average Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Alaska | $62,300 |
| Alabama | $52,600 |
| Arkansas | $52,100 |
| Arizona | $55,700 |
| California | $63,100 |
| Colorado | $58,300 |
| Connecticut | $61,400 |
| District of Columbia | $63,600 |
| Delaware | $58,000 |
| Florida | $54,300 |
| Georgia | $55,300 |
| Hawaii | $59,700 |
| Iowa | $54,700 |
| Idaho | $53,400 |
| Illinois | $58,500 |
| Indiana | $55,500 |
| Kansas | $54,400 |
| Kentucky | $53,800 |
| Louisiana | $54,400 |
| Massachusetts | $62,200 |
| Maryland | $58,900 |
| Maine | $55,600 |
| Michigan | $56,400 |
| Minnesota | $58,500 |
| Missouri | $54,500 |
| Mississippi | $51,000 |
| Montana | $53,400 |
| North Carolina | $54,900 |
| North Dakota | $56,600 |
| Nebraska | $53,900 |
| New Hampshire | $58,100 |
| New Jersey | $62,700 |
| New Mexico | $52,700 |
| Nevada | $57,400 |
| New York | $60,900 |
| Ohio | $55,900 |
| Oklahoma | $52,900 |
| Oregon | $58,100 |
| Pennsylvania | $57,100 |
| Rhode Island | $59,700 |
| South Carolina | $54,000 |
| South Dakota | $51,400 |
| Tennessee | $53,000 |
| Texas | $56,000 |
| Utah | $54,400 |
| Virginia | $57,300 |
| Vermont | $56,100 |
| Washington | $61,600 |
| Wisconsin | $56,500 |
| West Virginia | $51,500 |
| Wyoming | $54,800 |
Highest Paying Cities for Accounts Payable Specialist
Here are the top 5 highest paying cities for accounts payable specialists, according to Salary.com data, with San Jose, California, leading at $71,700 per year or $34 per hour.
- San Jose, California: $71,700 per year (or $34 per hour)
- San Francisco, California: $71,500 per year ($34 per hour)
- Oakland, California: $69,700 per year ($34 per hour)
- New York, New York: $66,800 per year ($32 per hour)
- Queens Village, New York: $66,300 per year ($32 per hour)
Ways to Increase Your Salary as an Accounts Payable Specialist
Accounts payable specialists have many opportunities to earn a higher salary by gaining experience, improving skills, and exploring growth within the role.
- Consider pursuing certifications like the Certified Accounts Payable Clerk (CAPC) or Certified Professional Accountant (CPA). As per BLS, CPAs tend to earn more than unlicensed accounting professionals.
- Gaining experience can lead to higher pay. For example, entry-level accounts payable specialists earn $56,355, while those with 8+ years earn $59,724.
- If you respond to a change in industry, moving from retail trade to professional, scientific, and technical services could lead to a 13.46% pay increase.
- Consider moving to a state or city with higher pay. For example, the District of Columbia offers $63,600 per year (or $30.58 per hour), while San Jose, California offers $71,700 per year (or $34 per hour).
- Learn highly compensated skills that can boost your earnings, like invoice processing, accounting software, and accounts payable.
- Negotiate your salary by researching market rates for your position and experience. As of this writing, the accounts payable specialist salary range is between $43,254 and $73,630 per year.
Average National Salaries by Source
The following are the salaries for accounts payable specialists from five top salary-reporting sites, averaging $21,297 (unweighted) across these sites.
SALARY.COM AVG. SALARY
$57,200 / year
INDEED.COM AVG. SALARY
$46,752 / year
GLASSDOOR AVG. SALARY
$52,919 / year
PAYSCALE AVG. SALARY
$50,299 / year
ZIPRECRUITER AVG. SALARY
$49,286 / year
