Accounting Clerk Hourly Pay, Skills & Requirements (2026)
Advertised pay, starting pay, skills and experience from 9,552 US job postings by 4,921 employers. Data as of October 2026.
What US employers post for accounting clerks: advertised pay, the skills and experience they ask for, and the job titles they use, from 9,552 open job postings (October 2026).
- The median advertised pay for accounting clerks in US job postings is $24.00 an hour (1,620 postings from 1,046 employers, October 2026).
- The middle half of those postings offer $20.65 to $27.50 an hour.
- Postings that ask for up to 1 year of experience advertise a median of $25.00 an hour (282 postings).
- The skills that most set accounting clerk postings apart are Excel, attention to detail, accuracy.
- Postings that state a minimum ask for a median of 2 years of experience.
Accounting Clerk job postings in the US, October 2026
- $24.00/hr
- Median advertised pay (1,620 postings)
- $20.65–$27.50
- Middle 50% of postings
- $25.00/hr
- Starting pay (postings asking up to 1 year)
- 9,552
- US job postings from 4,921 employers
How much does an accounting clerk make an hour?
The median advertised pay is $24.00 an hour, from 1,620 US job postings by 1,046 employers that state pay. That is about $55,000 a year at 2,080 hours.
Advertised pay in 1,620 US accounting clerk job postings: median $55,000 a year ($24.00 an hour), middle half $46,000 to $69,000.
- Median: $55,000 ($24.00/hr)
- 25th percentile: $46,000
- 75th percentile: $69,000
The figures as a table
| Annual pay | Share of postings |
|---|---|
| $10K–$20K | 0.1% |
| $20K–$30K | 1.1% |
| $30K–$40K | 9.1% |
| $40K–$50K | 26.0% |
| $50K–$60K | 25.6% |
| $60K–$70K | 14.1% |
| $70K–$80K | 7.1% |
| $80K–$90K | 5.0% |
| $90K–$100K | 3.9% |
| $100K–$110K | 2.0% |
| $110K–$120K | 1.2% |
| $120K–$130K | 0.9% |
| $130K–$140K | 0.4% |
| $140K–$150K | 0.3% |
| $150K–$160K | 0.6% |
| $160K–$170K | 0.3% |
| $170K–$180K | 0.3% |
| $180K–$190K | 0.1% |
| $190K–$200K | 0.3% |
| $200K–$210K | 0.3% |
| $210K–$220K | 0.1% |
| $230K–$240K | 1.3% |
Midpoint of each posting's pay range, hourly pay × 2,080 hours; at most 20 postings per employer; US, October 2026.
| Median | Middle 50% | Postings | Most common titles | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Postings that state an hourly rate | $24.00 | $20.65–$27.50 | 954 | Accounts Payable Specialist, Bookkeeper, Accounting Clerk |
| Postings that state an annual salary | $69,000 | $58K–$88K | 575 | Accounts Payable Specialist, Accounting Specialist, Accounting Associate |
| All pay postings, annualised | $55,000 | $46K–$69K | 1,620 | – |
For comparison, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the national median annual wage of Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks (43-3031) at $51,000 (May 2025). Postings advertise pay; the BLS measures what people earn, across all employers and levels.
What is the starting salary for an accounting clerk?
Postings that ask for up to 1 year of experience advertise a median of $25.00 an hour (282 postings).
| Experience asked | Median advertised pay | Postings |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1 years | $25.00/hr | 282 |
| 2-4 years | $28.00/hr | 735 |
| 5+ years | withheld | 141 |
Accounting clerk levels and pay
Levels as they appear in job titles, ordered by the median experience asked.
| Level in title | Share of postings | Median experience asked | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| No level in title | 80.9% | 2 years | $26.00/hr |
| Associate | 13.9% | 2 years | – |
Highest-paying accounting clerk jobs
Specializations with at least 250 postings that state pay.
| Specialization | Median pay | Postings with pay | Employers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accounts Payable Specialist | $25.25/hr | 321 | 260 |
| Accounts Receivable Specialist | $25.24/hr | 250 | 170 |
Accounting clerk pay by state
Single-location US postings; states with at least 100 postings that state pay. States with pay-transparency laws (such as California, Colorado, New York and Washington) are over-represented among postings that state pay.
| State | Median pay | Middle 50% | Postings with pay | Share of postings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York | $32.21/hr | $22.21–$42.39 | 166 | 5.9% |
| California | $30.00/hr | $26.00–$39.66 | 221 | 12.8% |
Skills employers ask for in accounting clerk job postings
| Skill | Share of postings |
|---|---|
| Excel | 51% |
| Communication | 48% |
| Attention to detail | 46% |
| Organizational skills | 36% |
| Microsoft Office | 25% |
| Problem-solving | 21% |
| Analytical skills | 19% |
| Word | 18% |
| Work independently | 18% |
| Accuracy | 16% |
Skills named in the posting text; at most 20 postings per employer; US, October 2026. Methodology.
Skills that set accounting clerks apart
- Excel5× as often as in all postings · 51%
- Attention to detail3.7× as often as in all postings · 46%
- Accuracy11.4× as often as in all postings · 16%
- Accounting software61.9× as often as in all postings · 7%
- Quickbooks51.7× as often as in all postings · 7%
- Accounting21.7× as often as in all postings · 8%
- Word3.2× as often as in all postings · 18%
- Accounting principles31.5× as often as in all postings · 5%
- Meet deadlines6.5× as often as in all postings · 9%
- Outlook3.4× as often as in all postings · 14%
- Detail-oriented3.9× as often as in all postings · 11%
- SAP5.8× as often as in all postings · 6%
Skills named in at least 5% of these postings and at least 3 times as often as in job postings overall.
Have a accounting clerk job posting in front of you? See which of its skills your resume is missing.
What does an accounting clerk do?
Employers post these jobs as Accounts Payable Specialist, Bookkeeper, Accounting Specialist, Accounts Receivable Specialist, Accounts Payable and other titles. The largest specializations are Accounts Payable Specialist (18%), Accounts Receivable Specialist (14%), Billing Specialist (9%), Bookkeeper (12%), Accounting Assistant (18%), Accounting Specialist (5%).
The closest official occupation is Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks (43-3031.00). Its most important tasks:
- Operate computers programmed with accounting software to record, store, and analyze information.
- Check figures, postings, and documents for correct entry, mathematical accuracy, and proper codes.
- Comply with federal, state, and company policies, procedures, and regulations.
- Operate 10-key calculators, typewriters, and copy machines to perform calculations and produce documents.
- Receive, record, and bank cash, checks, and vouchers.
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (CC BY 4.0).
How much experience do you need to be an accounting clerk?
Among 3,257 postings that state a minimum, the median is 2 years. 1% say 0 years and 25% ask for 1 year or less.
Minimum experience asked in 3,257 US accounting clerk job postings: median 2 years, and 25% ask for 1 year or less.
The figures as a table
| Minimum experience asked | Share of postings |
|---|---|
| 0 yr | 2% |
| 1 yr | 23% |
| 2 yrs | 37% |
| 3-4 yrs | 26% |
| 5-7 yrs | 12% |
| 8-9 yrs | under 1% |
| 10+ yrs | under 1% |
Postings that state a minimum (required or preferred); at most 20 postings per employer; US, October 2026.
We do not show a degree figure: in our checks, degree requirements in posting text were found too rarely to publish one. Why.
Full-time 86%, Part-time 14% of the 1,020 postings that state working hours.
Other names for an accounting clerk: job titles employers use
| Job title | Employers using it |
|---|---|
| Accounts Payable Specialist | 456 (9.3%) |
| Bookkeeper | 373 (7.6%) |
| Accounting Specialist | 311 (6.3%) |
| Accounting Clerk | 298 (6.1%) |
| Accounts Receivable Specialist | 291 (5.9%) |
| Accounts Payable | 220 (4.5%) |
| Accounting Assistant | 215 (4.4%) |
| Billing Specialist | 204 (4.2%) |
| Accounts Payable Clerk | 195 (4.0%) |
| Accounts Receivable | 170 (3.5%) |
| Accounting Associate | 149 (3.0%) |
| Billing Coordinator | 128 (2.6%) |
| Accounts Payable Coordinator | 103 (2.1%) |
| Accounts Receivable Clerk | 98 (2.0%) |
| Accounts Payable Manager | 86 (1.8%) |
| Billing Clerk | 74 (1.5%) |
| Accounting Technician | 73 (1.5%) |
| Accounts Payable Associate | 70 (1.4%) |
| Accounts Payable Analyst | 62 (1.3%) |
| Accounting Coordinator | 62 (1.3%) |
Titles read in our audit and used by at least 3 employers.
Accounting clerk job titles compared
The titles people search for most, from the US job postings that use each exact title (October 2026).
| Job title | Open postings | Employers | Median pay | Median experience | Skills named most |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bookkeeper | 880 | 373 | – | – | attention to detail, communication, Excel |
| Accounts Payable Specialist | 579 | 456 | – | 2 years | Excel, attention to detail, communication |
| Accounts Receivable Specialist | 394 | 291 | – | – | attention to detail, communication, Excel |
| Accounting Specialist | 383 | 311 | – | – | Excel, attention to detail, communication |
| Billing Specialist | 260 | 204 | – | – | communication, Excel, attention to detail |
Accounting Clerk compared with similar careers
| Career | Median pay | Median experience | Postings | Shares N of top 25 skills |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accounting Clerk | $24.00/hr | 2 years | 9,552 | – |
| Accountant | $100K | 3 years | 24,685 | 19 |
| Office Manager | $23.31/hr | 2 years | 4,611 | 17 |
| Payroll Specialist | $70K | 3 years | 2,173 | 17 |
| Finance Manager | $153K | 5 years | 3,165 | 12 |
Similar careers
| Career | Shares N of the top 25 skills | Median pay |
|---|---|---|
| Accountant | 19 | $100K |
| Office Manager | 17 | $23.31/hr |
| Payroll Specialist | 17 | $70K |
| Finance Manager | 12 | $153K |
| Administrative Assistant | 16 | $21.50/hr |
| Banking Operations Specialist | 17 | – |
Applying for accounting clerk jobs?
- Accounting clerk resume examples: one-page examples for these roles
- Match your resume to a job: paste a posting and see the skills your resume is missing
- Check your resume: see how an applicant tracking system reads it
- Find accounting clerk jobs: search open postings
Source and method
Open US job postings collected from employers' applicant tracking systems, de-duplicated, counted only when their job title was read in our audit. Shares count at most 20 postings per employer, and franchise locations of one brand count as one employer. Pay uses hourly and annual figures only; a figure is shown when leaving out the largest employer moves it by 10% or less. Every figure states its number of postings. Methodology and measured accuracy.
Accuracy check: we read 20 randomly chosen postings counted on this page in full; 19 of them were this career or a closely related one (October 2026).
Download the figures on this page (CSV): every number above with its count of postings. Aggregate figures are licensed CC BY 4.0; cite the page when you reuse them.