Finance
How to become an Accounts Payable Specialist
From no experience: every step, how long it takes, and the credential it earns.
- Time to get there
- 1–4 months
- Typical pay
- $42k–$55k
- Starting from
- No experience
Pay is an estimate of typical US entry-level pay for this role and varies by state, employer and shift. The timeline assumes you are starting from no experience and includes any licence or programme legally required, not just course length.
See accounts payable specialist jobs open nowThe route
Learn basic bookkeeping
Debits, credits and the three-way match. A short course is enough to start.
Course that covers thisAccounting 101: Beginner's Guide to Bookkeeping & FinancesUdemy · around $24.99Get comfortable in Excel
Lookups and pivot tables. AP work is reconciliation, and reconciliation is spreadsheets.
Course that covers thisUltimate Microsoft Excel Bundle from Beginner to AdvancedUdemy · around $19.99Apply for AP clerk roles
High-volume AP teams hire without experience and train on their own system.
Typical titles at this level
- AP Clerk
- Accounts Payable Associate
Learn one ERP well
NetSuite, SAP or QuickBooks. Naming the system on your CV changes who calls you.
Course that covers thisQuickBooks Online Made Easy: The Complete Course and ManualUdemy · around $19.99- Browse jobs now
Destination
Accounts Payable Specialist
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