What is the salary and career path for a accounts receivable specialist?
Accounts receivable specialist falls under Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks (SOC 43-3031), the broad BLS clerk code that houses AR work; the OEWS May 2025 median is $50,670 a year ($24.36 an hour), running from $36,000 at the 10th percentile to $74,550 at the 90th for senior and lead AR roles. BLS projects the code to decline 5.8% over 2024–2034 as accounting software automates posting and reconciliation, though the huge base still turns over roughly 170,000 openings a year, almost all replacement. Entry needs only a high-school diploma, and an AIPB or NACPB bookkeeping credential plus ERP fluency lift pay.
- Accounts Receivable Specialists earn a national median $50,670/yr ($24.36/hr) (BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 43-3031); the top 10% clear $74,550.
- Accounts receivable specialist sits under Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks (SOC 43-3031), with a $50,670 median and no degree required to enter.
- BLS projects the code to decline 5.8% through 2034 as accounting software automates posting, though about 170,000 openings a year still arise, almost all replacement.
- Pay runs from an AR clerk near $36,000 to an AR supervisor at the $74,550 top decile, with certification, ERP skill and deduction expertise the main levers.
Career Path
How do you become an accounts receivable specialist?
AR clerk
Applying payments and posting invoices, an AR clerk starts near the $36,000 10th percentile.
Accounts Receivable Specialist
Owning cash application, reconciliation and collections earns around the $50,670 median.
Senior AR specialist / analyst
Handling deductions, disputes and month-end AR pushes pay toward the $61,470 75th percentile.
AR supervisor / manager
Running the AR team and DSO targets reaches the $74,550 90th percentile.
BLS Salary Data
Which state pays accounts receivable specialists the most in 2026?
Source: BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 43-3031. National median: $50,670. Full salary guide →
Pay Comparison
How does accounts receivable specialist pay compare to related roles?
Head-to-head against the roles accounts receivable specialists most often weigh against. BLS OEWS May 2025 medians.
Takeaway: accounts receivable specialists rank 4 of 4 on median pay among the comparable roles above, with a projected −5.8% employment change 2024–34 (BLS Employment Projections). Pay position and projected demand together are what determine how quickly accounts receivable specialists clear offers across the GlobalCybers placement network.
Methodology & Sources
How this guide is sourced and reviewed
Wages (BLS): All median and percentile figures are BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 43-3031 (accounts receivable specialists) and the matching SOC codes for each comparison role. OEWS is sampled on a rolling 3-year basis and published ~10 months after collection, so treat it as a firm anchor rather than a spot rate.
Job growth: Projected 2024–34 employment change, and the average annual openings figure, are from the BLS Employment Projections program, by occupation. Openings are a per-year average over the projection decade, not a decade total.
Licensing & credentials:Requirements are drawn from the issuing state licensing boards and the certifying body behind each credential — not from third-party aggregators.
Demand signal:Any statement about how quickly this role clears offers reflects GlobalCybers placement request volume across the trailing 12 months — our own network data, offered as a directional real-world indicator alongside BLS, not a market-wide survey.
Credentials
What licences and certifications do accounts receivable specialists need?
The minimum entry credential, paired with on-the-job receivables training. See all state licences →
The American Institute of Professional Bookkeepers credential validating ledger and reconciliation skill.
A National Association of Certified Public Bookkeepers credential that strengthens accounting basics.
Demonstrated command of SAP, Oracle or NetSuite receivables and cash-application tools.
Tools & Software
What tools and software do accounts receivable specialists use on the job?
⚙️ Core Tools & Equipment
📊 BLS Employment Data, SOC 43-3031
Salary Levers
How do accounts receivable specialists earn above the $50,670 BLS median?
Bookkeeping certification and ERP skills
Certification and AR-module fluency move pay off the $36,000 entry band toward the median.
Deduction and dispute expertise
Owning short-pay and deduction resolution lifts pay toward the $61,470 upper band.
Advancement to AR supervisor
Managing the AR team and DSO reaches the $74,550 top decile.
This Route vs. College
Is becoming an accounts receivable specialist worth it vs. a 4-year degree?
The entry route into this role, set against a four-year degree. Same starting line, side by side.
Entry-level (10th percentile) and all-level median wages: BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 43-3031. Student-debt figure: median federal borrower balance for bachelor's-degree completers. Starting-salary comparison is illustrative and varies by field and region.
FAQ
Accounts Receivable Specialist Career, Frequently Asked Questions
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