An Accounting Clerk salary in South Africa usually ranges from about R8,000 to R25,000+ per month, depending on experience, employer, location, industry, qualification level, accounting software skills and whether the role focuses on bookkeeping, accounts payable, accounts receivable, reconciliations, invoicing, debtors, creditors, cashbook, payroll support or general finance administration. Senior Accounting Clerks and Accounts Administrators can earn more.
Accounting Clerks support the finance function by keeping financial records accurate and up to date. Their work often includes capturing transactions, checking invoices, reconciling accounts, processing payments and supporting accountants or finance managers.
Key takeaways
- Entry-level Accounting Clerks may earn around R8,000 to R11,000 per month.
- Experienced Accounting Clerks often earn between R11,000 and R18,000 per month.
- Senior Accounting Clerks may earn R18,000 to R25,000+ per month.
- Indeed reports an average Accounting Clerk salary of about R9,910 per month in South Africa.
- Indeed reports an Account Clerk average of about R8,944 per month.
- WageIndicator places Accounting Associate Professionals in a 2026 range of about R11,939 to R37,864 per month.
- Public-sector Accounting Clerk posts can pay more, with one 2026 Western Cape benchmark listed at R237,453 to R279,708 per year, or about R19,788 to R23,309 per month.
Accounting Clerk salary range in South Africa
| Experience level / role type | Estimated monthly salary |
|---|---|
| Entry-level Accounting Clerk | R8,000 – R11,000 |
| Junior Accounting Clerk | R8,500 – R12,000 |
| Accounting Clerk | R11,000 – R18,000 |
| Senior Accounting Clerk | R18,000 – R25,000+ |
| Accounts Administrator | R18,000 – R30,000+ |
| Bookkeeper | R15,000 – R35,000+ |
Salary sources vary because roles may be listed as Accounting Clerk, Account Clerk, Accounts Clerk, Finance Clerk, Bookkeeping Clerk, Creditors Clerk, Debtors Clerk, Accounts Payable Clerk, Accounts Receivable Clerk, Cashbook Clerk, Billing Clerk, Finance Administrator or Accounts Administrator.
Indeed reports an average Accounting Clerk salary of about R9,910 per month in South Africa, based on salary data updated in August 2026. It reports an Account Clerk average of about R8,944 per month, while Junior Accounting Clerk roles average about R8,693 per month. Gauteng Accounting Clerks benchmark higher at about R12,566 per month, and Cape Town Accounting Clerks benchmark higher still at about R17,685 per month, although location samples can be small. Accounts Receivable Clerk roles average around R12,856 to R14,837 per month depending on the salary page and update date.
What does an Accounting Clerk do?
An Accounting Clerk performs routine finance and accounting administration.
Typical duties include:
- Capturing invoices
- Processing supplier documents
- Updating accounting records
- Reconciling accounts
- Assisting with creditors
- Assisting with debtors
- Preparing payment batches
- Matching purchase orders to invoices
- Capturing receipts and payments
- Maintaining cashbook records
- Filing financial documents
- Following up on missing information
- Supporting month-end processes
- Assisting with basic reports
- Supporting accountants and finance managers
In smaller businesses, an Accounting Clerk may handle a wide range of finance admin tasks. In larger companies, the role may be more specialised, such as creditors, debtors, billing, cashbook or reconciliations.
What affects an Accounting Clerk salary?
Experience level
Entry-level Accounting Clerks usually handle basic capturing and filing. More experienced clerks may manage reconciliations, supplier accounts, debtor follow-ups, cashbooks and month-end support with less supervision.
Type of finance work
Creditors, debtors, accounts receivable, accounts payable, payroll support, billing and bookkeeping roles can pay differently. Roles involving reconciliations, reporting or full-function bookkeeping usually pay more than basic capturing roles.
Accounting software
Experience with Pastel, Sage, Xero, QuickBooks, SAP, Oracle, Syspro, Microsoft Dynamics, Excel and Google Sheets can improve earning potential.
Industry
Retail, manufacturing, logistics, hospitality, construction, healthcare, government, property, education and professional services all need Accounting Clerks. Industries with higher transaction volumes or more complex systems may pay more.
Public vs private sector
Public-sector Accounting Clerk roles may be linked to salary levels and official scales. For example, a 2026 Western Cape Department of Infrastructure Accounting Clerk post was listed at R237,453 to R279,708 per year, or about R19,788 to R23,309 per month.
Entry-level Accounting Clerk salary
An entry-level Accounting Clerk may earn around R8,000 to R11,000 per month.
At this level, the person may capture invoices, file documents, update spreadsheets, assist with basic reconciliations and support a finance team under supervision.
Junior Accounting Clerk salary
A Junior Accounting Clerk may earn around R8,500 to R12,000 per month.
This level usually applies to someone with some finance admin exposure, basic accounting knowledge or early experience with bookkeeping software.
Experienced Accounting Clerk salary
An experienced Accounting Clerk may earn between R11,000 and R18,000 per month.
This level usually applies to someone who can process transactions accurately, manage a creditors or debtors function, reconcile accounts and support month-end deadlines.
Senior Accounting Clerk salary
A Senior Accounting Clerk may earn R18,000 to R25,000+ per month.
Higher salaries are more likely where the role includes full-function creditors or debtors, cashbook responsibility, complex reconciliations, reporting, payroll support, supervision of junior clerks or public-sector salary-level placement.
Accounts Receivable Clerk salary
An Accounts Receivable Clerk may earn around R12,000 to R18,000+ per month, depending on experience and employer.
This role focuses on money owed to the business. Duties may include customer invoicing, payment allocation, debtor follow-ups, account reconciliations, statements and credit control support.
Accounts Payable Clerk salary
An Accounts Payable Clerk may earn around R12,000 to R20,000+ per month, depending on experience and transaction volume.
This role focuses on supplier payments. Duties may include invoice processing, purchase order matching, supplier reconciliations, payment preparation, statement checks and resolving supplier queries.
Accounting Clerk vs Bookkeeper salary
An Accounting Clerk usually supports specific finance tasks such as capturing, reconciliations, invoicing, creditors or debtors.
A Bookkeeper usually has broader responsibility for recording financial transactions, reconciling accounts, preparing management information and supporting VAT or month-end processes. Bookkeepers often earn more where they manage the books more independently.
Accounting Clerk vs Financial Accountant salary
An Accounting Clerk handles finance administration and transaction-level accounting support.
A Financial Accountant usually prepares financial reports, manages month-end close, reviews reconciliations, handles tax or audit support and may supervise finance staff. Financial Accountants usually earn more because the role requires higher accounting responsibility and qualifications.
How to earn more as an Accounting Clerk
To increase earning potential, build stronger bookkeeping, systems and reconciliation skills.
Useful areas include:
- Bookkeeping
- Creditors
- Debtors
- Cashbook
- Bank reconciliations
- Supplier reconciliations
- Customer statements
- VAT basics
- Payroll basics
- Excel
- Sage / Pastel
- Xero
- QuickBooks
- SAP or Oracle
- Month-end procedures
- Financial document control
- Attention to detail
The strongest Accounting Clerks are accurate, organised and deadline-driven. They help finance teams keep records clean, payments correct and month-end processes under control.
FAQ: Accounting Clerk salary
What is the average Accounting Clerk salary in South Africa?
Indeed reports an average Accounting Clerk salary of about R9,910 per month in South Africa. A practical Accounting Clerk salary range is about R8,000 to R25,000+ per month, depending on experience, employer, location and finance responsibility.
What does an Accounting Clerk do?
An Accounting Clerk captures and checks financial information. The role may include invoices, payments, receipts, reconciliations, creditors, debtors, filing, cashbook entries and support for accountants or finance managers.
Is Accounting Clerk a good entry-level job?
Yes. Accounting Clerk roles can be a good entry point into finance because they build practical experience in accounts, bookkeeping, software systems and month-end routines.
What qualifications do Accounting Clerks need?
Many employers look for Matric plus accounting, bookkeeping or finance training. A certificate, diploma or degree in accounting, bookkeeping, business administration or finance can help. Software experience is also valuable.
What jobs can an Accounting Clerk move into?
An Accounting Clerk can move into roles such as Senior Accounting Clerk, Creditors Clerk, Debtors Clerk, Accounts Receivable Clerk, Accounts Payable Clerk, Bookkeeper, Payroll Administrator, Finance Administrator, Assistant Accountant or Financial Accountant.
Sources
- Indeed Accounting Clerk salary data https://za.indeed.com/career/accounting-clerk/salaries
- Indeed Account Clerk salary data https://za.indeed.com/career/account-clerk/salaries
- Indeed Junior Accounting Clerk salary data https://za.indeed.com/career/junior-accounting-clerk/salaries
- Indeed Senior Accounting Clerk salary data https://za.indeed.com/career/senior-accounting-clerk/salaries
- Indeed Gauteng Accounting Clerk salary data https://za.indeed.com/career/accounting-clerk/salaries/Gauteng
- Indeed Cape Town Accounting Clerk salary data https://za.indeed.com/career/accounting-clerk/salaries/Cape-Town–Western-Cape
- Indeed Accounts Receivable Clerk salary data https://za.indeed.com/career/accounts-receivable-clerk/salaries
- WageIndicator Accounting Associate Professionals salary data https://wageindicator.org/en-za/work-in-south-africa/role-and-pay/south-africa-accounting-associate-professionals
- WageIndicator Statistical, Finance and Insurance Clerks salary data https://wageindicator.org/en-za/work-in-south-africa/role-and-pay/south-africa-statistical-finance-and-insurance
- Western Cape Department of Infrastructure Accounting Clerk vacancy benchmark https://www.myjobmag.co.za/job/accounting-clerk-banking-and-cash-ref-no-doi-70-2026-western-cape-department-of-infrastructure
