Account analyst vs general accountant

The differences between account analysts and general accountants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both an account analyst and a general accountant. Additionally, an account analyst has an average salary of $55,829, which is higher than the $55,043 average annual salary of a general accountant.

The top three skills for an account analyst include customer service, patients and financial statements. The most important skills for a general accountant are financial data, reconciliations, and cash handling.

Account analyst vs general accountant overview

	Account Analyst	General Accountant
Yearly salary	$55,829	$55,043
Hourly rate	$26.84	$26.46
Growth rate	6%	6%
Number of jobs	106,327	87,663
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 68%	Bachelor's Degree, 75%
Average age	44	44
Years of experience	4	4

What does an account analyst do?

Account analysts are responsible for analyzing account statements and financial transactions of an organization, resolving billing discrepancies, and managing account receivables. They assess the company's financial stability and identify opportunities to improve data analysis techniques by adhering to accounting principles and the company's operational protocols. Account analysts prepare financial reports, evaluate accounts payable, assist in tax audits, and release invoices. They should have excellent analytical and communication skills, especially on posting accurate account reports on the database.

What does a general accountant do?

A general accountant is responsible for evaluating account statements, conducting data analysis with financial transactions, and generating reports on revenues, expenses, and sales forecasting. These accountants manage discrepancies on the company and clients' profiles, including bank reconciliations and processing of account receivables and payables. They also handle the release of invoices and petty cash, analyzing balance sheets, and updating accurate financial information on the database. A general accountant must have excellent analytical skills, as well as extensive knowledge of the accounting principles and disciplines.

Account analyst vs general accountant salary

Account analysts and general accountants have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Account Analyst	General Accountant
Average salary	$55,829	$55,043
Salary range	Between $39,000 And $78,000	Between $40,000 And $73,000
Highest paying City	New York, NY	Washington, DC
Highest paying state	New York	New Jersey
Best paying company	Venable	Apple
Best paying industry	Finance	Automotive

Differences between account analyst and general accountant education

There are a few differences between an account analyst and a general accountant in terms of educational background:

	Account Analyst	General Accountant
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 68%	Bachelor's Degree, 75%
Most common major	Business	Accounting
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

Account analyst vs general accountant demographics

Here are the differences between account analysts' and general accountants' demographics:

	Account Analyst	General Accountant
Average age	44	44
Gender ratio	Male, 38.0% Female, 62.0%	Male, 43.1% Female, 56.9%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 8.9% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.2% Asian, 12.1% White, 63.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%	Black or African American, 8.7% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.1% Asian, 13.7% White, 62.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage	7%	7%

Differences between account analyst and general accountant duties and responsibilities

Account analyst example responsibilities.

Manage budget submissions by subsidiaries in Europe/AFNE region in Hyperion.
Prepare and review KYC require documentation for multiple business lines.
Prepare weekly payroll through ADP and reconciliation of quarterly payroll taxes and reports.
Prepare PowerPoint presentation for CFO to deliver budget report to board and finance committees.
Prepare monthly payroll and accompanying journal entries, and process ADP payroll and reconciliation.
Consolidate orders going to the same location and submit to warehouse by EDI or fax transmission.

General accountant example responsibilities.

Manage payroll functions, financial statements, accounts payable, basic job cost, account analysis, accruals, year-end audits.
Manage and monitor accounting procedures for compliance with Sarbanes-Oxley and coordinate and facilitate external audit requirements.
Assist manager with cash flow, preparing financial statement, BBC, and report to CPA.
Create budget at beginning and coordinate CPA firm's audit at the end of year.
Assist in any kind of audit engagement (internal control, external, SOX, etc . )
Provide support for the controller with period-end close accruals and journal entries and assist in various duties and responsibilities.

Account analyst vs general accountant skills

Common account analyst skills

Customer Service, 17%
Patients, 11%
Financial Statements, 9%
Financial Reports, 5%
PowerPoint, 4%
Reconciliations, 4%

Common general accountant skills

Financial Data, 11%
Reconciliations, 10%
Cash Handling, 9%
Vendor Invoices, 6%
General Ledger Accounts, 6%
Account Reconciliations, 5%

Account Analyst vs. similar jobs

Account Analyst related careers

Account Analyst related jobs

What similar roles do

Zippia Careers
Business and Financial Industry
Account Analyst
Account Analyst vs General Accountant

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse business and financial jobs