Account leader vs accountant

The differences between account leaders and 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 leader and an accountant. Additionally, an account leader has an average salary of $108,843, which is higher than the $54,890 average annual salary of an accountant.

The top three skills for an account leader include account management, customer service and business development. The most important skills for an accountant are reconciliations, general ledger accounts, and account reconciliations.

Account leader vs accountant overview

	Account Leader	Accountant
Yearly salary	$108,843	$54,890
Hourly rate	$52.33	$26.39
Growth rate	6%	6%
Number of jobs	135,207	60,073
Job satisfaction	-	3
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 71%	Bachelor's Degree, 71%
Average age	44	44
Years of experience	4	4

What does an account leader do?

Account leaders are assigned to work on specific client accounts and assist these clients with their needs. They should treat their clients as partners. This would help them forge a better working relationship with clients. Account leaders should have high business acumen and a strong grasp of the current industry landscape. They should be familiar with the company's products and services and which product or service best fits the clients' needs. Account leaders should also know how to retain clients and maintain the client base. They may do this by regularly checking up on clients, making clients feel valued, and mitigating any challenges that may arise.

What does an accountant do?

An accountant is an individual whose primary task is to prepare, keep, examine, and interpret financial records. Most accountants are in charge of a wide scope of finance-related tasks, either for private individuals or for large-scale businesses and organizations they are employed with. They make sure that financial statements and records are accurate and comply with laws and regulations. They also compute for taxes, prepare tax returns, and ensure being paid properly and on time. As they keep track and record the flow of money, they can offer guidance on how to reduce costs, enhance revenue, and help in profit maximization.

Account leader vs accountant salary

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

	Account Leader	Accountant
Average salary	$108,843	$54,890
Salary range	Between $75,000 And $157,000	Between $41,000 And $72,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	Washington, DC
Highest paying state	New Jersey	New York
Best paying company	Point B	Meta
Best paying industry	Professional	Technology

Differences between account leader and accountant education

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

	Account Leader	Accountant
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 71%	Bachelor's Degree, 71%
Most common major	Business	Accounting
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

Account leader vs accountant demographics

Here are the differences between account leaders' and accountants' demographics:

	Account Leader	Accountant
Average age	44	44
Gender ratio	Male, 48.4% Female, 51.6%	Male, 38.2% Female, 61.8%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 8.5% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 10.8% Asian, 12.2% White, 64.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%	Black or African American, 8.6% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 10.9% Asian, 15.0% White, 61.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage	7%	7%

Differences between account leader and accountant duties and responsibilities

Account leader example responsibilities.

Develop and manage CRM databases for major retailers.
Lead the design and development team for Claro Colombia, the largest telecommunication company in LatAm.
Develop RFP responses and consistently demonstrate flawless execution to achieve continual growth in each account.
Utilize PeopleSoft ERP financials, purchasing, inventory, and human resources modules.
Supervise team of 3 and serve as group liaison for all Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) documentation to external and internal auditors.
Analyze financial statements and prepare financial reports and reconcile bank statements and payroll accounts.

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Accountant example responsibilities.

Manage preparation of the statutory financial statements and financial aggregates in compliance with IFRS and local applicable norms.
Manage personnel financial matters including salaries, taxation procedures and other relate issues.
Manage and monitor accounting procedures for compliance with Sarbanes-Oxley and coordinate and facilitate external audit requirements.
Reconstruct and improve many balance sheet account reconciliations for easier reading and interpretation by senior level management.
Perform complex general accounting functions, including preparation of journal entries, account analysis and balance sheet reconciliations.
Maintain general ledgers and preparation of monthly and other periodic financial reports in accordance with GAAP and international accounting standards.

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Account leader vs accountant skills

Common account leader skills

Account Management, 14%
Customer Service, 13%
Business Development, 6%
Project Management, 6%
Reconciliations, 4%
Digital Marketing, 4%

Common accountant skills

Reconciliations, 14%
General Ledger Accounts, 6%
Account Reconciliations, 6%
GAAP, 5%
Payroll Tax Returns, 5%
Customer Service, 5%

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Updated January 8, 2025

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