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The differences between account leaders 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 leader and a general accountant. Additionally, an account leader has an average salary of $108,843, which is higher than the $55,043 average annual salary of a general accountant.
The top three skills for an account leader include account management, customer service and business development. The most important skills for a general accountant are financial data, reconciliations, and cash handling.
| Account Leader | General Accountant | |
| Yearly salary | $108,843 | $55,043 |
| Hourly rate | $52.33 | $26.46 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 135,207 | 87,663 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 75% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
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.
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 leaders and general accountants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Account Leader | General Accountant | |
| Average salary | $108,843 | $55,043 |
| Salary range | Between $75,000 And $157,000 | Between $40,000 And $73,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Point B | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Automotive |
There are a few differences between an account leader and a general accountant in terms of educational background:
| Account Leader | General Accountant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 75% |
| Most common major | Business | Accounting |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between account leaders' and general accountants' demographics:
| Account Leader | General Accountant | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 48.4% Female, 51.6% | Male, 43.1% Female, 56.9% |
| 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, 8.7% 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% |