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The differences between accountant/consultants and project 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 accountant/consultant and a project accountant. Additionally, an accountant/consultant has an average salary of $64,298, which is higher than the $60,467 average annual salary of a project accountant.
The top three skills for an accountant/consultant include account management, product knowledge and strong analytical. The most important skills for a project accountant are reconciliations, project management, and contract terms.
| Accountant/Consultant | Project Accountant | |
| Yearly salary | $64,298 | $60,467 |
| Hourly rate | $30.91 | $29.07 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 38,916 | 43,672 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Accountants/consultants perform accounting tasks for organizations or companies. The accountants improve accounting practices and prepare financial statements at the end of every year. They analyze financial data and offer advice on regulatory compliance issues to the finance department. It is their job to make sure that the online system is secure. Most of the day, they organize invoices, prepare statements, and supervising systems. They should be equipped with analytical skills, industry knowledge, critical thinking, and interpersonal communication.
A project accountant is primarily in charge of overseeing the budget and expenditures allocated for various projects within a company. Their responsibilities revolve around reviewing financial data and work plans, managing billing and financial reports, monitoring the flow of revenue, filing purchase orders and invoices, and processing payments to subcontractors, suppliers, and more. It is also vital to coordinate with all managing personnel to prepare necessary reports such as costs and taxes. Furthermore, it is essential to maintain data and records of all transactions, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
Accountant/consultants and project accountants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Accountant/Consultant | Project Accountant | |
| Average salary | $64,298 | $60,467 |
| Salary range | Between $47,000 And $86,000 | Between $46,000 And $79,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | California | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | IBM | Perficient |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Professional |
There are a few differences between an accountant/consultant and a project accountant in terms of educational background:
| Accountant/Consultant | Project Accountant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Most common major | Business | Accounting |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between accountant/consultants' and project accountants' demographics:
| Accountant/Consultant | Project Accountant | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 47.1% Female, 52.9% | Male, 36.8% Female, 63.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.6% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 10.9% Asian, 12.2% White, 63.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 8.7% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.1% Asian, 12.3% White, 63.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 7% |