Accountant vs junior accountant

The differences between accountants and junior 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 and a junior accountant. Additionally, an accountant has an average salary of $54,890, which is higher than the $50,444 average annual salary of a junior accountant.

The top three skills for an accountant include reconciliations, general ledger accounts and account reconciliations. The most important skills for a junior accountant are reconciliations, general ledger accounts, and account reconciliations.

Accountant vs junior accountant overview

	Accountant	Junior Accountant
Yearly salary	$54,890	$50,444
Hourly rate	$26.39	$24.25
Growth rate	6%	6%
Number of jobs	60,073	57,892
Job satisfaction	3	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 71%	Bachelor's Degree, 70%
Average age	44	44
Years of experience	4	4

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.

What does a junior accountant do?

Junior accountants maintain the financial records of companies through the analysis of their general ledger accounts and balance sheets. The accountant's post journal entries, maintain accounts receivable and payable, and update financial statements. They pay payroll every month, reconcile ledgers, and submit payroll taxes. The skills necessary for this job include analytical skills, problem-solving, information confidentiality, and proficiency in accounting software and technology. They are also expected to be detail-oriented.

Accountant vs junior accountant salary

Accountants and junior accountants have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Accountant	Junior Accountant
Average salary	$54,890	$50,444
Salary range	Between $41,000 And $72,000	Between $38,000 And $66,000
Highest paying City	Washington, DC	New York, NY
Highest paying state	New York	New York
Best paying company	Meta	Fuhu
Best paying industry	Technology	Construction

Differences between accountant and junior accountant education

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

	Accountant	Junior Accountant
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 71%	Bachelor's Degree, 70%
Most common major	Accounting	Accounting
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

Accountant vs junior accountant demographics

Here are the differences between accountants' and junior accountants' demographics:

	Accountant	Junior Accountant
Average age	44	44
Gender ratio	Male, 38.2% Female, 61.8%	Male, 39.6% Female, 60.4%
Race ratio	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%	Black or African American, 7.9% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 10.2% Asian, 16.6% White, 60.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage	7%	7%

Differences between accountant and junior accountant duties and responsibilities

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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Junior accountant example responsibilities.

Manage and monitor accounting procedures for compliance with Sarbanes-Oxley and coordinate and facilitate external audit requirements.
Perform and assist with month-end close procedures, including preparation of monthly balance sheet and income statement account reconciliations.
Identify hundreds of daily transactions from banking statements using QuickBooks and present monthly financial reports
Perform bank and credit card reconciliations and assist with month-end accruals in addition to inter-company reconciliations.
Prepare financial schedules, account reconciliations, and detail financial statements and reports for analysis, financial reporting, and decision-making.
Deposit checks into lockbox and post to funds to proper accounts daily.

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Accountant vs junior accountant skills

Common accountant skills

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

Common junior accountant skills

Reconciliations, 18%
General Ledger Accounts, 8%
Account Reconciliations, 5%
Data Entry, 5%
QuickBooks, 4%
Payroll Taxes, 4%

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Updated January 8, 2025

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