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The differences between accounting analysts and analysts can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both an accounting analyst and an analyst. Additionally, an analyst has an average salary of $73,007, which is higher than the $58,399 average annual salary of an accounting analyst.
The top three skills for an accounting analyst include reconciliations, customer service and account reconciliations. The most important skills for an analyst are customer service, troubleshoot, and data analysis.
| Accounting Analyst | Analyst | |
| Yearly salary | $58,399 | $73,007 |
| Hourly rate | $28.08 | $35.10 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 11% |
| Number of jobs | 81,097 | 253,138 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
An accounting analyst is responsible for supporting the accounting operations of an organization, analyzing financial transactions and financial statements, and resolving account discrepancies. Accounting analysts interpret financial data by consolidating account transactions, performing account reconciliation, and managing account receivables. They also assist in preparing and releasing invoices, issuing billing statements, and creating comprehensive financial reports on the company's budget and expenses. An accounting analyst must have excellent knowledge of the accounting principles and disciplines, as well as extensive analytical and communication skills to perform duties and meet deadlines under minimal supervision.
Analysts are employees or individual contributors with a vast experience in a particular field that help the organization address challenges. They help the organization improve processes, policies, and other operations protocol by studying the current processes in place and determining the effectiveness of those processes. They also research industry trends and data to make sound inferences and recommendations on what the company should do to improve their numbers. Analysts recommend business solutions and often help the organization roll out these solutions. They ensure that the proposed action plans are effective and produce the desired results.
Accounting analysts and analysts have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Accounting Analyst | Analyst | |
| Average salary | $58,399 | $73,007 |
| Salary range | Between $42,000 And $79,000 | Between $53,000 And $99,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Jersey City, NJ |
| Highest paying state | New York | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | The Citadel | |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Technology |
There are a few differences between an accounting analyst and an analyst in terms of educational background:
| Accounting Analyst | Analyst | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Most common major | Accounting | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between accounting analysts' and analysts' demographics:
| Accounting Analyst | Analyst | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 41.6% Female, 58.4% | Male, 52.4% Female, 47.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.7% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.0% Asian, 14.3% White, 61.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 7.4% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 8.5% Asian, 14.3% White, 65.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 12% |