Accounting analyst vs general accountant

The differences between accounting analysts 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 accounting analyst and a general accountant. Additionally, an accounting analyst has an average salary of $58,399, which is higher than the $55,043 average annual salary of a general accountant.

The top three skills for an accounting analyst include reconciliations, customer service and account reconciliations. The most important skills for a general accountant are financial data, reconciliations, and cash handling.

Accounting analyst vs general accountant overview

	Accounting Analyst	General Accountant
Yearly salary	$58,399	$55,043
Hourly rate	$28.08	$26.46
Growth rate	6%	6%
Number of jobs	81,097	87,663
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 74%	Bachelor's Degree, 75%
Average age	44	44
Years of experience	4	4

What does an accounting analyst do?

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.

What does a general accountant do?

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.

Accounting analyst vs general accountant salary

Accounting analysts and general accountants have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Accounting Analyst	General Accountant
Average salary	$58,399	$55,043
Salary range	Between $42,000 And $79,000	Between $40,000 And $73,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	Washington, DC
Highest paying state	New York	New Jersey
Best paying company	Google	Apple
Best paying industry	Finance	Automotive

Differences between accounting analyst and general accountant education

There are a few differences between an accounting analyst and a general accountant in terms of educational background:

	Accounting Analyst	General Accountant
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 74%	Bachelor's Degree, 75%
Most common major	Accounting	Accounting
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

Accounting analyst vs general accountant demographics

Here are the differences between accounting analysts' and general accountants' demographics:

	Accounting Analyst	General Accountant
Average age	44	44
Gender ratio	Male, 41.6% Female, 58.4%	Male, 43.1% Female, 56.9%
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, 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%

Differences between accounting analyst and general accountant duties and responsibilities

Accounting analyst example responsibilities.

Manage and process all ACH, EFT and wire transfer transactions daily (debit or credits).
Manage reconciling monthly discrepancies between ERP transfers.
Manage budget submissions by subsidiaries in Europe/AFNE region in Hyperion.
Establish investment objectives to efficiently manage IPO proceeds within state risk parameters.
Maintain accounting controls by following GAAP and internal accounting policies; maintain financial security by following internal controls.
Review and approve monthly general ledger and bank account reconciliations for special condition accounts to ensure procedural consistency and compliance.

General accountant example responsibilities.

Manage payroll functions, financial statements, accounts payable, basic job cost, account analysis, accruals, year-end audits.
Manage and monitor accounting procedures for compliance with Sarbanes-Oxley and coordinate and facilitate external audit requirements.
Assist manager with cash flow, preparing financial statement, BBC, and report to CPA.
Create budget at beginning and coordinate CPA firm's audit at the end of year.
Assist in any kind of audit engagement (internal control, external, SOX, etc . )
Provide support for the controller with period-end close accruals and journal entries and assist in various duties and responsibilities.

Accounting analyst vs general accountant skills

Common accounting analyst skills

Reconciliations, 12%
Customer Service, 7%
Account Reconciliations, 6%
GAAP, 5%
Strong Analytical, 4%
Payroll, 4%

Common general accountant skills

Financial Data, 11%
Reconciliations, 10%
Cash Handling, 9%
Vendor Invoices, 6%
General Ledger Accounts, 6%
Account Reconciliations, 5%

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Accounting Analyst vs General Accountant

Updated January 8, 2025

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