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.
Accounting analyst responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real accounting analyst resumes:
- 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.
- Advise senior executives and trustees as they provide oversight and governance to organization.
- Serve as liaison with retain CPA firm to ensure a clean and timely year-end audit.
- Perform cash disbursement, reconciliation of cash & bank statements, and updating QuickBooks records.
- Serve as mentor/manager to senior level staff accountants and CPA's and oversee all company operations.
- Direct oversight of a 9 team accounts payable section responsible for paying all accounts for USMTM requirements.
- Analyze costs from domestic and international raw material shipments and identify variations with costs already submit in ERP system.
- Review, code and input accounts payable transactions into QuickBooks and process payment; ACH, wire transfers and checks.
- Review Hyperion reports for integrity issues for assign companies.
- Monitor open receipts and unmatch invoice reports daily to verify proper transactions.
Accounting analyst skills and personality traits
We calculated that 12% of Accounting Analysts are proficient in Reconciliations, Customer Service, and Account Reconciliations. They’re also known for soft skills such as Analytical skills, Communication skills, and Organizational skills.
We break down the percentage of Accounting Analysts that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Reconciliations, 12%
Reviewed and approved monthly general ledger and bank account reconciliations for special condition accounts to ensure procedural consistency and compliance.
- Customer Service, 7%
Participated in the development and implementation of a successful initiative to improve cash, credit/collection, and customer service processes.
- Account Reconciliations, 6%
Completed month-end journals and reports, account reconciliations, warehouse audits, monthly inventory analysis report and corresponding presentation to management.
- GAAP, 5%
Headed contract management between sub-contractors and the bank, ensured expenditures/revenues were accounted for properly using GAAP and contractual agreed procedures.
- Strong Analytical, 4%
Utilized strong analytical and Microsoft Excel skills that assisted project leaders in generating spreadsheets to reconcile GL differences.
- Payroll, 4%
Established and enforced policies and procedures to ensure compliance with regulations relating to payroll operations and control.
"reconciliations," "customer service," and "account reconciliations" are among the most common skills that accounting analysts use at work. You can find even more accounting analyst responsibilities below, including:
Communication skills. Many accounting analyst duties rely on communication skills. "accountants and auditors must be able to listen to and discuss facts and concerns from clients, managers, and other stakeholders," so an accounting analyst will need this skill often in their role. This resume example is just one of many ways accounting analyst responsibilities rely on communication skills: "analyze daily and monthly fund reconciliations requiring intensive research and communication with investment managers and custodians. "
Organizational skills. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of accounting analysts is organizational skills. This skill is critical to many everyday accounting analyst duties, as "strong organizational skills are important for accountants and auditors, who often work with a range of financial documents for a variety of clients." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "prepared reports and purchased 1300+ parts from 120 vendors, demonstrating excellent organizational skills. "
Detail oriented. For certain accounting analyst responsibilities to be completed, the job requires competence in "detail oriented." The day-to-day duties of an accounting analyst rely on this skill, as "accountants and auditors must pay attention to detail when compiling and examining documents." For example, this snippet was taken directly from a resume about how this skill applies to what accounting analysts do: "automated areas of monthly processes related to payroll entry, p&l; reports and fixed asset detail. "
Math skills. Another crucial skill for an accounting analyst to carry out their responsibilities is "math skills." A big part of what accounting analysts relies on this skill, since "accountants and auditors must be able to analyze, compare, and interpret facts and figures." How this skill relates to accounting analyst duties can be seen in an example from an accounting analyst resume snippet: "audit expense reports answering phones team work customer service math calculations following policies for each client problem solving"
The three companies that hire the most accounting analysts are:
- Robert Half40 accounting analysts jobs
- BNY Mellon16 accounting analysts jobs
- Armstrong World Industries15 accounting analysts jobs
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Compare different accounting analysts
Accounting analyst vs. Finance analyst/accountant
In a company setting, a finance analyst/accountant is in charge of handling and monitoring financial activities, ensuring efficiency and accuracy. Their responsibilities revolve around preparing financial reports, performing audits and risk assessments, and identifying any errors and inconsistencies, resolving them promptly and efficiently. They also conduct research and analysis to identify new business opportunities, evaluate the existing procedures to determine its strengths and weaknesses, and recommend solutions to optimize operations for financial growth. Furthermore, as a finance analyst/accountant, it is essential to uphold the company's policies and regulations, including its vision and mission.
There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, accounting analyst responsibilities require skills like "customer service," "work ethic," "excellent interpersonal," and "hyperion." Meanwhile a typical finance analyst/accountant has skills in areas such as "cpa," "income statement," "financial models," and "data analysis." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.
Finance analyst/accountants really shine in the finance industry with an average salary of $78,897. Comparatively, accounting analysts tend to make the most money in the finance industry with an average salary of $66,550.finance analyst/accountants tend to reach similar levels of education than accounting analysts. In fact, finance analyst/accountants are 3.2% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.1% less likely to have a Doctoral Degree.Accounting analyst vs. Corporate accountant
A corporate accountant is an individual who prepares financial statements and maintains financial records of an organization to ensure that they comply with laws, regulations, and the organization's policies. Corporate accountants are required to analyze financial statements to help executives make financial decisions for the organization. They must collect ledgers and financial reports from divisional offices and prepare corporate financial statements for executives. Corporate accountants must also prepare budgets to allocate funds for spending for each department.
Each career also uses different skills, according to real accounting analyst resumes. While accounting analyst responsibilities can utilize skills like "customer service," "payroll," "pivot tables," and "work ethic," corporate accountants use skills like "cpa," "real estate," "payroll taxes," and "income statement."
On average, corporate accountants earn a higher salary than accounting analysts. Some industries support higher salaries in each profession. Interestingly enough, corporate accountants earn the most pay in the finance industry with an average salary of $71,156. Whereas accounting analysts have higher pay in the finance industry, with an average salary of $66,550.Average education levels between the two professions vary. Corporate accountants tend to reach similar levels of education than accounting analysts. In fact, they're 1.2% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.1% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for accounting analysts in the next 3-5 years?
Terri Walsh
Professor/Program Manager, Accounting, Seminole State College of Florida
Accounting analyst vs. General accountant
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.
Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from accounting analyst resumes include skills like "customer service," "strong analytical," "payroll," and "pivot tables," whereas a general accountant is more likely to list skills in "cash handling," "payroll taxes," "cpa," and "income statement. "
General accountants make a very good living in the automotive industry with an average annual salary of $63,004. On the other hand, accounting analysts are paid the highest salary in the finance industry, with average annual pay of $66,550.general accountants typically earn similar educational levels compared to accounting analysts. Specifically, they're 0.9% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.0% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Accounting analyst vs. Staff accountant
Staff accountants are employees who are part of the company's accounting department. They are usually certified public accountants (CPAs). Staff accountants should be familiar with accounting tasks. Previous accounting experiences play a huge advantage in their success. They perform a variety of accounting responsibilities such as information verification and analysis, financial report preparation and presentation, financial account reconciliation, billing and payment receiving activities, vendor database management, and invoice processing requirements. They should also know how to do bookkeeping. Staff accountants should have good communication skills, analytical skills, and decision-making skills. They should also be organized and trustworthy since they will be handling confidential information.
Types of accounting analyst
Updated January 8, 2025
