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The differences between accounting assistants and accountable clerks can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both an accounting assistant and an accountable clerk. Additionally, an accounting assistant has an average salary of $39,569, which is higher than the $38,120 average annual salary of an accountable clerk.
The top three skills for an accounting assistant include data entry, customer service and reconciliations. The most important skills for an accountable clerk are data entry, financial reports, and purchase orders.
| Accounting Assistant | Accountable Clerk | |
| Yearly salary | $39,569 | $38,120 |
| Hourly rate | $19.02 | $18.33 |
| Growth rate | -5% | -5% |
| Number of jobs | 63,945 | 81,209 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 55% | Bachelor's Degree, 41% |
| Average age | 51 | 51 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
An accounting assistant is responsible for supporting the daily operations of the business' accounting department, from reviewing financial transactions to the submission of financial reports. Accounting assistants' duties include performing data entry and clerical tasks, maintaining a safe record of account statements, updating and analyzing transactions, verifying the accuracy of financial records, and managing customers and vendors' inquiries as immediate as possible. An accounting assistant must have a broad knowledge of the accounting principles and processes, as well as excellent communication and time-management skills, especially on meeting strict deadlines and doing complex tasks as needed.
The duties of an accountable clerk vary in one's industry of employment. Typically, their responsibilities revolve around overseeing the financial aspects of a company, including revenue and budget. They mostly process payments and income, ensuring accuracy in every detail and transaction. An accountable clerk may also have clerical tasks such as producing progress reports, answering calls and correspondence, coordinating with various department personnel, and maintaining a database of information. Should there be any issues, it is essential to report to a manager right away.
Accounting assistants and accountable clerks have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Accounting Assistant | Accountable Clerk | |
| Average salary | $39,569 | $38,120 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $50,000 | Between $29,000 And $49,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | New Haven, CT |
| Highest paying state | New York | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | Los Alamos National Laboratory | Wayne County, Michigan |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Government |
There are a few differences between an accounting assistant and an accountable clerk in terms of educational background:
| Accounting Assistant | Accountable Clerk | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 55% | Bachelor's Degree, 41% |
| Most common major | Accounting | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between accounting assistants' and accountable clerks' demographics:
| Accounting Assistant | Accountable Clerk | |
| Average age | 51 | 51 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 20.1% Female, 79.9% | Male, 19.1% Female, 80.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.8% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 14.5% Asian, 6.6% White, 67.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% | Black or African American, 6.7% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 14.2% Asian, 6.5% White, 68.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 7% |