Accounting clerk vs accounting analyst

The differences between accounting clerks and accounting analysts can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become an accounting clerk, becoming an accounting analyst takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, an accounting analyst has an average salary of $58,399, which is higher than the $38,683 average annual salary of an accounting clerk.

The top three skills for an accounting clerk include data entry, customer service and purchase orders. The most important skills for an accounting analyst are reconciliations, customer service, and account reconciliations.

Accounting clerk vs accounting analyst overview

	Accounting Clerk	Accounting Analyst
Yearly salary	$38,683	$58,399
Hourly rate	$18.60	$28.08
Growth rate	-5%	6%
Number of jobs	106,969	81,097
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 49%	Bachelor's Degree, 74%
Average age	51	44
Years of experience	6	4

What does an accounting clerk do?

Accounting clerks are employees assigned to manage administrative and clerical tasks in the accounting department. Accounting clerks handle office accounting records and ensure that files are properly labeled and stored. They validate records and check whether these are updated. They also sort through documents to ensure that they are in their proper storage bins. Aside from document handling, they also help with creating and validating financial statements and bookkeeping. As such, accounting clerks should have a strong background in accounting to manage their tasks better.

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 clerk vs accounting analyst salary

Accounting clerks and accounting analysts have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Accounting Clerk	Accounting Analyst
Average salary	$38,683	$58,399
Salary range	Between $29,000 And $51,000	Between $42,000 And $79,000
Highest paying City	Washington, DC	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	New York	New York
Best paying company	Wilson Elser Moskowitz Edelman & Dicker Llp	Google
Best paying industry	Government	Finance

Differences between accounting clerk and accounting analyst education

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

	Accounting Clerk	Accounting Analyst
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 49%	Bachelor's Degree, 74%
Most common major	Accounting	Accounting
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

Accounting clerk vs accounting analyst demographics

Here are the differences between accounting clerks' and accounting analysts' demographics:

	Accounting Clerk	Accounting Analyst
Average age	51	44
Gender ratio	Male, 20.0% Female, 80.0%	Male, 41.6% Female, 58.4%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 6.9% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 14.6% Asian, 6.6% White, 67.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%	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%
LGBT Percentage	7%	7%

Differences between accounting clerk and accounting analyst duties and responsibilities

Accounting clerk example responsibilities.

Manage revenue ledger including other subsidiary ledgers and responsible for the reconciliation of various income accounts to ensure accuracy of postings.
Perform balance sheet reconciliations and resolve open items by notifying employees and vendors of transaction discrepancies.
Assist in monthly financial close process by analyzing preliminary departmental expense reports and making necessary adjustments and accruals.
Develop a spreadsheet that pulls all data relate to project hours by operation from the ERP system.
Process all incoming payments receive via ACH, EFT, or the web; ensure accounts are accurately balance and reconcile.
Digitize proof of delivery receipts into ERP system (AS400) serving as an easy backup for employees to verify occurrence.

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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.

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Accounting clerk vs accounting analyst skills

Common accounting clerk skills

Data Entry, 15%
Customer Service, 10%
Purchase Orders, 9%
Reconciliations, 6%
Vendor Invoices, 6%
QuickBooks, 3%

Common accounting analyst skills

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

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Updated January 8, 2025

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