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Accounting clerk lead vs accounting consultant

The differences between accounting clerks lead and accounting consultants 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 lead, becoming an accounting consultant takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, an accounting clerk lead has an average salary of $70,816, which is higher than the $62,830 average annual salary of an accounting consultant.

The top three skills for an accounting clerk lead include general ledger, HR and GAAP. The most important skills for an accounting consultant are CPA, GAAP, and reconciliations.

Accounting clerk lead vs accounting consultant overview

Accounting Clerk LeadAccounting Consultant
Yearly salary$70,816$62,830
Hourly rate$34.05$30.21
Growth rate-5%6%
Number of jobs100,88674,894
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 58%Bachelor's Degree, 73%
Average age5144
Years of experience64

What does an accounting clerk lead do?

Accounting Clerk Leads are professionals who are responsible for leading a team of junior-level clerks to maintain a record of a wide range of financial transactions for an organization. These clerks are required to settle and update general ledger accounts by reviewing the month-end process. They are required to develop and implement accounting policies and procedures by following the generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) to ensure external financial statements and internal management reports. Accounting clerk leads must also coordinate all accounting activities related to internal controls.

What does an accounting consultant do?

An Accounting Consultant is a person tasked to assist the accounting department of a company. The consultant advises businesses concerning the accounting system used by the organization. It is also through the accounting consultant's help that improvements in the accounting process are proposed, the determination of problematic areas in the workflow, possible issues in the future, and everything that needs upgrading. The accounting consultant also helps businesses conform to legal policies set about by State and Federal legislation.

Accounting clerk lead vs accounting consultant salary

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

Accounting Clerk LeadAccounting Consultant
Average salary$70,816$62,830
Salary rangeBetween $42,000 And $118,000Between $45,000 And $86,000
Highest paying CitySan Francisco, CASan Francisco, CA
Highest paying stateCaliforniaCalifornia
Best paying companySquareJordan Company
Best paying industryManufacturingManufacturing

Differences between accounting clerk lead and accounting consultant education

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

Accounting Clerk LeadAccounting Consultant
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 58%Bachelor's Degree, 73%
Most common majorAccountingAccounting
Most common collegeUniversity of PennsylvaniaUniversity of Pennsylvania

Accounting clerk lead vs accounting consultant demographics

Here are the differences between accounting clerks lead' and accounting consultants' demographics:

Accounting Clerk LeadAccounting Consultant
Average age5144
Gender ratioMale, 26.1% Female, 73.9%Male, 49.3% Female, 50.7%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 6.9% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 14.6% Asian, 6.6% White, 67.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%Black or African American, 8.5% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 10.8% Asian, 13.4% White, 63.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage7%7%

Differences between accounting clerk lead and accounting consultant duties and responsibilities

Accounting clerk lead example responsibilities.

  • Manage weekly, monthly, and quarterly accruals and SOX reporting.
  • Lead the conversion to new trading software that enhance cash management and treasury reporting.
  • Prepare monthly trust experience reports, including reconciliations of trust contributions and disbursements.
  • Prepare adjusting journal entries, reconcile general accounts, and conduct bank reconciliations.
  • Conduct internal control testing and provide controllership operating framework data metrics for SOX compliance.
  • Establish feasibility of payroll function consolidation from individual facilities to single location, resulting in reduction of headcount and cost savings.
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Accounting consultant example responsibilities.

  • Work independently on line of business projects to automate derivative processes and system enhancement testing.
  • Share oversight for recruitment, human resources and advertising.
  • Provide support to accounts payable department in tagging and recording of fix assets during an ERP system transition
  • Work with governance and internal audit team ensuring SOX compliance during monthly & quarterly reviews as well as the annual audit.
  • Collaborate with accounting department in monthly closing process and development of internal controls to support SOX requirements.
  • Improve audit performance of major medical center by clearing backlog of account reconciliations across multiple medical billing systems.
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Accounting clerk lead vs accounting consultant skills

Common accounting clerk lead skills
  • General Ledger, 13%
  • HR, 13%
  • GAAP, 9%
  • Reconciliations, 9%
  • Invoice, 5%
  • Internal Controls, 5%
Common accounting consultant skills
  • CPA, 15%
  • GAAP, 11%
  • Reconciliations, 8%
  • ERP, 4%
  • Shared Services, 4%
  • SOX, 4%

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