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Accounting clerk lead vs accounting technician

The differences between accounting clerks lead and accounting technicians 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 clerk lead and an accounting technician. Additionally, an accounting clerk lead has an average salary of $70,816, which is higher than the $41,337 average annual salary of an accounting technician.

The top three skills for an accounting clerk lead include general ledger, HR and GAAP. The most important skills for an accounting technician are customer service, financial reports, and payroll.

Accounting clerk lead vs accounting technician overview

Accounting Clerk LeadAccounting Technician
Yearly salary$70,816$41,337
Hourly rate$34.05$19.87
Growth rate-5%-5%
Number of jobs100,88639,972
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 58%Bachelor's Degree, 51%
Average age5151
Years of experience66

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 technician do?

An accounting technician is responsible for evaluating financial information procedures to support accounting and taxation tasks, verifying the accuracy of account statements for the reference of accountants. Accounting technicians manage the payroll processes, generate invoices, perform account reconciliations, analyze account receivables, prepare budget reports, and monitor the company's financial transactions. Accounting technicians should always adhere to taxation legislation, comply with accounting disciplines, and coordinate with the account management for any findings and concerns, requiring them to have excellent communication and analytical skills.

Accounting clerk lead vs accounting technician salary

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

Accounting Clerk LeadAccounting Technician
Average salary$70,816$41,337
Salary rangeBetween $42,000 And $118,000Between $31,000 And $53,000
Highest paying CitySan Francisco, CAOakland, CA
Highest paying stateCaliforniaCalifornia
Best paying companySquareW. R. Berkley
Best paying industryManufacturingGovernment

Differences between accounting clerk lead and accounting technician education

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

Accounting Clerk LeadAccounting Technician
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 58%Bachelor's Degree, 51%
Most common majorAccountingAccounting
Most common collegeUniversity of PennsylvaniaUniversity of Pennsylvania

Accounting clerk lead vs accounting technician demographics

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

Accounting Clerk LeadAccounting Technician
Average age5151
Gender ratioMale, 26.1% Female, 73.9%Male, 22.7% Female, 77.3%
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, 6.7% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 14.2% Asian, 6.5% White, 68.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
LGBT Percentage7%7%

Differences between accounting clerk lead and accounting technician 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 technician example responsibilities.

  • Develop expertise in use of PeopleSoft system to manage balance accounts for quarterly investment portfolio.
  • Reconcile the agency SPCC statement each month
  • Audit includes reviewing SPCC invoices and receipts to ensure appropriate tax exemptions are follow.
  • Analyze cases to determine if ICD-9 and CPT codes are covered benefits according to insurance's medical policy.
  • Apply GAAP following applicable federal regulations.
  • Maintain adherence to university accounting and GAAP standards.
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Accounting clerk lead vs accounting technician skills

Common accounting clerk lead skills
  • General Ledger, 13%
  • HR, 13%
  • GAAP, 9%
  • Reconciliations, 9%
  • Invoice, 5%
  • Internal Controls, 5%
Common accounting technician skills
  • Customer Service, 12%
  • Financial Reports, 10%
  • Payroll, 8%
  • Purchase Orders, 7%
  • Data Entry, 6%
  • Reconciliations, 5%

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