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The differences between bookkeepers 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 a bookkeeper and an accounting technician. Additionally, an accounting technician has an average salary of $41,337, which is higher than the $40,337 average annual salary of a bookkeeper.
The top three skills for a bookkeeper include payroll tax returns, customer service and reconciliations. The most important skills for an accounting technician are customer service, financial reports, and payroll.
| Bookkeeper | Accounting Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $40,337 | $41,337 |
| Hourly rate | $19.39 | $19.87 |
| Growth rate | -5% | -5% |
| Number of jobs | 38,481 | 39,972 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 46% | Bachelor's Degree, 51% |
| Average age | 51 | 51 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
Bookkeepers are employees who are in charge of the company's general ledger. They are well-versed in basic accounting principles, and they apply these in their work. Bookkeepers manage the entry of items in the general ledger, assign items into their proper categories, and ensure that the entries are balanced. They also act as auditors by checking the accuracy and veracity of the receipts or vouchers in their possession before entering them into the system. Bookkeepers ensure that their files are up to date and free of errors.
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.
Bookkeepers and accounting technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Bookkeeper | Accounting Technician | |
| Average salary | $40,337 | $41,337 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $52,000 | Between $31,000 And $53,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Oakland, CA |
| Highest paying state | New York | California |
| Best paying company | NTT Data International L.L.C. | W. R. Berkley |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Government |
There are a few differences between a bookkeeper and an accounting technician in terms of educational background:
| Bookkeeper | Accounting Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 46% | Bachelor's Degree, 51% |
| Most common major | Accounting | Accounting |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between bookkeepers' and accounting technicians' demographics:
| Bookkeeper | Accounting Technician | |
| Average age | 51 | 51 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 15.4% Female, 84.6% | Male, 22.7% Female, 77.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.8% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 14.4% Asian, 6.6% White, 67.6% 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% |