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The differences between bookkeepers and charge bookkeepers 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 a charge bookkeeper. Additionally, a charge bookkeeper has an average salary of $46,615, 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 a charge bookkeeper are reconciliations, payroll tax returns, and balance sheet.
| Bookkeeper | Charge Bookkeeper | |
| Yearly salary | $40,337 | $46,615 |
| Hourly rate | $19.39 | $22.41 |
| Growth rate | -5% | -5% |
| Number of jobs | 38,481 | 27,542 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 46% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| 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.
A full charge bookkeeper's primary job is to manage and handle all the accounts of a small or medium-sized business. They are responsible for overseeing the accounting duties for a company, including billing customers, preparing bank statements and tax returns, and processing timesheets. Also, a full charge bookkeeper collates and enters vendor expenses, maintains the ledger's accuracy, and process accounts receivables. There are specific requirements you should meet to become a successful full charge bookkeeper, such as having a bachelor's degree in accounting, previous work experience as a charge bookkeeper, and bookkeeping certification.
Bookkeepers and charge bookkeepers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Bookkeeper | Charge Bookkeeper | |
| Average salary | $40,337 | $46,615 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $52,000 | Between $36,000 And $58,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | New York | Alaska |
| Best paying company | NTT Data International L.L.C. | The Carney Group |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Construction |
There are a few differences between a bookkeeper and a charge bookkeeper in terms of educational background:
| Bookkeeper | Charge Bookkeeper | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 46% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Most common major | Accounting | Accounting |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between bookkeepers' and charge bookkeepers' demographics:
| Bookkeeper | Charge Bookkeeper | |
| Average age | 51 | 51 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 15.4% Female, 84.6% | Male, 13.9% Female, 86.1% |
| 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, 6.9% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 14.6% Asian, 6.6% White, 67.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 7% |