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Cash accountant vs staff accountant

The differences between cash accountants and staff accountants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a cash accountant and a staff accountant. Additionally, a cash accountant has an average salary of $57,971, which is higher than the $54,216 average annual salary of a staff accountant.

The top three skills for a cash accountant include reconciliations, cash management and general ledger accounts. The most important skills for a staff accountant are reconciliations, account reconciliations, and GAAP.

Cash accountant vs staff accountant overview

Cash AccountantStaff Accountant
Yearly salary$57,971$54,216
Hourly rate$27.87$26.07
Growth rate6%6%
Number of jobs40,765115,930
Job satisfaction-4
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 69%Bachelor's Degree, 76%
Average age4444
Years of experience44

What does a cash accountant do?

Cash accountants are accounting professionals who are responsible for recording revenues and expenses during the period when cash is received and paid, respectively. These accountants are required to prepare journal entries and perform cash account reconciliations to balance bank and book balances during month-end closing activities. They must prepare all bank deposits and generate financial and payroll reports that are submitted to the operational and executive management team. Cash accountants must also provide analysis and resolution about the discrepancies in the bank and general ledger entries to internal departments and bank representatives.

What does a staff accountant do?

Staff accountants are employees who are part of the company's accounting department. They are usually certified public accountants (CPAs). Staff accountants should be familiar with accounting tasks. Previous accounting experiences play a huge advantage in their success. They perform a variety of accounting responsibilities such as information verification and analysis, financial report preparation and presentation, financial account reconciliation, billing and payment receiving activities, vendor database management, and invoice processing requirements. They should also know how to do bookkeeping. Staff accountants should have good communication skills, analytical skills, and decision-making skills. They should also be organized and trustworthy since they will be handling confidential information.

Cash accountant vs staff accountant salary

Cash accountants and staff accountants have different pay scales, as shown below.

Cash AccountantStaff Accountant
Average salary$57,971$54,216
Salary rangeBetween $44,000 And $76,000Between $42,000 And $68,000
Highest paying City-Washington, DC
Highest paying state-New York
Best paying company-Meta
Best paying industry-Government

Differences between cash accountant and staff accountant education

There are a few differences between a cash accountant and a staff accountant in terms of educational background:

Cash AccountantStaff Accountant
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 69%Bachelor's Degree, 76%
Most common majorAccountingAccounting
Most common collegeUniversity of PennsylvaniaUniversity of Pennsylvania

Cash accountant vs staff accountant demographics

Here are the differences between cash accountants' and staff accountants' demographics:

Cash AccountantStaff Accountant
Average age4444
Gender ratioMale, 31.2% Female, 68.8%Male, 41.6% Female, 58.4%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 8.6% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.0% Asian, 12.2% White, 63.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%Black or African American, 8.5% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 10.8% Asian, 14.4% White, 61.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage7%7%

Differences between cash accountant and staff accountant duties and responsibilities

Cash accountant example responsibilities.

  • Manage complex pricing structure and maintain SalesForce CRM funnel for forecasting accuracy.
  • Download disbursements into PeopleSoft and upload bank files for release.
  • Assist the department in quarterly internal/external audits and SOX compliance audits.
  • Assist auditors by pulling documents for the annual audit to ensure SOX compliance
  • Initiate all electronic fund transfers (same day wires and next day ACH).
  • Generate 1,530 bills monthly through PeopleSoft A/R interfacing with upstream and downstream delivery systems.
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Staff accountant example responsibilities.

  • Manage and monitor accounting procedures for compliance with Sarbanes-Oxley and coordinate and facilitate external audit requirements.
  • Contribute revenue accruals using job cost system, fix assets including reclassification, reconciliation and depreciation.
  • Prepare month-end journal entries and assist in compilation of financial statements, reconcile bank statements and general ledgers.
  • Complete audit-quality account reconciliations monthly for balance sheet accounts including the capital projects in progress accounts and miscellaneous revenue accounts.
  • Assume responsibility for cash management encompassing wire and ACH transfers processing, bank activity confirmation, and monthly bank account reconciliations.
  • Handle all A/R and A/P, payroll, change orders, collections, lien placement and release, vendor account management.
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Cash accountant vs staff accountant skills

Common cash accountant skills
  • Reconciliations, 14%
  • Cash Management, 7%
  • General Ledger Accounts, 6%
  • Account Reconciliations, 5%
  • ACH, 5%
  • Data Entry, 5%
Common staff accountant skills
  • Reconciliations, 15%
  • Account Reconciliations, 7%
  • GAAP, 6%
  • General Ledger Accounts, 4%
  • External Auditors, 4%
  • Internal Controls, 4%

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