Cost accounting manager vs senior cost accountant

The differences between cost accounting managers and senior cost accountants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-8 years to become a cost accounting manager, becoming a senior cost accountant takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a cost accounting manager has an average salary of $89,286, which is higher than the $65,824 average annual salary of a senior cost accountant.

The top three skills for a cost accounting manager include variance analysis, financial analysis and reconciliations. The most important skills for a senior cost accountant are reconciliations, variance analysis, and GAAP.

Cost accounting manager vs senior cost accountant overview

	Cost Accounting Manager	Senior Cost Accountant
Yearly salary	$89,286	$65,824
Hourly rate	$42.93	$31.65
Growth rate	17%	6%
Number of jobs	61,135	45,010
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 78%	Bachelor's Degree, 79%
Average age	46	44
Years of experience	8	4

What does a cost accounting manager do?

A cost accounting manager is responsible for analyzing and evaluating pricing and costing systems of the goods and services of an organization, ensuring its adherence to the internal guidelines and state regulations. Cost accounting managers review business and financial transactions to generate accounting reports for management reference. They also identify business opportunities that would provide revenue resources and profits by monitoring industry trends and public demands. A cost accounting manager must have excellent analytical skills and accounting principles knowledge, especially in resolving account and expense discrepancies.

What does a senior cost accountant do?

A senior cost accountant is an individual who maintains detailed costs in a company's system and provides cost analysis that supports operations and sales. Senior cost accountants are required to review inventory and deal with manufacturing personnel to control and analyze standard costs. They must record cost information to be used in controlling expenditures as well as recommend cost efficiencies in new product layouts. Senior cost accountants must also provide reports that specify and compare factors affecting prices and profitability of products or services to the management.

Cost accounting manager vs senior cost accountant salary

Cost accounting managers and senior cost accountants have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Cost Accounting Manager	Senior Cost Accountant
Average salary	$89,286	$65,824
Salary range	Between $67,000 And $118,000	Between $48,000 And $89,000
Highest paying City	Boston, MA	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	Connecticut	New Jersey
Best paying company	Microsoft	OraSure Technologies
Best paying industry	Manufacturing	Health Care

Differences between cost accounting manager and senior cost accountant education

There are a few differences between a cost accounting manager and a senior cost accountant in terms of educational background:

	Cost Accounting Manager	Senior Cost Accountant
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 78%	Bachelor's Degree, 79%
Most common major	Accounting	Accounting
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

Cost accounting manager vs senior cost accountant demographics

Here are the differences between cost accounting managers' and senior cost accountants' demographics:

	Cost Accounting Manager	Senior Cost Accountant
Average age	46	44
Gender ratio	Male, 71.7% Female, 28.3%	Male, 59.7% Female, 40.3%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 7.6% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 14.6% Asian, 9.2% White, 64.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%	Black or African American, 8.4% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 10.8% Asian, 12.3% White, 64.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage	11%	7%

Differences between cost accounting manager and senior cost accountant duties and responsibilities

Cost accounting manager example responsibilities.

Manage the monthly analysis of variances which include PPV, MUV, substitution and labor.
Lead ERP system integration team and restructure manufacturing accounting system of newly acquire facility.
Manage payroll and all taxation matters, coordinate independent audit; communicate with outside organizations and agencies.
Direct the development, administration, and standards necessary to maintain financial controls in compliance with GAAP and SOX.
Provide financial management of inventories for multiple facilities to include book-to-physical account reconciliations, inventory projections and reduction plans.
Maintain standard cost integrity including annual standard changes, inventory valuation, monthly closings, account reconciliations and annual budgeting.

Senior cost accountant example responsibilities.

Manage quarterly inventory reserves in accordance with company policy which follows GAAP guidance.
Prepare internal financial reports for treasury manage accounts include in external compliance reports.
Process month end close including journal entries, account reconciliations, variance analysis, financial statement preparation and corporate reporting.
Provide user training and technical support for ERP and payroll systems.
Implement process improvements for monthly close process and SOX documentation retention.
Complete account reconciliations in accordance with maintaining the integrity of assets and liabilities for balance sheet inventory accounts.

Cost accounting manager vs senior cost accountant skills

Common cost accounting manager skills

Variance Analysis, 5%
Financial Analysis, 5%
Reconciliations, 4%
Financial Reports, 4%
Product Cost, 4%
ERP, 4%

Common senior cost accountant skills

Reconciliations, 9%
Variance Analysis, 6%
GAAP, 5%
Account Reconciliations, 4%
SR, 4%
SOX, 3%

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Cost Accounting Manager
Cost Accounting Manager vs Senior Cost Accountant

Updated January 8, 2025

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