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Finance analyst/accountant vs general ledger accountant

The differences between finance analyst/accountants and general ledger 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 finance analyst/accountant and a general ledger accountant. Additionally, a finance analyst/accountant has an average salary of $62,975, which is higher than the $60,034 average annual salary of a general ledger accountant.

The top three skills for a finance analyst/accountant include reconciliations, financial analysis and general ledger accounts. The most important skills for a general ledger accountant are reconciliations, GAAP, and balance sheet accounts.

Finance analyst/accountant vs general ledger accountant overview

Finance Analyst/AccountantGeneral Ledger Accountant
Yearly salary$62,975$60,034
Hourly rate$30.28$28.86
Growth rate6%6%
Number of jobs118,04381,408
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 75%Bachelor's Degree, 76%
Average age4444
Years of experience44

What does a finance analyst/accountant do?

In a company setting, a finance analyst/accountant is in charge of handling and monitoring financial activities, ensuring efficiency and accuracy. Their responsibilities revolve around preparing financial reports, performing audits and risk assessments, and identifying any errors and inconsistencies, resolving them promptly and efficiently. They also conduct research and analysis to identify new business opportunities, evaluate the existing procedures to determine its strengths and weaknesses, and recommend solutions to optimize operations for financial growth. Furthermore, as a finance analyst/accountant, it is essential to uphold the company's policies and regulations, including its vision and mission.

What does a general ledger accountant do?

A general ledger accountant is in charge of ensuring the accuracy of a company's overall accounting processes and information. It is their responsibility to communicate with different departments and officials to gather necessary data, conduct extensive audits, prepare documentation and reports, maintain financial data on the company ledger, and interpret financial information. Furthermore, like a general ledger accountant, it is essential to monitor the progress of accounting processes, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.

Finance analyst/accountant vs general ledger accountant salary

Finance analyst/accountants and general ledger accountants have different pay scales, as shown below.

Finance Analyst/AccountantGeneral Ledger Accountant
Average salary$62,975$60,034
Salary rangeBetween $47,000 And $84,000Between $47,000 And $76,000
Highest paying CityNew York, NYWashington, DC
Highest paying stateNew YorkCalifornia
Best paying companyCitiCiti
Best paying industryFinanceTechnology

Differences between finance analyst/accountant and general ledger accountant education

There are a few differences between a finance analyst/accountant and a general ledger accountant in terms of educational background:

Finance Analyst/AccountantGeneral Ledger Accountant
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 75%Bachelor's Degree, 76%
Most common majorAccountingAccounting
Most common collegeUniversity of PennsylvaniaUniversity of Pennsylvania

Finance analyst/accountant vs general ledger accountant demographics

Here are the differences between finance analyst/accountants' and general ledger accountants' demographics:

Finance Analyst/AccountantGeneral Ledger Accountant
Average age4444
Gender ratioMale, 50.2% Female, 49.8%Male, 36.9% Female, 63.1%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 7.9% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 10.2% Asian, 17.0% White, 60.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%Black or African American, 8.4% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 10.8% Asian, 15.0% White, 61.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage7%7%

Differences between finance analyst/accountant and general ledger accountant duties and responsibilities

Finance analyst/accountant example responsibilities.

  • Manage the full cycle finance duties including A/P, A/R, G/L and fixed-asset accounting in accordance with GAAP standards.
  • Manage all monthly accruals for outsides consultant/service providers.
  • Develop transfer prices and manage manufacturing inventory in an ERP system.
  • Utilize accounting principles to manage quarterly regulatory settlement accruals and reporting requirements.
  • Develop, maintain financial models/applications (VBA Excel/Access) to automate and streamline business processes and perform financial analysis.
  • Implement process improvement initiatives for the payroll cash account that facilitate early recognition of unrecord payroll expenses.
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General ledger accountant example responsibilities.

  • Prepare internal financial reports for treasury manage accounts include in external compliance reports.
  • Perform account analysis, cost accruals, bank reconciliations, inventory reconciliation and analysis; research and recommend transaction corrections.
  • Maintain ERP general ledger and data in sub module, and perform the expenditure review according to budgeting.
  • Prepare monthly, reconciliations of subsidiary ledgers to general ledger control accounts.
  • Reconcile general ledger accounts which including preparing journal entries and accruals in preparation of consolidate financial reports.
  • Prepare various monthly journal entries to record prepay insurance amortization, payroll deduction liabilities and other liability accruals.
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Finance analyst/accountant vs general ledger accountant skills

Common finance analyst/accountant skills
  • Reconciliations, 9%
  • Financial Analysis, 8%
  • General Ledger Accounts, 4%
  • Payroll, 4%
  • External Auditors, 4%
  • GAAP, 4%
Common general ledger accountant skills
  • Reconciliations, 15%
  • GAAP, 6%
  • Balance Sheet Accounts, 6%
  • Payroll, 5%
  • Accruals, 5%
  • External Auditors, 4%

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