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Finance consultant vs accounting analyst

The differences between finance consultants and accounting analysts 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 consultant and an accounting analyst. Additionally, a finance consultant has an average salary of $77,551, which is higher than the $58,399 average annual salary of an accounting analyst.

The top three skills for a finance consultant include customer service, financial services and financial statements. The most important skills for an accounting analyst are reconciliations, customer service, and account reconciliations.

Finance consultant vs accounting analyst overview

Finance ConsultantAccounting Analyst
Yearly salary$77,551$58,399
Hourly rate$37.28$28.08
Growth rate15%6%
Number of jobs94,25981,097
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 72%Bachelor's Degree, 74%
Average age4544
Years of experience44

What does a finance consultant do?

A finance consultant is responsible for providing financial plans and advice for clients, managing their finances and investment decisions, and helping them achieve their long-term financial goals. Finance consultants carefully evaluate clients' financial situations, help them decide on insurance options, and patiently respond to finance-related inquiries and concerns. They should be able to monitor financial market conditions to decide on the right strategies for the clients' best interests. A finance consultant must have excellent analytical skills, as well as broad knowledge of the financial industry and stock market movements.

What does an accounting analyst do?

An accounting analyst is responsible for supporting the accounting operations of an organization, analyzing financial transactions and financial statements, and resolving account discrepancies. Accounting analysts interpret financial data by consolidating account transactions, performing account reconciliation, and managing account receivables. They also assist in preparing and releasing invoices, issuing billing statements, and creating comprehensive financial reports on the company's budget and expenses. An accounting analyst must have excellent knowledge of the accounting principles and disciplines, as well as extensive analytical and communication skills to perform duties and meet deadlines under minimal supervision.

Finance consultant vs accounting analyst salary

Finance consultants and accounting analysts have different pay scales, as shown below.

Finance ConsultantAccounting Analyst
Average salary$77,551$58,399
Salary rangeBetween $54,000 And $110,000Between $42,000 And $79,000
Highest paying CityNew York, NYSan Francisco, CA
Highest paying stateNew YorkNew York
Best paying companyAppleGoogle
Best paying industryTechnologyFinance

Differences between finance consultant and accounting analyst education

There are a few differences between a finance consultant and an accounting analyst in terms of educational background:

Finance ConsultantAccounting Analyst
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 72%Bachelor's Degree, 74%
Most common majorBusinessAccounting
Most common collegeUniversity of PennsylvaniaUniversity of Pennsylvania

Finance consultant vs accounting analyst demographics

Here are the differences between finance consultants' and accounting analysts' demographics:

Finance ConsultantAccounting Analyst
Average age4544
Gender ratioMale, 68.5% Female, 31.5%Male, 41.6% Female, 58.4%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 5.7% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 9.6% Asian, 8.5% White, 71.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%Black or African American, 8.7% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.0% Asian, 14.3% White, 61.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage5%7%

Differences between finance consultant and accounting analyst duties and responsibilities

Finance consultant example responsibilities.

  • Lead new hire training for FINRA test preparation and consultative sales model.
  • Manage client's portfolio to ensure proper taxation of gains/losses on exercise stock options.
  • Provide expert advice to clients to achieve their financial planning goals in conjunction with an independent RIA.
  • Lead and organize a weekly macro meeting with multi-asset strategists to discuss and challenge the team's positioning.
  • Focuse on separately manage accounts, mutual fund and ETF wrap programs, variable annuities, and alternative strategies.
  • Manage all employee relate matters, including stock options, benefits , 401K, payroll administration and human resources.
  • Show more

Accounting analyst example responsibilities.

  • Manage and process all ACH, EFT and wire transfer transactions daily (debit or credits).
  • Manage reconciling monthly discrepancies between ERP transfers.
  • Manage budget submissions by subsidiaries in Europe/AFNE region in Hyperion.
  • Establish investment objectives to efficiently manage IPO proceeds within state risk parameters.
  • Maintain accounting controls by following GAAP and internal accounting policies; maintain financial security by following internal controls.
  • Review and approve monthly general ledger and bank account reconciliations for special condition accounts to ensure procedural consistency and compliance.
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Finance consultant vs accounting analyst skills

Common finance consultant skills
  • Customer Service, 14%
  • Financial Services, 10%
  • Financial Statements, 5%
  • CPA, 4%
  • Business Development, 4%
  • Wealth Management, 3%
Common accounting analyst skills
  • Reconciliations, 12%
  • Customer Service, 7%
  • Account Reconciliations, 6%
  • GAAP, 5%
  • Strong Analytical, 4%
  • Payroll, 4%

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