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Finance technician vs bookkeeper

The differences between finance technicians and 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 finance technician and a bookkeeper. Additionally, a finance technician has an average salary of $45,251, which is higher than the $40,337 average annual salary of a bookkeeper.

The top three skills for a finance technician include financial reports, financial management and review contracts. The most important skills for a bookkeeper are payroll tax returns, customer service, and reconciliations.

Finance technician vs bookkeeper overview

Finance TechnicianBookkeeper
Yearly salary$45,251$40,337
Hourly rate$21.76$19.39
Growth rate-5%-5%
Number of jobs89,66838,481
Job satisfaction-5
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 48%Bachelor's Degree, 46%
Average age5151
Years of experience66

What does a finance technician do?

Finance technicians are professionals who perform various tasks that are related to financial accounting for an organization. These technicians are required to provide monthly transaction reports and perform forecasts on their future budget requirements to ensure proper financial management for the organization. They must assist in preparing financial statements to analyze and summarize accounting data for the organization's senior management. Finance technicians must also research and resolve any disputes that involve financial transactions while informing the senior management about any financial discrepancies.

What does a bookkeeper do?

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.

Finance technician vs bookkeeper salary

Finance technicians and bookkeepers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Finance TechnicianBookkeeper
Average salary$45,251$40,337
Salary rangeBetween $30,000 And $67,000Between $30,000 And $52,000
Highest paying CityNew York, NYWashington, DC
Highest paying stateNew YorkNew York
Best paying companyErnst & YoungNTT Data International L.L.C.
Best paying industryGovernmentManufacturing

Differences between finance technician and bookkeeper education

There are a few differences between a finance technician and a bookkeeper in terms of educational background:

Finance TechnicianBookkeeper
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 48%Bachelor's Degree, 46%
Most common majorBusinessAccounting
Most common collegeUniversity of PennsylvaniaUniversity of Pennsylvania

Finance technician vs bookkeeper demographics

Here are the differences between finance technicians' and bookkeepers' demographics:

Finance TechnicianBookkeeper
Average age5151
Gender ratioMale, 41.2% Female, 58.8%Male, 15.4% Female, 84.6%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 6.8% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 14.4% Asian, 6.5% White, 67.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%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%
LGBT Percentage7%7%

Differences between finance technician and bookkeeper duties and responsibilities

Finance technician example responsibilities.

  • Develop expertise in use of PeopleSoft system to manage balance accounts for quarterly investment portfolio.
  • Transmit data to MAJCOM, HQ USAF, & DoD timely.
  • Provide debt management for the DOD and service members.
  • Process and review documents associate with PCS, ETS, retirement and/or separation.
  • Ensure that obligations are correct, record, and submits vouchers to DFAS for processing.
  • Network and coordinate with DFAS, civilian personnel or other resources to resolve complex problems.
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Bookkeeper example responsibilities.

  • Manage AR, prepare deposits and perform basic receptionist/customer service tasks in office.
  • Perform journal entries, balance ledger, perform bank reconciliations, control inventory, coordinate proper guest accommodation.
  • Post and update of daily sales and purchases into QuickBooks system.
  • Execute monthly collection of Medicaid surplus funds from clients on a monthly basis.
  • Post resident receipts, Medicaid remittance, and process adjusting entries to the A/R detail.
  • Work closely with QC personnel for the planning of tooling and the flow process of PWB's.
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Finance technician vs bookkeeper skills

Common finance technician skills
  • Financial Reports, 15%
  • Financial Management, 13%
  • Review Contracts, 10%
  • Financial Transactions, 8%
  • Treasury, 6%
  • Bonds, 4%
Common bookkeeper skills
  • Payroll Tax Returns, 12%
  • Customer Service, 10%
  • Reconciliations, 10%
  • Data Entry, 7%
  • Journal Entries, 5%
  • Financial Transactions, 4%

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