Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between general ledger bookkeepers 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 general ledger bookkeeper and a bookkeeper. Additionally, a general ledger bookkeeper has an average salary of $44,940, which is higher than the $40,337 average annual salary of a bookkeeper.
The top three skills for a general ledger bookkeeper include reconciliations, general ledger accounts and CPA. The most important skills for a bookkeeper are payroll tax returns, customer service, and reconciliations.
| General Ledger Bookkeeper | Bookkeeper | |
| Yearly salary | $44,940 | $40,337 |
| Hourly rate | $21.61 | $19.39 |
| Growth rate | -5% | -5% |
| Number of jobs | 56,765 | 38,481 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 46% |
| Average age | 51 | 51 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A general ledger bookkeeper conducts daily recording and maintenance of all of a business' financial transactions. These transactions include purchases, expenses, invoices, sales revenue, and payments, all of which are summarized in the general ledger. They are expected to prepare journal entries and ensure data is accurate. Furthermore, at the end of a specific period, they are expected to transfer the entries to the ledger. They ensure that the transactions reported meet accounting standards.
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.
General ledger bookkeepers and bookkeepers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| General Ledger Bookkeeper | Bookkeeper | |
| Average salary | $44,940 | $40,337 |
| Salary range | Between $34,000 And $59,000 | Between $30,000 And $52,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | - | New York |
| Best paying company | - | NTT Data International L.L.C. |
| Best paying industry | - | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a general ledger bookkeeper and a bookkeeper in terms of educational background:
| General Ledger Bookkeeper | Bookkeeper | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 46% |
| Most common major | Accounting | Accounting |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between general ledger bookkeepers' and bookkeepers' demographics:
| General Ledger Bookkeeper | Bookkeeper | |
| Average age | 51 | 51 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 28.3% Female, 71.7% | Male, 15.4% Female, 84.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.9% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 14.7% Asian, 6.6% White, 67.1% 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 Percentage | 7% | 7% |