General ledger bookkeeper vs general accountant

The differences between general ledger bookkeepers and general accountants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a general ledger bookkeeper, becoming a general accountant takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a general accountant has an average salary of $55,043, which is higher than the $44,940 average annual salary of a general ledger bookkeeper.

The top three skills for a general ledger bookkeeper include reconciliations, general ledger accounts and CPA. The most important skills for a general accountant are financial data, reconciliations, and cash handling.

General ledger bookkeeper vs general accountant overview

	General Ledger Bookkeeper	General Accountant
Yearly salary	$44,940	$55,043
Hourly rate	$21.61	$26.46
Growth rate	-5%	6%
Number of jobs	56,765	87,663
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 61%	Bachelor's Degree, 75%
Average age	51	44
Years of experience	6	4

What does a general ledger bookkeeper do?

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.

What does a general accountant do?

A general accountant is responsible for evaluating account statements, conducting data analysis with financial transactions, and generating reports on revenues, expenses, and sales forecasting. These accountants manage discrepancies on the company and clients' profiles, including bank reconciliations and processing of account receivables and payables. They also handle the release of invoices and petty cash, analyzing balance sheets, and updating accurate financial information on the database. A general accountant must have excellent analytical skills, as well as extensive knowledge of the accounting principles and disciplines.

General ledger bookkeeper vs general accountant salary

General ledger bookkeepers and general accountants have different pay scales, as shown below.

	General Ledger Bookkeeper	General Accountant
Average salary	$44,940	$55,043
Salary range	Between $34,000 And $59,000	Between $40,000 And $73,000
Highest paying City	-	Washington, DC
Highest paying state	-	New Jersey
Best paying company	-	Apple
Best paying industry	-	Automotive

Differences between general ledger bookkeeper and general accountant education

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

	General Ledger Bookkeeper	General Accountant
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 61%	Bachelor's Degree, 75%
Most common major	Accounting	Accounting
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

General ledger bookkeeper vs general accountant demographics

Here are the differences between general ledger bookkeepers' and general accountants' demographics:

	General Ledger Bookkeeper	General Accountant
Average age	51	44
Gender ratio	Male, 28.3% Female, 71.7%	Male, 43.1% Female, 56.9%
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, 8.7% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.1% Asian, 13.7% White, 62.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage	7%	7%

Differences between general ledger bookkeeper and general accountant duties and responsibilities

General ledger bookkeeper example responsibilities.

Manage AR, prepare deposits and perform basic receptionist/customer service tasks in office.
Report to owner and outside CPA.
Prepare cross reference work papers to substantiate journal entries according to GAAP.
Organize and maintain bills, receipts, and vehicle logs to send to CPA.
Ensure accuracy of financial statements in accordance with GAAP and compliance to internal policies.
Prepare investment funds roll forward schedule for annual audit, and reconcile investment relate general ledgers for annual audit.

General accountant example responsibilities.

Manage payroll functions, financial statements, accounts payable, basic job cost, account analysis, accruals, year-end audits.
Manage and monitor accounting procedures for compliance with Sarbanes-Oxley and coordinate and facilitate external audit requirements.
Assist manager with cash flow, preparing financial statement, BBC, and report to CPA.
Create budget at beginning and coordinate CPA firm's audit at the end of year.
Assist in any kind of audit engagement (internal control, external, SOX, etc . )
Provide support for the controller with period-end close accruals and journal entries and assist in various duties and responsibilities.

General ledger bookkeeper vs general accountant skills

Common general ledger bookkeeper skills

Reconciliations, 16%
General Ledger Accounts, 12%
CPA, 6%
Bank Statements, 4%
Payroll Taxes, 4%
Credit Card, 4%

Common general accountant skills

Financial Data, 11%
Reconciliations, 10%
Cash Handling, 9%
Vendor Invoices, 6%
General Ledger Accounts, 6%
Account Reconciliations, 5%

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General Ledger Bookkeeper vs General Accountant

Updated January 8, 2025

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