General ledger bookkeeper vs general ledger accountant

The differences between general ledger bookkeepers and general ledger 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 ledger accountant takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a general ledger accountant has an average salary of $60,034, 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 ledger accountant are reconciliations, GAAP, and balance sheet accounts.

General ledger bookkeeper vs general ledger accountant overview

	General Ledger Bookkeeper	General Ledger Accountant
Yearly salary	$44,940	$60,034
Hourly rate	$21.61	$28.86
Growth rate	-5%	6%
Number of jobs	56,765	81,408
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 61%	Bachelor's Degree, 76%
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 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.

General ledger bookkeeper vs general ledger accountant salary

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

	General Ledger Bookkeeper	General Ledger Accountant
Average salary	$44,940	$60,034
Salary range	Between $34,000 And $59,000	Between $47,000 And $76,000
Highest paying City	-	Washington, DC
Highest paying state	-	California
Best paying company	-	Citi
Best paying industry	-	Technology

Differences between general ledger bookkeeper and general ledger accountant education

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

	General Ledger Bookkeeper	General Ledger Accountant
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 61%	Bachelor's Degree, 76%
Most common major	Accounting	Accounting
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

General ledger bookkeeper vs general ledger accountant demographics

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

	General Ledger Bookkeeper	General Ledger Accountant
Average age	51	44
Gender ratio	Male, 28.3% Female, 71.7%	Male, 36.9% Female, 63.1%
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, 8.4% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 10.8% Asian, 15.0% White, 61.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage	7%	7%

Differences between general ledger bookkeeper and general ledger 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 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.

General ledger bookkeeper vs general ledger 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 ledger accountant skills

Reconciliations, 15%
GAAP, 6%
Balance Sheet Accounts, 6%
Payroll, 5%
Accruals, 5%
External Auditors, 4%

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General Ledger Bookkeeper vs General Ledger Accountant

Updated January 8, 2025

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