General ledger bookkeeper vs staff accountant

The differences between general ledger bookkeepers and staff 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 staff accountant takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a staff accountant has an average salary of $54,216, 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 staff accountant are reconciliations, account reconciliations, and GAAP.

General ledger bookkeeper vs staff accountant overview

	General Ledger Bookkeeper	Staff Accountant
Yearly salary	$44,940	$54,216
Hourly rate	$21.61	$26.07
Growth rate	-5%	6%
Number of jobs	56,765	115,930
Job satisfaction	-	4
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 staff accountant do?

Staff accountants are employees who are part of the company's accounting department. They are usually certified public accountants (CPAs). Staff accountants should be familiar with accounting tasks. Previous accounting experiences play a huge advantage in their success. They perform a variety of accounting responsibilities such as information verification and analysis, financial report preparation and presentation, financial account reconciliation, billing and payment receiving activities, vendor database management, and invoice processing requirements. They should also know how to do bookkeeping. Staff accountants should have good communication skills, analytical skills, and decision-making skills. They should also be organized and trustworthy since they will be handling confidential information.

General ledger bookkeeper vs staff accountant salary

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

	General Ledger Bookkeeper	Staff Accountant
Average salary	$44,940	$54,216
Salary range	Between $34,000 And $59,000	Between $42,000 And $68,000
Highest paying City	-	Washington, DC
Highest paying state	-	New York
Best paying company	-	Meta
Best paying industry	-	Government

Differences between general ledger bookkeeper and staff accountant education

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

	General Ledger Bookkeeper	Staff 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 staff accountant demographics

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

	General Ledger Bookkeeper	Staff Accountant
Average age	51	44
Gender ratio	Male, 28.3% Female, 71.7%	Male, 41.6% Female, 58.4%
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, 8.5% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 10.8% Asian, 14.4% White, 61.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage	7%	7%

Differences between general ledger bookkeeper and staff 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.

Staff accountant example responsibilities.

Manage and monitor accounting procedures for compliance with Sarbanes-Oxley and coordinate and facilitate external audit requirements.
Contribute revenue accruals using job cost system, fix assets including reclassification, reconciliation and depreciation.
Prepare month-end journal entries and assist in compilation of financial statements, reconcile bank statements and general ledgers.
Complete audit-quality account reconciliations monthly for balance sheet accounts including the capital projects in progress accounts and miscellaneous revenue accounts.
Assume responsibility for cash management encompassing wire and ACH transfers processing, bank activity confirmation, and monthly bank account reconciliations.
Handle all A/R and A/P, payroll, change orders, collections, lien placement and release, vendor account management.

General ledger bookkeeper vs staff 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 staff accountant skills

Reconciliations, 15%
Account Reconciliations, 7%
GAAP, 6%
General Ledger Accounts, 4%
External Auditors, 4%
Internal Controls, 4%

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General Ledger Bookkeeper vs Staff Accountant

Updated January 8, 2025

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