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Grant accountant vs accountant

The differences between grant accountants and accountants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a grant accountant and an accountant. Additionally, a grant accountant has an average salary of $59,472, which is higher than the $54,890 average annual salary of an accountant.

The top three skills for a grant accountant include reconciliations, grants management and GAAP. The most important skills for an accountant are reconciliations, general ledger accounts, and account reconciliations.

Grant accountant vs accountant overview

Grant AccountantAccountant
Yearly salary$59,472$54,890
Hourly rate$28.59$26.39
Growth rate6%6%
Number of jobs36,03460,073
Job satisfaction-3
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 68%Bachelor's Degree, 71%
Average age4444
Years of experience44

What does a grant accountant do?

A grant accountant is responsible for overseeing financial and grant services in an organization. They are responsible for performing accounting and administrative tasks such as gathering and analyzing data, preparing and processing financial statements, conducting audits and assessments, identifying and resolving discrepancies, and handling taxes. They may also prepare forecasts and models, supervise budgets, and submit regular reports to managers. Moreover, a grant accountant must comply with the state, federal, and local financial laws and regulations, keeping abreast of the latest changes.

What does an accountant do?

An accountant is an individual whose primary task is to prepare, keep, examine, and interpret financial records. Most accountants are in charge of a wide scope of finance-related tasks, either for private individuals or for large-scale businesses and organizations they are employed with. They make sure that financial statements and records are accurate and comply with laws and regulations. They also compute for taxes, prepare tax returns, and ensure being paid properly and on time. As they keep track and record the flow of money, they can offer guidance on how to reduce costs, enhance revenue, and help in profit maximization.

Grant accountant vs accountant salary

Grant accountants and accountants have different pay scales, as shown below.

Grant AccountantAccountant
Average salary$59,472$54,890
Salary rangeBetween $46,000 And $76,000Between $41,000 And $72,000
Highest paying CitySan Francisco, CAWashington, DC
Highest paying stateNew YorkNew York
Best paying companySearch for Common GroundMeta
Best paying industryProfessionalTechnology

Differences between grant accountant and accountant education

There are a few differences between a grant accountant and an accountant in terms of educational background:

Grant AccountantAccountant
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 68%Bachelor's Degree, 71%
Most common majorAccountingAccounting
Most common collegeUniversity of PennsylvaniaUniversity of Pennsylvania

Grant accountant vs accountant demographics

Here are the differences between grant accountants' and accountants' demographics:

Grant AccountantAccountant
Average age4444
Gender ratioMale, 37.8% Female, 62.2%Male, 38.2% Female, 61.8%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 8.4% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 10.8% Asian, 13.4% White, 62.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%Black or African American, 8.6% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 10.9% Asian, 15.0% White, 61.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage7%7%

Differences between grant accountant and accountant duties and responsibilities

Grant accountant example responsibilities.

  • Manage sub-awards to ensure compliance with federal and state regulations, and OMB circulars prior to payment process.
  • Manage all daily and biweekly payroll processes in accordance within establish deadlines.
  • Manage derivative accounting at global level and ensure accounting and economic hedging objectives are align.
  • Perform grant-related post-award functions, including budget and expense analysis, financial reporting and reconciliations.
  • Coordinate audit process with outside CPA firm, audit lead schedules, reports.
  • Supervise monthly payroll processing and tax calculations.
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Accountant example responsibilities.

  • Manage preparation of the statutory financial statements and financial aggregates in compliance with IFRS and local applicable norms.
  • Manage personnel financial matters including salaries, taxation procedures and other relate issues.
  • Manage and monitor accounting procedures for compliance with Sarbanes-Oxley and coordinate and facilitate external audit requirements.
  • Reconstruct and improve many balance sheet account reconciliations for easier reading and interpretation by senior level management.
  • Perform complex general accounting functions, including preparation of journal entries, account analysis and balance sheet reconciliations.
  • Maintain general ledgers and preparation of monthly and other periodic financial reports in accordance with GAAP and international accounting standards.
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Grant accountant vs accountant skills

Common grant accountant skills
  • Reconciliations, 9%
  • Grants Management, 5%
  • GAAP, 5%
  • Payroll, 5%
  • Financial Analysis, 4%
  • Expenditure Reports, 4%
Common accountant skills
  • Reconciliations, 14%
  • General Ledger Accounts, 6%
  • Account Reconciliations, 6%
  • GAAP, 5%
  • Payroll Tax Returns, 5%
  • Customer Service, 5%

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