Grant accountant vs project accountant

The differences between grant accountants and project 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 a project accountant. Additionally, a project accountant has an average salary of $60,467, which is higher than the $59,472 average annual salary of a grant accountant.

The top three skills for a grant accountant include reconciliations, grants management and GAAP. The most important skills for a project accountant are reconciliations, project management, and contract terms.

Grant accountant vs project accountant overview

	Grant Accountant	Project Accountant
Yearly salary	$59,472	$60,467
Hourly rate	$28.59	$29.07
Growth rate	6%	6%
Number of jobs	36,034	43,672
Job satisfaction	-	5
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 68%	Bachelor's Degree, 72%
Average age	44	44
Years of experience	4	4

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 a project accountant do?

A project accountant is primarily in charge of overseeing the budget and expenditures allocated for various projects within a company. Their responsibilities revolve around reviewing financial data and work plans, managing billing and financial reports, monitoring the flow of revenue, filing purchase orders and invoices, and processing payments to subcontractors, suppliers, and more. It is also vital to coordinate with all managing personnel to prepare necessary reports such as costs and taxes. Furthermore, it is essential to maintain data and records of all transactions, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.

Grant accountant vs project accountant salary

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

	Grant Accountant	Project Accountant
Average salary	$59,472	$60,467
Salary range	Between $46,000 And $76,000	Between $46,000 And $79,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	Washington, DC
Highest paying state	New York	New Jersey
Best paying company	Search for Common Ground	Perficient
Best paying industry	Professional	Professional

Differences between grant accountant and project accountant education

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

	Grant Accountant	Project Accountant
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 68%	Bachelor's Degree, 72%
Most common major	Accounting	Accounting
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

Grant accountant vs project accountant demographics

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

	Grant Accountant	Project Accountant
Average age	44	44
Gender ratio	Male, 37.8% Female, 62.2%	Male, 36.8% Female, 63.2%
Race ratio	Black 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, 8.7% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.1% Asian, 12.3% White, 63.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage	7%	7%

Differences between grant accountant and project 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.

Project accountant example responsibilities.

Maintain general ledgers, manage cash flow, prepare financial statements and bank reconciliations for multiple development and construction projects.
Assure timely accurate filing of all Medicare, Medicaid and commercial insurance claims.
Review the collection of Medicare, Medicaid and other receivables to ensure monthly goals are met.
Used DelTek to find discrepancies in employee charge hours.
Serve as major contributor in system conversion to new web-base ERP system.
Identify and rectify accounting errors that have incurred in the past and ensure adherence to IFRS.

Grant accountant vs project accountant skills

Common grant accountant skills

Reconciliations, 9%
Grants Management, 5%
GAAP, 5%
Payroll, 5%
Financial Analysis, 4%
Expenditure Reports, 4%

Common project accountant skills

Reconciliations, 8%
Project Management, 6%
Contract Terms, 5%
Purchase Orders, 4%
Deltek, 4%
Revenue Recognition, 4%

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Grant Accountant
Grant Accountant vs Project Accountant

Updated January 8, 2025

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