Inventory accountant vs certified public accountant

The differences between inventory accountants and certified public accountants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both an inventory accountant and a certified public accountant. Additionally, a certified public accountant has an average salary of $76,693, which is higher than the $59,285 average annual salary of an inventory accountant.

The top three skills for an inventory accountant include reconciliations, financial statements and external auditors. The most important skills for a certified public accountant are CPA, customer service, and IRS.

Inventory accountant vs certified public accountant overview

	Inventory Accountant	Certified Public Accountant
Yearly salary	$59,285	$76,693
Hourly rate	$28.50	$36.87
Growth rate	6%	6%
Number of jobs	56,492	78,792
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 71%	Bachelor's Degree, 69%
Average age	44	44
Years of experience	4	4

What does an inventory accountant do?

An inventory accountant is in charge of overseeing and managing the costs involving a company's inventory operations. It is their duty to monitor transactions, update general ledgers, gather and analyze data, perform audits and assessments, and produce regular inventory reports. They must also observe and be alert for any inconsistencies and discrepancies, dealing with them according to the policies and regulations. Moreover, an inventory accountant must maintain an active communication line with staff for a smooth and efficient workflow.

What does a certified public accountant do?

A certified public accountant (CPA) acts as an advisor to small businesses and chief financial officers to Fortune 500 companies. They typically work for both small and large public accounting firms. They offer advice on many issues, such as accounting and taxation. They aid businesses and individuals to plan and achieve their financial goals. There are several requirements to become a CPA, including having a degree in accounting, passing the CPA examination, and obtaining a CPA license to practice.

Inventory accountant vs certified public accountant salary

Inventory accountants and certified public accountants have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Inventory Accountant	Certified Public Accountant
Average salary	$59,285	$76,693
Salary range	Between $46,000 And $76,000	Between $49,000 And $119,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	Washington, DC
Highest paying state	California	New Jersey
Best paying company	RH	Applied Materials
Best paying industry	Energy	Finance

Differences between inventory accountant and certified public accountant education

There are a few differences between an inventory accountant and a certified public accountant in terms of educational background:

	Inventory Accountant	Certified Public Accountant
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 71%	Bachelor's Degree, 69%
Most common major	Accounting	Accounting
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

Inventory accountant vs certified public accountant demographics

Here are the differences between inventory accountants' and certified public accountants' demographics:

	Inventory Accountant	Certified Public Accountant
Average age	44	44
Gender ratio	Male, 50.6% Female, 49.4%	Male, 43.2% Female, 56.8%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 8.9% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.2% Asian, 12.1% White, 63.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%	Black or African American, 8.5% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 10.8% Asian, 12.4% White, 64.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage	7%	7%

Differences between inventory accountant and certified public accountant duties and responsibilities

Inventory accountant example responsibilities.

Prepare internal financial reports for treasury manage accounts include in external compliance reports.
Collaborate with external CPA firm in recording accumulate amortization/depreciation and extend tax returns.
Provide monthly consignment inventory balances to customers, roll-forward reports and reconciliations for goods in transit.
Perform both wire and ACH transfers on a weekly basis.
Prepare checks, including ACH transactions, wire transfers, web payments.
Review and verify paperwork for all vehicle purchases to satisfy SOX and internal audit procedures and standards.

Certified public accountant example responsibilities.

Mentor highly skil accounting and tax management team to achieve establish objectives including conformity with GAAP compliance.
Maintain monthly client bookkeeping including bank reconciliations, account payable and prepare preliminary financial statements for CPA review.
Conduct bookkeeping, bank reconciliations and generate general ledgers as well as raise concerns about expenditure classifications and revenue recognition.
Prepare and review month-end close, including journal entries, general ledger account reconciliations, and financial statement supporting documentation.
Gain a working knowledge of audit objectives and procedures in compliance with GAAP and GAAS.
Prepare and monitor audit programs, assist management in design and monitoring of SOX compliance programs.

Inventory accountant vs certified public accountant skills

Common inventory accountant skills

Reconciliations, 11%
Financial Statements, 4%
External Auditors, 4%
Internal Controls, 4%
Account Reconciliations, 4%
GAAP, 4%

Common certified public accountant skills

CPA, 48%
Customer Service, 22%
IRS, 7%
State Tax Returns, 5%
Payroll Tax Returns, 2%
Financial Statement Preparation, 1%

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Inventory Accountant vs Certified Public Accountant

Updated January 8, 2025

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